Category Archives for Bike Trainers

Indoor Bike Trainer Exercise Stand

Indoor Bike Trainers are a revolutionary product that enable you to continue training in the harsh, cold winter months by providing you with a sturdy base to mount your outdoor bike and continue training at home.

The rear wheel of your bike is attached to the bike trainer, as the rear wheel spins on a roller. The roller produces resistance that is based on the force with which you pedal against.

As there is resistance, this can be adjusted to increase and decrease the effort required to pedal, thereby reproducing the feeling of cycling on the roads in real life, to recreate climbing, sprinting and just cruising along as closely to reality as possible.

It is possible now to train through the winter with this state-of-the-art product that makes riding indoors on your bicycle possible. The Indoor Bike Trainer Exercise stand is a magnetic resistance trainer that works with road and mountain bikes from 24 inches to 700cc.

The assembly of the product is simple. An additional riser accompanies the Indoor Bike Trainer Exercise Stand that adds on to the features of the product and saves you some money. It is a smart, easy, and efficient way to continue with your training, irrespective of the weather conditions

Features

• The build is solid and sturdy, and the frame is extra wide which provides stability and firmness.
• The Bike Trainer Exercise Stand comes with strong mounting cups that reduce slippage. However, quick release of the bike is included as well.
• The product provides progressive magnetic resistance up to 5 different levels.
• It is compatible with 26-inch, 27-inch, and 700cc bicycles.
• It comes with a front wheel riser block.

Pros

• The Indoor Bike Trainer Exercise Stand is durable, strong, and reliable.
• The extra wide frame provides stability and solidity to the bicycle when mounted.
• It folds quickly and can be stacked away for easy storage or can be carried easily for travel.
• The sturdy mounting cups reduce slippage.
• Quick release is included.
• Magnetic resistance is progressive during a biking session and can be done with a simple, single adjustment mechanism.
• It’s compatible with outdoor and mountain bikes.
• It is low in noise and vibration levels.
• A front Wheel Riser Block is included in the bike trainer exercise stand set.

Cons

• Noise levels might rise with bikes with big traction tires.

Comparison

As bright and colorful as the Bike Trainer Exercise Stand is, it might be worthwhile to look at a couple other products on the market that are on par with Bike Trainer Exercise Stand.

1. CycleTEK Momentum1 Indoor Bicycle Trainer
2. RAD Cycle Products Indoor Portable Magnetic Bicycle Trainer

The CycleTEK Momentum1 uses an oversized alloy frame with six points of contact on the floor. Each rubber foot twists with different faces to accommodate uneven flooring as well. It supports bicycles with wheel sizes from 20 inches to 700 cc.

The resistance piece has a silicone fluid that provides a wide range of resistance. Everything from low cadence mashing to high speed sprints can easily summon enough resistance to give you a good workout. There are twin adjustable mounts with lock rings that twists to lock onto the frame rather than using the lever to clamp down on the axle giving a sturdy base to your bicycle. The bonus is that it does all this without noise. The CycleTEK Momentum1 is an excellent fluid bicycle trainer. It is a quality product.

RAD Cycle Products Indoor Portable Magnetic Bicycle Trainer is a quality product that allows you to train on your own bicycle all year long. Installation is simple and takes around 10 minutes. It includes taking out the back axle and installing one that is provided in the kit.

The bike will then fit into the stand. The unit provides steadily increasing resistance with each gear change and a step up in rotations per minute, but settles in nicely once you hit your pace. However, it doesn’t increase resistance the faster you pedal.

It comes with an anti-slip pad for the front wheel. The RAD Cycle Trainer is also compatible with road and mountain bikes with 26-inch, 27-inch, or 700cc wheels. It is inexpensive and provides all of the features of a high-end trainer at an affordable price. However, noise can be a concern here and the RAD cycle trainer can be loud when mountain bike tires are installed.

Verdict

While the RAD Cycle trainer and the CycleTEK Momentum1 are good indoor bike trainers, our pick would be the Indoor Bike Trainer Exercise Stand. It has a host of excellent features that you would look for in a bike trainer, and it all comes in at an affordable price. It is a great budget-buy!

