How to Buy a Bike Indoor Trainer

You can get a great workout indoors in only 20 minutes with an indoor trainer, which uses the bike you already own, is relatively inexpensive and stores easily when not in use.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Indoor Bike Trainers
• Plastic Blocks For Indoor Bike Trainer
• Rollers For Indoor Bike Trainer
• Slick Tires For Mountain Bike
• Sweat Guards For Bike Seat

1. Determine your price range. Indoor trainers can cost as little as $70 and as much as $400.

2. Decide what kind of resistance you want - fan, magnet or fluid. Fan trainers tend to be cheaper but noisier. Magnet trainers are quiet, smooth and often reasonably priced. Fluid trainers, although more expensive, provide lifelike resistance and produce less heat buildup on your tires.

3. Consider the construction. The more expensive trainers tend to be heavier and provide greater stability.

4. Select a folding model. Avoid larger trainers, which require you to remove the front wheel.

5. Consider rollers if you have a road bike. These tend to be more expensive and require that you learn how to balance on three spinning drums, but they will improve your bike-handling skills, and they aren't boring!

6. Purchase small plastic blocks, which are often sold separately, to prop up the front wheel. To save some money, use a phone book instead.

Tips & Warnings

• Indoor trainers cause you to sweat quite a bit. Consider purchasing a sweat guard to protect your bicycle.

• If your bike has knobby tires, you may need to purchase a slick tire for the rear wheel.

• If you already have a large collection of exercise equipment that you don't use, consider starting with a cheaper, more basic model.