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Choosing The Right Bike Trainer

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Once the domain of road-warriors in their paincaves, pushed indoors by the cold and the rain in their relentless pursuit of maintaining race day readiness, recent years have seen an explosion of new, more egalitarian indoor bicycle trainers. Suddenly, there are models for everyone, regardless of experience or goals, along with new technology for immersive, interactive, group racing. What was once a serious, solo endeavor, is now available to everyone as a new type of exercise.

The changing weather presents an opportunity to shed light on indoor bike riding, the various trainers available, and how to go about choosing the right indoor trainer. Whether you’re training for an event, or just keeping active indoors during the cold months, there’s a trainer for you.

What Is A Bicycle Trainer?

A bicycle trainer (or “trainer”) is a piece of equipment that makes it possible for you to ride your bicycle indoors. 

Who Needs a Bike Trainer?

Trainers are used by cyclists of all skill levels so they can ride their bikes inside when the weather conditions are not ideal, at night, time is short, or they want to multitask (catch up on a tv show or read a book). Some just prefer to ride inside, feeling safer, and not having to worry about traffic. They are also used by cyclists warming up or cooling down before or after races and competitions.

Types of Trainers

While any basic bike trainer can provide a great aerobic workout, as the price increases, so does the level of precision, features and sophistication. Entry-level trainers can be acquired for a few hundred dollars, ranging up to many thousands for premium models, with all the fancy bells and whistles.

There are three broad categories of indoor cycling trainers: rollers, stationary trainers, and stationary bikes.

Roller Trainers

These are usually the least expensive and most basic of trainers you can buy. Roller trainers also provide the most realistic experience as you are needed to maintain your balance atop the rollers. Naturally, these require the most technique and experience, and have a much steeper learning curve. When first learning, try holding onto something to stop yourself from falling.

PROS:

  • Least expensive
  • Very realistic feel
  • Useful for refining pedaling technique.

CONS:

  • Steep learning curve
  • The only way to increase your resistance on the rollers is to shift gears
  • Can only be used with road and touring style tires
  • Large footprint

Stationary Trainers

These trainers get their name because they employ a frame to hold your rear wheel in a vertical position. Because of this they have great stability and are suited to riders of all ability levels. They also utilize some mechanism to provide resistance to the rear wheel.

PROS:

  • No learning curve – suitable for all riders
  • Small footprint (compared to roller trainers)

CONS:

  • Cost more than roller trainers
  • Less realistic feeling

Stationary bicycle trainers are typically one of two types, each with their own strengths and weaknesses:

Direct Drive

Direct-Drive trainers attach directly to your frame, replacing the wheel and providing a direct connection between the resistance unit and your bike’s drivetrain via a required cassette. These trainers are the most accurate, with smooth power transfer, and the highest levels of resistance found in stationary trainers, thanks to magnetic resistance. The bonus of app connectivity on many models can make the increased price worth it. They are nearly silent which is great when watching TV, but some models are limited by the amount of resistance they can apply.

PROS:

  • Higher degree of accuracy
  • High levels of resistance
  • Low noise
  • Most have app connectivity

CONS:

  • Most expensive stationary trainer
  • Heavier than wheel-on trainers

Wheel-On Trainers

Wheel-on trainers tend to be more affordable. They attach to the rear axle of your rear wheel and employ magnetic or fluid resistance through a roller pressed against the tire. The major benefit of fluid resistance trainers is as you pedal faster, the resistance to the rear wheel increases, creating a more “road-like” feel. The trade-off comes in cost. While usually more portable and lighter than direct-drive trainers, their accuracy is not as good, and they can be very noisy.

PROS:

  • Least expensive stationary trainer
  • Lighter than direct-drive

CONS:

  • Lower degree of accuracy
  • Prone to breaking, overheating and leaking

Stationary Bike

Standalone exercise bikes are the most expensive of the three options. They are rugged, durable and stable enough for even the most serious cyclist. If you’re going to be using it everyday this is probably the one for you. On the other hand, if you have a road bike and are just looking for an indoor alternative, perhaps consider one of the other trainers. They offer the highest degree of accuracy in terms of data, and unmatched resistance. If space is a concern beware as stationary bikes take up a lot of floorspace and are not portable.