Conquer Indoor Bike Trainer Portable Exercise Bicycle Magnetic Stand

The indoor bike trainer is a piece of equipment that many cyclists use to add an extra dimension to their training. The rear wheel is attached to the bike trainer to hold the bike still as your rear wheel spins a roller on the machine.

This roller produces the resistance that is the force you pedal against. The resistance can be adjusted to increase and decrease the effort required to pedal, reproducing the feeling of cycling on the roads in real life as closely as possible. This is perfect for cyclists as it allows you to train in all weather and on your own bike, which is already set up specifically to be most comfortable for you.

The Conquer Indoor Bike Trainer Portable Bicycle Stand is an efficient indoor bike trainer that helps you to continue to train during winter months without a break. This product is excellent if you are not keen on riding on the street and prefer to have a workout at home.

You can use the bicycle that you already own and convert it into an indoor biking unit and enjoy a fun, yet challenging workout. The Conquer Indoor Bicycle stand is strong and sturdy and a great buy.

Features

• The build is sturdy and strong, and the frame is wide and stable to hold the bike without any wobble.
• The bicycle mounting clamps are strong and reliable and prevent any form of slippage.
• The magnetic resistance provides resistance to the biker as the pedaling speed increases.
• Compatible with different kinds of outdoor bikes, including mountain bikes.
• Front wheel riser increases the challenging nature of the biking session.

Pros

• The product is strong and robust, made with high quality material that makes the Conquer Indoor Bike trainer durable and heavy-duty, thereby giving a lot of confidence to the biker.
• The mounting of the bike is easy and simple. The mounting clamps are sturdy and firm and fix the bike in place avoiding slippage.
• The trainer is foldable, enabling easy storage, and it is light-weight for travel.
• The resistance options provide the required challenge to the biker.
• The easy release option for the bike makes unclamping of the bike from the trainer an easy and quick process.
• The Conquer Indoor Bike Trainer is compatible with a variety of outdoor and mountain bikes.
• The sound levels are low, and the vibrations are non-intrusive.
• It is a budget-friendly product.

Cons

• The resistance offered might not be challenging enough for seasoned bikers.

Comparison

The Conquer Indoor Bike Trainer is a great budget-friendly buy. However, we recommend that you read the following section and look out for a couple of products on the market that are as strong as the Conquer Indoor Trainer and make an informed choice on the product you prefer based on your needs and preferences.

1. CycleOps Fluid2 Indoor Trainer
2. Useful UH-BT167 Magnet Bicycle Trainer

CycleOps Fluid2 Indoor Trainer

With the CycleOps Fluid2 Indoor trainer, you can get the most out of each indoor training ride. The Cyclops Fluid2 is designed to fit common road and mountain bike frames. It has a precision-machined alloy roller that reduces tire wear and slippage.

The clutch knob provides perfect roller to the tire tension. The setup is done on the CycleOps foldable Classic frame that enables easy storage. The 2-inch resistance unit roller allows for 650b, 700c, 26-inch, 27-inch, and 29-inch wheel sizes – up to a 2.0 tire.

A steel quick release skewer is included in the package. The spring loaded, bolt-action lever provides resistance while pedaling, and the precision-balanced flywheel lets you easily customize each ride. The Cyclops Fluid2 is built with 100% recyclable, non-rusting materials and is made with rugged 2-inch round 16-gauge steel. It is strong, sturdy, and a great buy.

Useful UH-BT167 Magnet Bicycle Trainer

The Useful UH-BT167 Bike Trainer converts your bike into an indoor cycling trainer easily and offers effective indoor training during harsh weather conditions. There are 7 different levels of resistance, and you can change them right from your handle bars.

It offers a stiff, well-supported steel frame for your bike to ensure stability while you ride. The wide base design gives extra stability and a smooth, quiet ride. This trainer is easy to set up with almost any bike–including road and mountain bikes with a 26″, 27″, or 700c wheel.

