For starters, a bike trainer lets you train indoors on your own bike.

They have a wide base, a triangular frame and are built very solid. The rear tyre of the bike is lifted off the floor when it is inserted into the trainer which allows the cyclist to ride the bike in an uprigth position without the bike moving forward.

The greatest benefit of the bike trainer is that as the days get shorter, as the weather becomes colder, of if the cyclist is unable to get outside to train, he simply connects his bike up to the trainer and is able to enjoy all the benefits of a normal training session.

There are a few different types of bike trainers such as, fluid treiner, magenetic trainer, as well as wind trainers.

The Wind bicycle trainer

Starting at the lower end of the price scale, the wind trainer relies on the pedaling power of the cyclist to produce resistance. Whilst you pedal, a fan is switched on and creates a level of resistance, that will increase as you pedal faster.

The level of resistance is similar to the wind flow experienced while on an outdoor ride. Larger fans are able to produce more resistance compared to smaller sized fans. Wind trainers are definitely the noisiest of all of the trainers and also the most affordable.

The Magnetic Bicycle Trainer

Quite often the magnetic trainers are the quietest of all trainers and rate as a mid level trainer when it comes to performance, quality and price. Not surprisingly they use magnets to create the resistance for the cyclist.

Depending on the brand of trainer, you can adjust the level of resistance manually or electronically. The level of power applied to the pedals determine the level of resistance.

Make sure that the quality of the magnets is high as with some of the cheaper brands the magnets will lose their attraction which in turn will reduce the level of resistance which will ultimately result in a very poor training experience for the cyclist.

Fluid Trainers

These trainers are smooth and quiet. They use an impeller with hydraulic fluids to create the resistance.

Generally the more expensive type of trainer the fluid trainer relies on the fluid heating up. As the fluid heats up it gets thicker, it then increases in viscosity and subsequently creates more resistance.

More pedal power, more resistance. No need to worry about leaking fluid on the better brands, however the cheaper brands have been known to leak.

To sum it all up

You can ride any time of the day, you’re not subject to the poor weather or unsafe road conditions

You can have the road all to yourself, and no longer need to worry about unsafe drivers or wet and slippery roads.

Targeted and more focused training by eliminating conditions such as cold weather, rain, and wind allowing you to train in a controlled environment.

As it is a more reliable and consistent training environment, it allows you to monitor your technique by removing such variables as wind and terrain differences.

Considerations for Choosing a Good Bike Trainer

Some cyclist have more than one bike, which means that your trainer should cater for various size wheels.

The trainer must be solid, compact and easy to store.

Each of the different types of trainers offer varying levels of resistance, generally speaking it is the more expensive fluid trainers that offer the best levels of resistance over the wind and magnetic trainers.

Want to find out more about Kinetic Road Machine, then visit Matt Walker’s site on how to choose the best Bike Trainers for your needs.

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