PROS:

  • Highest degree of accuracy
  • Most have app connectivity

CONS:

  • Most expensive indoor trainer
  • Heavy
  • Takes up a lot of floorspace

What is a Smart Trainer?

Fast becoming the norm and changing indoor biking from a bad weather activity to an interactive workout in its own right, a smart trainer communicates biking metrics such as power, speed and cadence data into a training app which can be viewed on your smartphone, laptop or smart tv. Most smart trainers also interact with virtual riding platforms like Zwift, Yahoo SYSTM, Rouvy or Tacx, automatically adjusting resistance to simulate changes in terrain on-screen. These features will undoubtedly increase the cost of your trainer, but you’ll find the enjoyment you get out of virtual riding pays for itself. Alternatively, you can purchase lower cost models that transmit only power data, without facilitating the virtual elements.

What Type of Trainer is Best?

This is a very personal question and one that is hard to answer for everyone. Instead, I will say that when it comes to bike trainers you will generally get what you paid for. Cheaper models are often loud, prone to breaking or needing repair. While the more expensive models are generally more reliable, quieter, and provide a more true to life ride experience for a longer time. That said, it truly matters what purpose your trainer will serve and your local climate, as well as your personal preferences, and budget. Let’s review some of the other considerations:

Other Considerations

  • “Smart” Trainer: The feedback, group mentality, and interactivity provided by smart trainers is insanely fun and addicting )in my opinion), make sure the trainer you’re checking out is compatible if you want to experience the rush of virtual racing.
  • Compatibility: Before purchasing a stationary trainer, consider bringing your bike in to test its compatibility. With rapidly changing axle adapters and widths make sure the stationary trainer you are interested in is compatible with your particular bike, or has adaptors to make it so. Also worth considering, are the adapters provided, or an additional cost?
  • Noise: We don’t all have a garage or pain cave, and with more people working from home, looking to get in a workout with the kids asleep, or just looking to catch up on their favorite tv show while riding virtually – noise may be a big consideration for you. While manufacturers like to use expressions like “virtually silent”, pay attention to actual decibel levels, and consider trying out one in person so you know what you’re getting into.
  • Stability: If you haven’t used a roller trainer before it may not be your best entry point. Likewise, with wheel-on units, look for a wide base for increased stability. With direct-drive and stationary bikes this is less of a concern.
  • Size/Storability: Space is a luxury many of us cannot afford. Make sure you have the space for an indoor bike trainer before purchasing one you cannot return – break out a measuring tape if you have to. Stationary bikes and roller trainers usually have the largest footprint, so if your space is limited or you want something you can put away when not in use, consider a wheel-on or direct-drive model if it makes sense.
  • Ease of Use: Something to consider when purchasing an indoor bike trainer is how easy it will be to set up and go when you have a moment to workout. If you only have one bike, you may want to consider a stationary bike, wheel-on, or roller model for your indoor trainer as the direct-drive models have the added complexity of having to remove the rear tire. 
  • Cost: Budget will be a limiting factor for almost all of us. Make sure you can afford the trainer you’re looking to invest in – just remember you get what you paid for. The cheap models are cheaper for a reason, and are more prone to breaking down or needing servicing over the next step up.
  • Training Requirements: Something else to consider is what you want the trainer for. If you’re looking to use it a few times a year when the weather’s really bad and you want to get a quick ride in, that’s worlds apart from needing to get your hours and miles, multiple times a week leading up to races. If its the former – no need to break the bank – if it’s the latter, you’re going to be spending the time there, make sure you’ll be happy.
  • Personal Preference: Some people just don’t like roller trainers – myself included – some people like the rocking, road feel of a fluid, wheel-on trainer. Make sure you try all options available to you because you’ll never know what you’re missing until you get on the saddle.

SOURCES

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Daniel

Daniel is an extremely curious person, a wealth of random knowledge and facts. Extremely passionate about a vast array of interests ranging from health to history, science to athletics, everything culinary and the list goes on. Trust us, you would want to be on his team for Trivial Pursuit. Daniel is also years into his battle with brain cancer. He experienced a seizure while on a Zoom call at work in late 2020 and quite literally, his life changed within minutes. After his operation he started to talk about his story but had always known it was more than just him. From then, More Than Our Story became a PROJECT that has evolved into the starting point it is today.

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