A sliding cylinder rheometer (SCR) has been constructed for use with an existing materials test system (MTS) for the measurement of fast transient and steady‐state responses of viscoelastic fluids in simple shear. This MTS‐SCR combination capitalizes on the versatility and capability of the MTS programmable drive system, while the design of the SCR ensures the ideal simple shearing configuration. Experience with this new system indicates that SCR is not only less expensive to construct but also easier to use than the parallel‐plate rheometer (PPR). Instrumental compliance, material inertia, and mechanical lag in both the input and output components of the system are minimal. Reproducible shear stress data on a polyisobutylene‐in‐decalin solution have been obtained for various complicated flow programs.