How to Turn Your Bike Into a Stationary Bike
Whether the weather keeps you indoors or you just feel like riding inside, you can find indoor cycling workouts that measure up to an outdoor ride in terms of intensity and effectiveness. Easily the safest and most effective way to make your present ride a stationary bicycle is to use a bicycle trainer. You lock the rear portion of your bike into a trainer and, magically, the trainer provides resistance that can simulate everything from a flat sprint to a torturous climb.
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Instructions
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Remove the skewer from your rear wheel. The skewer is the part that slides through your rear wheel to hold it onto the frame. Pull the skewer's quick release lever away from the bike. Turn each end of the skewer several times to loosen and remove. Refer to your bicycle's owner's manual for removal instructions specific to your bike.
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2
Replace the skewer with the one that comes with your trainer. Most trainers include a skewer to allow for a perfect fit and to prevent your bike's usual skewer from getting scratched. Slide the skewer through the slots in the rear of the frame where the wheel fits in. Position it through the hole in the center of your wheel. Turn each end of the skewer several times to tighten. Push the skewer's lever toward the bike to lock it into place.
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3
Loosen the knobs on each side of the top of your bicycle trainer.
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4
Position the rear portion of your bike--on either side of the skewer--onto the trainer after you have turned the knobs enough to allow for adequate clearance. Most trainers have slots on their inside portion, opposite the knobs you loosened, where the portion of the skewer just outside your bicycle's frame can sit. Adjust the knobs until these slots line up with your skewer assembly on both sides.
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5
Tighten the knobs on both sides of the trainer until they close in on either side of the skewer. This tension holds the bike in place. Most trainers, such as the Blackburn TrakStand Ultra, have a "lockring" that you tighten for added security. Refer to your trainer's owner's manual for information on how to operate its similar safety feature.
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Center your rear wheel on the trainer's resistance wheel or roller. Move the bike from side to side to make sure it is securely attached to the trainer.
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Tips & Warnings
The friction between your rear tire and resistance wheel or roller serves to wear tires down fast. Consider having a spare tire or spare wheel for indoor trainer use in order to preserve the rubber you hit the road with.
References
- Photo Credit girl cycling image by Accent from Fotolia.com
