It is that
time of year when the weather is shifting and many people are looking at how
they will stay fit over the winter. One
option, if you have a bike, is to get a bicycle trainer. There are so many options that you can get,
but what is the right type of trainer for you?
First you should look at what each type of trainer offers and the
benefits of each type. The prices that I
list are for more well-known models that will last a while. There are cheaper and more expensive models
depending on what you are looking for.
Wind Trainers (Cost: around $150)
The back
wheel of your bike spins a fan that provides resistance. This is the least expensive type of trainer
and is usually light weight and portable.
The harder you pedal, the more the resistance progressively
increases. The down side is that fans
tend to be loud. Unlike other types of
trainers, there aren’t any adjustments and if you pedal really hard, you can
max out the resistance.
Magnetic Trainers (Cost: around $150)
These types
of trainers have a magnetic flywheel with a fixed resistance. You get the same resistance regardless of how
hard you pedal. Magnetic trainers do
allow you to adjust the resistance by either shifting gears on your bike or
using the trainer’s remote control (or other mechanism, varies by brand). Magnetic trainers are fairly quiet and can be
less expensive than some other types of trainers. Some people like that you can change the
resistance to simulate riding up hills or doing intervals. The down side is that you have to manually adjust
the resistance and some modes require you to get off your bike to make those
changes.
Fluid Trainers (Cost: around $200)
Fluid
trainers have a fluid filled compartment which is what creates the
resistance. The fluid is generally
silicon, but the quality of the silicon varies depending on the company. Fluid trainers increase resistance as you
pedal faster and tend to have a more realistic road-like feel than wind and
magnetic trainers. They also provide a more accurate power and you can simulate
situations like riding on hills and sprints.
One of the biggest pros is that you can go from hill training to sprinting
without needing to make any adjustments.
Fluid trainers are also extremely quiet and are probably the most popular
trainers. On the negative side, they
tend to be more expensive than wind and magnetic trainers and can have a shorter
lifespan due to heat buildup and fluid breakdown. They will last quite a while if you get a
good fluid trainer though.
Rollers (Cost: around $200)
If you want
to go old school or want a more challenging option, give bike rollers a
try. You balance your bike on three
cylinders. There are two for your back
wheel and one for your front.
The most
likely people to use these type of rollers are professional riders and serious
athletes who like to live on the wild side (in my opinion). The benefits are that it provides a realistic
road riding experience and allows you to work on your pedal stroke better than
other trainers. They tend to be cheaper
than some of the other options. On the
down side, it requires good balance and a smooth pedaling cadence. It does have a learning curve and could
result in inexperienced riders to fall off until they get the hang of it. Below is a video that shows how difficult
riding on rollers can be.
Interactive Trainers (Cost: depends on features)
Over the
past few years, there have been additions to trainers that make them
smarter. You can use interactive
features to make your training more beneficial.
There are trainers that allow you to utilize Bluetooth or ANT+ to capture
and share your workout data. It can
monitor your heart rate, power, cadence and more. Some devices even allow you to pretend you
are riding a specific course. You can
conquer the Tour de France or ride other user’s favorite courses that they have
uploaded. It will adjust the resistance
to simulate hills on the course while watching a video on your phone, tablet,
or laptop. These features do come at an
extra cost but can make the extended time on a trainer more enjoyable.
Direct-to-Frame Trainers (Cost: around $900)
These
trainers are more expensive than most trainers out there. They don’t use a rear wheel. You simply take off your back wheel and
attach it to the trainer, which has a cassette already attached. You have a cleaner, more efficient connection
between your bike and the trainer. Just
make sure the trainer you want will work with your bike setup (group type, i.e.
SRAM 10 speed), but they are very stable and can allow for more control over
your riding experience.
Trainer Accessories
Some items
that can be useful when purchasing a trainer include:
Front Tire Riser – A riser lets
you level your bike for a more neutral position, which can be more
comfortable. Not using a raiser can make
the handlebars lower and add extra pressure on your butt and wrists. Adding additional risers (2 or more, stacked)
can simulate a climbing position.
Trainer Mat – Trainer mats go under your bike to catch sweat as you ride. They also can help dampen vibrations and
reduce sound levels. They have some thin
versions and others that are more padded like yoga mats.
Sweat Thong/Net – This is a triangular shaped piece of
fabric sometimes made of terry cloth that catches sweat before it lands on your
expensive bike. Sweat can ruin the paint
on your bike or make huge puddles on the ground. The Sweat Thong helps reduce that. It connects to your handle bars and seat
post.
Trainer Tires – Trainers tend to wear your tires much
faster than road riding because of the heat buildup. They can also shoot rubber all over your
floor. Buying a specific bike trainer
tire helps because they are typically slick and are made to last longer on a
trainer. Trainer tires will help reduce
noise and last longer than normal tires.
Most trainer tires will also reduce or eliminate the rubber being thrown
around.
Spare Wheel and Hub/Cassette – Having a spare wheel for your bike
trainer tire makes switching from road riding to your trainer easy. Otherwise you will have to take your tire off
the wheel each time you switch from the road to the trainer.
There are
different types of trainers depending on your budget and the features you
want. Shop around and see what type of
trainer will meet your needs. I will be
reviewing the Elite Tuno Power Fluid Trainer in the next few days and let you
know what my thoughts are. Please share
your favorite trainer and why it’s your favorite in the comments below so other
readers can get the most out of this post.
Note: I am
not a doctor, so please use all of the products that I mentioned at your own
risk.
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