Which Indoor Bike Trainer's Best For You?
As winter months drag on seemingly forever, it gets more difficult to force ourselves out into the bad weather to exercise. In many instances it actually becomes close to impossible. In the case of cycling, riding a bike through darkened streets on sheets of ice isn't a viable option.
But we've been saved by the recent surge of indoor bike trainer models.
Indoor trainers are a great way to get a cardio workout in the comfort and safety of your home. This article will cover the three categories of trainers, with comments on their respective strengths and weaknesses.
Wind Trainers For Casual Cyclists
There aren't very many machines in the world simpler than a wind trainer. Consisting of not much more than a roller attached to an impeller, this type of trainer is the least likely to need any repairs. If the trainer's from a high quality company you can just about eliminate any worry of your trainer ever breaking down.
But on the flip side, wind trainers are also the most limited in what they have to offer. Wind trainers aren't able to provide as much resistance as mag trainers or fluid trainers. Advanced cyclists will find that they aren't able to get a high intensity workout using a wind trainer.
Wind trainers are also the loudest of the three categories so using a wind trainer when trying to distract yourself by watching TV or a DVD can be a problem. This isn't the type of trainer to use when keeping peace in the apartment complex is your objective.
Mag Trainers Are A Step Up
A step up the bike trainer ladder gets us to mag (magnetic) trainers. When the rider's putting in a hard effort, these trainers aren't as loud as wind trainers. They're also able to generate more resistance, using the forces of magnets repelling each other to provide the workout.
The resistance levels in mag trainers can be altered in a variety of ways. The most basic models are switched at the unit itself, which means that the rider has to dismount and remount during the workout. One step up from this system are the units that change resistance via a remote lever which attaches to the handlebars.
Recently, the CycleOps Magneto has arrived on the market. This is the first and only mag trainer that provides 'progressive resistance'. CycleOps engineered this trainer to generate more and more resistance the faster the trainer spins by using centrifugal force to alter the position of the magnets.
Fluid Bike Trainers Are Quietest And Strongest
Fluid trainers like the Cycleops Fluid 2 are the style that provides the most resistance, while at the same time being the quietest. These trainers spin an impeller through fluid, with silicone being the liquid of choice due to it's unique characteristic of getting thicker, rather than thinner the hotter it gets. Because the friction of the impeller spinning through the fluid produces a lot of heat, the thickening of the silicone makes the resistance increase.
Fluid trainers were notorious for leaking until the proprietary design showcased in the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine came on the market,. That's no longer the case with the upper end fluid trainers so cyclists wanting a quiet ride with nearly unlimited potential for resistance usually opt for a fluid trainer.
Something For Everyone
With a wide variety of indoor bike trainers on the market today it's easier for a fitness buff to find a unit that will allow them to maintain their fitness level throughout the winter. It's no longer necessary to start off each Spring without at a low level of cardio fitness.
About the author: Ron Fritzke is a cycling product reviewer with a passion for ‘all things cycling’. A former 2:17 marathoner, he now directs his competitive efforts toward racing his bike…and looking for good cycling products.
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