Fine-tune to your wheel and tire size with the micro-adjust knobs available for a snug fit. As you pedal, the internal magnet creates resistance, increasing up to 5 levels of resistance. And you can change them right from your handle bars. With the Bike Trainer by Useful Products, you can continue riding anytime you want, all year round or train safely, away from high traffic areas.

The Useful UH-BT167 Trainer can be folded down like an ironing board for travel and storage. It is a wonderful buy for bikers who look for maximum stability while riding. The Useful UH-BT167 is a strong and dependable bike trainer that features robust construction and proven reliability in a cost effective manner.

Verdict

While the Useful UH-BT167 and the CycleOps Fluid2 bike trainers are great products, the Conquer edges the other two out to be our top pick for Indoor Bike Trainers. Its rich set of features and affordable price range make it an attractive option for cycling enthusiasts. Buy it.

Choosing A Bike Trainer

Portable, smooth, quiet, affordable—different folks have different tastes while choosing the best indoor bike trainer for them.

There are four common types of indoor bike trainers:

1. Wind – The cyclist powers a fan that provides resistance.
2. Magnetic – A fixed resistance is offered by a magnetic flywheel.
3. Fluid – Silicon within the unit offers resistance.
4. Rollers – The unattached bike is balanced on top of three cylinders.

Even within these four broad categories, there is a wide range of choices. Magnetic and fluid trainers, in particular, go from fairly simple models with a handlebar-mounted remote to vary the resistance, all the way up to smart-bike-trainer enabled versions that pair to your computer, track power, and offer downloadable workouts. Here are some basic guidelines to choose a bike trainer that suits your needs.

1. Consider a wind trainer or simple magnetic model if you just need a basic model for pre-race warm-ups. The folding legs for easy portability, which is an added advantage.
2. Consider rollers if you want to work on your pedal stroke. Rollers will help you immensely to smoothen out your clunky cadence.
3. Consider a fluid trainer that tracks power output, or a smart trainer that pairs to your computer if you need to do structured workouts.
4. Consider a smart trainer that can interface with independent training programs wherein you can ride or race along with if you tend to get bored easily riding indoors.

‌Some other items to consider while choosing a bike trainer are:

1. Compatibility: With axle attachment standards and widths changing almost yearly, check whether a trainer you’re interested in offers different attachment options such as thru-axle adaptors and different free-hub options for direct-attachment trainers.
2. Functionality: Is it easy to get your bike on and off the trainer?
3. Smoothness and Sturdiness: Some trainers are a little smoother than others. And of course, a cyclist’s pedal stroke can go a long way toward cutting down on the choppiness and instability aboard a trainer.
4. Storage: Some trainers have folding legs for easier storage (some rollers fold in half as well). That can add modest amounts to the cost.
5. Noise: All trainers make noise, and produce vibrations that may be annoying to others around you. Particularly if you live in a building with shared walls or floor/ceilings, pay attention to how much noise and vibration a trainer produces.
6. Stability: Trainer crashes are rare, but not unheard of when you’re going cross-eyed trying to beat your PR on that workout. Typically, the broader the base, the more stable.
7. Price: How much are you willing to invest?

Accessories

There are a lot of accessories, from the essential (axle attachment inserts) to the obscure (a storage bag). Here are a few basic ones you might want to consider, prioritized by importance:

1. ‌Axle attachment inserts: Some trainers that attach via the rear wheel can accommodate different axle standards and offer inserts for that purpose. Make sure the trainer you are buying has compatible options for the bike or bikes you want to use it with.
2. ‌Front wheel block: You can use a stack of phone books as a front wheel block and it would work, but a dedicated leveling block is a lot more stable and not very expensive.
3. Sensors: You can buy a basic unit now and upgrade it later with sensors for things like power, cadence, or even virtual speed, which can transform basic units into smart trainers that work with training programs.
4. Floor mat: It protects your floor from scratches and sweat, and absorbs a bit of vibration. It is useful for nice floors and apartments.
5. Trainer tire: Trainers rely on friction to produce resistance, so they’re much harder on tires than road miles—they not only wear out tread, but will flex casings to the point that they can eventually fail. If you have high-end tires on your bike and are riding inside most of the winter, consider a trainer-specific tire, which has a beefier casing and tread. They’re typically not recommended for outdoor use.

