How to Choose an Indoor Bike Trainer

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

Bryan Whitbeck, owner of Black Mountain Bike Shop in San Diego, has seen it all. Even in an ideal climate for outdoor winter riding, Black Mountain sells its share of indoor trainers (mostly due to the short daylight hours). And he notices a trend when a cyclist comes in looking to purchase one.

"Most people tend to do one of two things," Whitbeck said. "They either beeline to the price because they're not sure if they're going to use it. Or they come in, they're excited, they're pumped up and they don't want to hear noise and they have a nice bike so they don't mind spending a little bit."

Not sure where you fall on that spectrum? Here's a handy guide to finding the right indoor bike trainer for you.

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The Types

There are four common types of bike indoor trainers:

• Wind, in which the cyclist powers a fan that provides resistance;
• Magnetic, in which a fixed resistance is offered by a magnetic flywheel;
• Fluid, in which silicon within the unit offers resistance;
• Rollers, completely different from the other three, in which the unattached bike is balanced on top of three cylinders.

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All four have distinct differences that set them apart. Wind trainers are the cheapest but also the noisiest. Magnetic trainers are an affordable (and quiet) option but the fixed resistance is not ideal to many cyclists. Fluid trainers are quiet and offer progressive resistance, but are pricier. And rollers are challenging to master due to the need for a refined pedal stroke to keep your balance.

Wind trainers can be found for around $150, while fluid trainers can range anywhere from $350 to $400. Magnetic and rollers fall somewhere in between.

Some of the top companies that manufacture indoor bike trainers are Kinetics, CycleOps, Elite and Tacx and Minoura.

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The Extras

Keep in mind that purchasing the trainer might not be the end of your spending. Many cyclists end up buying a block for their front tire to level the bike off (trainers can lift the bike tire up an inch or so).

Also, due to the high amount of sweating done on a trainer, many end up buying a trainer mat to go under their bike.

And if you really want to invest, companies like Kinetic and CycleOps are starting to offer computer, power meter and video add-ons that can expand the amount of data available and make for a more entertaining experience.

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What to Look For

So what should a cyclist try to get to the bottom of when shopping for a trainer?

• Functionality. Is it easy to get your bike on and off the trainer?
• 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.
• Noise. Wind trainers aren't super quiet like magnet and fluid trainers, but will that bother you?
• Portability. Is it small enough to store in a place that won't make your spouse mad?
• Price. How much are you willing to invest?

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.

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