I spent considerable time researching this device and would like to share my initial thoughts.
The yellow tire is a trainer tire... it is supposed to last longer than a regular tire on the trainer and supposed to improve all-around use.
You can see from the picture below that the setup is pretty stable. The load generator is pretty smart... it can adjust load based on the course you are riding up to 1500 watts. This is way beyond what most can produce. It also has a fan which keeps it cool... the faster the speed the faster the fan... thus you are cautioned that long hard low rpm climbs can cause over-heating.
On the left rear main-stay is a cadence monitor (magnet on the left crank). This is helpful for not only cadence, but also the spin scan function. There is considerable controversy regarding the benefits of spin scan, but it definitely gives you feedback if you are favoring one leg over the other too much.
Above is the cockpit set-up for my computrainer. The yellow controller is needed to change everything from the watts you or your pacer will be doing. Different views on the computer screen and for starting and stopping and saving races. You will notice that I have covered the setup with plastic to avoid damage from sweat. The amount this trainer will make you sweat is incredible. There are bike covers you can buy, but moderately think plastic works quite well. On the stem you can also see the Polar remote HR sensor which plugs into the yellow controller.
The software is very nice:
This is from the regular 3D software. You can vary the scenery a lot and even ride cyclocross. Another view you can control via the yellow hand remote is spin-scan, as seen below. The rainbow bar graphs represent different 15 deg angles of the entire pedal stroke of each pedal.
Many question this spin-scan, but I think it is helpful so far. One thing that is easily noticeable is that your pedaling is less-efficient when aero as there is less ability to pull up with the pedal and more of the force is from downward pushing in aero.
Here is a spin scan report from a recent short training session.
Racermate also has real course videos. This is a seen from the IM Hawaii course. The screen moves as fast as you are going and is definitely a help from the boredom angle. The vids are $100, but this one came with the computrainer as a freebie.
Coaching software allows detailed review after the training session as seen below. It can also be used for ergo mode and for spinscan alone mode. Ergo mode is very cool, as you set the watts and then you have to deliver them regardless of cadence. I have ordered some erg videos as well, but they have not arrived yet. Here is a CS review of a 92 min ride from December 16th, 2008...
Editor's Note: This preview was written by Fred Doucette. Check out his Ironman Pennsylvania Blog for more useful previews.