Patent ID: 7011607

Claim:
A bicycle trainer, comprising: a frame configured to support a bicycle having a driven wheel; and a resistance device secure as a unit to the frame, wherein the resistance device comprises: a housing supported by the frame; a roller rotatably supported by the housing, wherein the roller is arranged engage the driven wheel of the bicycle for rotation in response to rotation of the driven wheel; a rotatable member rotatably supported by the housing and interconnected with the roller for rotation in response to rotation of the driven wheel, wherein the rotatable member is rotatable about an axis of rotation in response to rotation of the driven wheel; a stationary electrically conductive member mounted to the housing adjacent the rotatable member; and one or more magnetic members movably mounted to the rotatable member, wherein the magnetic members are movable relative to the stationary electrically conductive member and relative to the axis of rotation in response to variations in the speed of rotation of the rotatable member; wherein the one or more magnetic members and the electrically conductive member cooperate to form an eddy current force which resists rotation of the rotatable member and thereby resists rotation of the roller and the driven wheel, wherein movement of the one or more magnetic members relative to the stationary electrically conductive member functions to alter the location of the eddy current force relative to the axis of rotation to vary the resistance to rotation of the rotatable member in response to the speed of rotation of the rotatable member caused by rotation of the roller and the driven wheel.