Conclusion

In the end, an indoor trainer is a great tool to keep your cycling sharp even when the days get short and the weather freezes the roads. Making sure you pick the best trainer for your needs will go a long way in making your winter as active as ever.

Bike Trainer Comparison

 

A bike trainer is also called a bike stand trainer or a turbo trainer. A bike trainer allows you to train indoors on your own bike.

You simply connect your rear wheel to the trainer so that you can pedal against a given resistance supplied by the trainer. This means that you can change your gear and brake as if you were outside, but in the comfort of your own home.

A bike trainer is generally used by people who want to improve their speed or stamina on their own bike rather than using a gym machine that might provide a sense of unfamiliarity or come with complex settings.

It also gives you the freedom to train in all weather conditions. Cycling outdoors in extreme weather conditions, against the wind, rain, or snow provides a risk for serious injury. A bike trainer mitigates this risk by continuing to train indoors.

Indoor bike trainers are also used to warm up prior to a race or competition and also to cool down and get lactic acid away from the muscles. For example, sprint cyclists are often seen pedaling away on stationary bikes attached to a trainer to warm up beforehand and cool down.

Types of Bike Trainers

Bike trainers come in a variety of designs depending on what type of resistance is provided. The four most common types use either wind, fluid, magnetic, or centrifugal resistance.

1. Fluid – Fluid Bike Trainers combine a magnetic flywheel with fluid chambers that produce the resistance. The advantage of the fluid bike trainer is that it is nearly silent and resistance can be added progressively. However, friction can cause them to overheat and there is a possibility of leaks.
2. Magnetic – A Magnetic Flywheel creates resistance for the rear tire. The advantage of a magnetic bike trainer is that it is almost silent, but the downside is that they are prone to breaking and have a limit on the amount of resistance that they can provide.
3. Wind – Wind Bike Trainers use a fan that is powered by the cyclist’s legs to provide increased resistance the faster they pedal.  The advantage of the wind bike trainer is that it is more realistic when compared to cycling outdoors, but the disadvantages are that it can be very noisy and there is a limited amount of resistance it provides.
4. Centrifugal – In the Centrifugal Bike Trainer, pressure plates provide resistance to the rear tire. The advantages are that it is almost silent and that the resistance can be adjusted. However, they are also prone to breaking under extreme use.
5. Roller – A Roller Trainer, also known as a cycling roller, is a set of unsupported roller bars which allow you to cycle while stationary with both front and back wheels turning in comparison to just the rear on the turbo trainers. These are great, but can be expensive and are much harder to use than the turbo.

Bike Trainer Cost Comparison

The most expensive trainer is the fluid bike trainer, which is the quietest and provides the most realistic ride. The earlier problems of failure due to leakage seem to have been resolved by the higher-end fluid bike trainer manufacturers.

Next is the magnetic bike trainer. Once again, the higher-end magnetic trainers don’t suffer from the breakdowns and noise that early-model mag bicycle trainers were known for.

Finally, you have the wind bike trainer. They’re noisier and aren’t able to provide leg-burning resistance, but there are plenty of recreational riders who would benefit from what a wind bike trainer has to offer when poor weather or seasonal darkness keep a cyclist indoors.

Conclusion

There are lots of benefits to using a bike or turbo trainer. The best advantage is that you never have to put off training again. With a bike trainer, you can simply set up a biking set-up indoors in a convenient space. Secondly, they are relatively small to store when you are not using them, and they run quietly, so can be used early in the morning or late at night without disturbing anyone.

From a fitness point of view, they are also great for allowing you to vary your training method by altering resistance settings. For competitive cyclists, it also means that you train on your own bike, which will have a very precise set up to maintain the optimum form. You also have the freedom to set it up in front of the TV, browse on the iPad, or read a book while cycling.