For starters, a bike trainer lets you train indoors on your own bike.
Look for a strong and solid construction using a triangular frame set on a wide base. The trainer allows the cyclist to train in an upright position withoug any forward movement by inserting the rear tyre of the bike into the trainer lifting the tyre of the floor. With the rear tyre of the floor and the bike in an upright position the cyclist pedals the bike as usual.
When the weather changes, when it starts to rain, or even as the days get shorter, it's no problem. All you need to do is to connect your bike to your bike trainer and you will enjoy all the benefits of an awesome training session.
The three types of bike trainers are wind trainers, fluid trainers, and magnetic trainers.
The Wind bicycle trainer
This trainer uses a fan to create the resistance. As the pedaling power of the cyclist increases so does the resistance. These trainers are generally at the lower end of the price scale.
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.
With a choice of either manual or electronic adjustments, the magnetic trainer allows for the level of resistance to be adjusted. The reistance for the trainer is determined by the pedaling power of the cyclist, the more power applied to the pedal the greater the resistance.
Low quality magnetic trainers have low quality magnets which will lose their attraction at a faster rate, which in turn reduces the level of resistance and when that happens the training experience for the cyclist is quite poor.
Fluid Bike Trainers
If you are looking for a much quieter and smoother experience than you can't go past the fluid trainer which uses an impeller in fluid to create the resistance
In comparison to the wind and magnetic trainers, these more expensive trainers use a hydraulic fluid, as the fluid heats up it thickens, the fluid when heated increases in viscosity and consequently increases the level of resistance.
As the cyclist pedaling power increases so does the resistance. Early versions of the fluid trainers were prone to leaking, but the new more advanced models have been designed not to leak.
Several Benefits of the Bike Trainer
If you like to be able to ride any time of day or night, regardless of the weather or unsafe conditions on the road, well you can.
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.
Really focus on you technique in a more reliable and consistent training environment as all the variable such as wind, terraing and changes to temperature are removed.
Considerations for Choosing a Good Bike Trainer
Good bike trainers should cater for various sized wheels, quite often a cyclist will own more than just one bike.
The trainer must be solid, compact and easy to store.
I would suggest test driving all the different types of trainers as they all offer different levels of resistance, and as a rule of thumb the more expensive fluid trainers are the ones that offer the greatest range of resistance.
Look for a strong and solid construction using a triangular frame set on a wide base. The trainer allows the cyclist to train in an upright position withoug any forward movement by inserting the rear tyre of the bike into the trainer lifting the tyre of the floor. With the rear tyre of the floor and the bike in an upright position the cyclist pedals the bike as usual.
When the weather changes, when it starts to rain, or even as the days get shorter, it's no problem. All you need to do is to connect your bike to your bike trainer and you will enjoy all the benefits of an awesome training session.
The three types of bike trainers are wind trainers, fluid trainers, and magnetic trainers.
The Wind bicycle trainer
This trainer uses a fan to create the resistance. As the pedaling power of the cyclist increases so does the resistance. These trainers are generally at the lower end of the price scale.
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.
With a choice of either manual or electronic adjustments, the magnetic trainer allows for the level of resistance to be adjusted. The reistance for the trainer is determined by the pedaling power of the cyclist, the more power applied to the pedal the greater the resistance.
Low quality magnetic trainers have low quality magnets which will lose their attraction at a faster rate, which in turn reduces the level of resistance and when that happens the training experience for the cyclist is quite poor.
Fluid Bike Trainers
If you are looking for a much quieter and smoother experience than you can't go past the fluid trainer which uses an impeller in fluid to create the resistance
In comparison to the wind and magnetic trainers, these more expensive trainers use a hydraulic fluid, as the fluid heats up it thickens, the fluid when heated increases in viscosity and consequently increases the level of resistance.
As the cyclist pedaling power increases so does the resistance. Early versions of the fluid trainers were prone to leaking, but the new more advanced models have been designed not to leak.
Several Benefits of the Bike Trainer
If you like to be able to ride any time of day or night, regardless of the weather or unsafe conditions on the road, well you can.
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.
Really focus on you technique in a more reliable and consistent training environment as all the variable such as wind, terraing and changes to temperature are removed.
Considerations for Choosing a Good Bike Trainer
Good bike trainers should cater for various sized wheels, quite often a cyclist will own more than just one bike.
The trainer must be solid, compact and easy to store.
I would suggest test driving all the different types of trainers as they all offer different levels of resistance, and as a rule of thumb the more expensive fluid trainers are the ones that offer the greatest range of resistance.
About the Author:
Learn more about Kinetic Road Machine. Stop by Matt Walker's site where you can find out all about Bike Trainers and what it can do for you.
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