The Best Indoor Turbo Trainer Stationary Bikes
Fluid vs Magnetic vs Wind Resistance, Trainers vs Exercise Bikes
Aug 31, 2009
Turbo trainers (or just trainers) are used by
- Competitive cyclists who want to train indoors on their road bike.
- Keep-fit enthusiasts who want to save floorspace or who are looking for a cheap exercise bike.
Prices range from $100 to $300. Popular brands include Cycleops (Fluid 2), Kurt (Kinetic), Minoura, Elite, Tacx, Schwinn, Koolatron, 1up, Bell, Blackburn (Trakstand) and Forza.
How Bicycle Trainers Work
A bicycle trainer is basically a rear-axle bicycle stand with a roller and a resistance mechanism.
The bicycle is lifted off the ground a few inches and fixed to the stand by its rear axle. A roller is pressed against the rear bicycle wheel.
Turning the bicycle pedals turns the rear wheel which turns the roller. The roller is fixed to a resistance mechanism. It is the resistance mechanism that gives the cyclist a workout. Some trainers allow the resistance to be changed, but this is more usually done by shifting gears on the bicycle.
The front wheel is raised on a riser block to level the bike.
Bicycle Trainers Versus Exercise Bikes
For apartment dwellers who already own a bike, a trainer allows them to exercise indoors without wasting space on a separate exercise bike.
The equation changes for suburban householders with a garage. A 26 inch two-wheeled bicycle on a trainer is longer, and therefore takes up more space, than a one-wheeled exercise bike with a mini wheel. The options are:
- Exercise bike in the house, large two-wheeled bicycle in the garage.
- Trainer and large two-wheeled bicycle in the house, no bicycle in the garage.
Other comparisons are listed below.
Advantages of bicycle trainers:
- Relatively cheaper than an equivalent exercise bike (excluding cost of bicycle).
- More resistance levels as resistance change is made through bicycle gear shifting.
- Closer to actual riding. Riding position and ergonomics (bicycle seat, handlebars, pedal crank length, pedal clips) are the same as riding on the road.
Disadvantages of bicycle trainers:
- Can be noisier due to tires rolling on the roller. Knobbly off-road tires are the worst. Slick road tires are better. Special "trainer tires" are completely smooth and work best. A larger roller might be quieter. Placing the trainer on a rubber mat and reducing tire pressure also helps.
- Wears out bicycle tires. Trainer tires should last the longest, but they can't be used on the road so the wheels need to be changed back to road tires for riding outside. This isn't too difficult with quick-release wheels.
- Fewer electronic monitoring features. Dedicated exercise bikes typically have more advanced monitoring of cyclist performance.
- For a road bike's cyclometer to work on a trainer, the sensor needs to be shifted from the front wheel to the rear wheel, because the front wheel doesn't turn.
Mag Versus Fluid Versus Wind Resistance Trainers
Trainer resistance mechanisms are similar to those on exercise bikes.
Magnetic resistance mechanisms are popular.
Advantages
- Cheap.
- More than one resistance level is possible.
- Reliable and low-maintenance.
Disadvantage
- Less realistic and satisfying ride.
Fluid resistance trainers are also popular.
Advantage
- Resistance automatically increases with speed, which more accurately mimics real bicycle response. This gives a more realistic ride.
Disadvantages
- More expensive.
- Normally only one resistance level. Resistance can be changed by shifting gears on the bicycle so this isn't a significant limitation.
- Possible for fluid to leak.
Wind or air-resistance trainers give roughly the same natural ride as fluid trainers.
Advantages
- Resistance automatically increases with speed.
- Simple and reliable.
Disadvantages
- Normally only one resistance level.
- Noisy.
For all types of mechanisms, a flywheel is important. It adds inertia, approximating the inertia of a rolling bicycle and allows the bike to freewheel naturally. Within limits, the larger the flywheel the better.
Other Types of Bicycle Trainers
Rim drive trainers have rollers that contact the side rim of the rear wheel. This preserves the rubber of the tire.
Pivot trainers allow some side movement for a more natural ride.
Roller trainers look like a ladder that is placed on the floor. The bicycle's rear wheel is placed on two rollers on the ladder. The front wheel is sometimes removed so that the bicycle can be supported on a front fork stand.
The Best Bicycle Trainer
Tire-wear issues mean that in the long run, a turbo trainer can be more expensive than an exercise bike.
For those who are sold on the benefits of a trainer, mag trainers are cheap and reliable. They should be fine for the average keep-fit enthusiast.
Fluid trainers have a good reputation. For serious cyclists who can afford to pay more, a name brand fluid trainer with a large flywheel is a good choice.
Cycling isn't the only type of exercise. Rowing machines should also be considered.
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