The best bike trainers are a great way to exercise and keep fit from the comfort of your own home, or keeping a regular training schedule for a cycling event.
No matter what you're using your bike trainer for, it comes with a myriad of health benefits and convenience, to make keeping fit and training easy and maintainable.
Don't have the time or means to ride outdoors or go to a gym? What's great about these models is they are affordable alternatives for an at-home workout or training session.
The following 5 top bike trainers provide a more effective and interactive approach to bike training, all due to inevitable updated technology and highly improved mechanics.
What Types of Trainers We Looked At?
There are many different types of trainers including direct drive, tyre drive, rollers and complete indoor bicycle systems. Today we only looked at tyre drive and rollers.
Direct drive trainers are often reserved for pro cyclists who require a robust trainer for various resistance methods. Amateur cyclists usually opt for tyre drive, while more experienced riders will rejoice with rollers.
If you want to connect your bike trainer to the TV or use apps such as TheSufferfest then you'll need to purchase a Smart Trainer.
Tyre Dive Trainers
These connect to the rear of your bike on the rear wheel dropouts and are clamped into place. This raises the back wheel off the ground and rubs against the resistance roller.
Usually you'll get 5 or 6 different resistance settings, via a cable that connects to your handle bars. Some modern units now come with bluetooth connectivity instead, allowing you to interact with your phone via the app to track health stats.
The one downside to the tyre drive trainers is that the tyre will eventually get worn out and may need to be replaced. However, they are often lightweight and easy to store away.
It's common to see these devices at events with athletes warming up on their bikes, before venturing out to the track or road for the actual ride.
Rollers
These are a simple device that is used to improve balance and pedalling efficiency. They are a lot more fun, and more dangerous than tyre driver.
Getting on, often requires the rollers to be placed next to a wall or table, or using the help of a friend to stop you toppling over. When strapped in with your cycling shoes, it can be hard to get off so the same process is required.
Rollers usually feature three drums, one at the front and two at the rear that spin as you pedal. Resistance is based on the size of drums or the riders gear selection.
Some units offer rollers that can be changed to increase resistance, while others simply allow you to move the rollers for larger or smaller bikes.
You could also buy a spin bike instead.
The 5 Best Bike Trainers Australia
1. Sportneer Bike Trainer
Designed to hold a road bike for training purposes, the Sportneer Bike Trainer Stand is an ideal addition to your home gym or other exercise arena.
This is a stationary bike converter which holds your bike firmly on the floor with five adjustable rubber feet and a good wide base for unshakeable stability on all surfaces.
Ideal for comfortable and convenient all-year training indoors and out of the weather. The stand also features a noise reduction resistance wheel to minimise the noise from your rear wheel as it spins in the stand.
This also protects your bicycle from wear and tear from your workouts at home.
Six remote-controlled resistance settings allow you to set the best pace for your fitness level and your training goals. These simulate real-life inclines and can be managed from your handlebar.
When you’re done the stand can be folded down to a compact 22*18*6” for easy storage out of the way of family life. Its full size is 22*22*15.5” which will fit into most spaces.
It will suit any road or mountain bike with a rear-wheel size of 26-28” or 700c, and a rear-wheel axle of between 4.92 – 6.57”.
Fitting your bike wheel into the stand is quick and easy with a press-down lever clamp which holds the wheel securely in place and releases it just as quickly when you’re done. The stand is made from steel, ABS plastic and rubber.
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2. AccelaVelo MAG-XA
Using a quick set-up and easy release design as well as a front-wheel riser block, the AccelaVelo Magnetic Bike Trainer (Mag-XA Bike Trainer) is a must-have for serious cyclists wanting extra training opportunities at home.
This is a trainer which has six resistance levels to choose from to replicate real-life challenges on hills and climbs.
These can be easily controlled from your handlebar and adjusted to suit your training regime – endurance or sprints, beginner or pro.
The trainer suits road bikes which have wheels between 26" and 29". It does include a tension adjuster.
The feet are very sturdy and adjustable to suit even uneven surfaces and to provide total stability even when you’re going full pelt.
No wobbling or swaying. And it isn’t terribly noisy either.
It can be folded down to an easily stored size between training sessions at home.
Or left in place in your home gym. This stand is a great alternative to the traditional exercise bikes, and it gives you the opportunity to train on your own bicycle in the comfort of your own home.
The Mag-X is a well-priced bike trainer which is easily transported (it only weighs 9kg) yet is a solid build for great stability on all surfaces.
3. Resistance Bike Trainer
A beautifully simple idea from WIEIS is the Bike Trainer Stand which is a set of rollers which sit on the floor and support your road bike upright as you train comfortably and conveniently indoors out of the weather and at whatever time of day that suits.
This trainer suits bikes with wheel diameters of 24 – 29-inches, including 700C bikes.
The taper rollers are made of durable plastic and reduce the noise from your bike’s tyres as they spin. The rest of the trainer is made from quality high-strength aluminium alloy.
The idea is adopted from a conveyor belt concept.
The three rollers lie flat on the surface as a conveyor belt does, and the wheels of the bike are secured with brackets to the rollers by following the instructions enclosed.
All required parts are supplied including the rollers, a foot pedal, drive belt, left and right roller brackets, screws and tool.
The whole kit is lightweight and telescopic for easy fold down, storage and transportation.
This trainer is not cheap – it is in fact at a pretty expensive price point. But roller trainers are a different experience entirely to fixed wheel stand trainers.
The rollers allow the bike to drift across their width, simulating in an even more real way being on the road as you train at home. They can be daunting to newcomers.
But their virtues are extolled by experienced users and there are some great YouTube videos which can help you to understand the basics of how they work and dispel any doubts you may have.
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4. JetBlack Z2 Trainer
Another bike trainer which provides users with a more realistic simulation of being actually out on the road as you train is the JetBlack Z2 Fluid Trainer.
This is a high quality, smooth and quiet trainer which is ideal for serious cyclists who want to get the most out of their in-home training experience.
The stand features a proprietary fluid which increases resistance levels exponentially up to 900 watts – the faster you spin your wheel the more difficult it gets with a range of resistance to choose from by adjusting your bike’s own gears. Just as you would on the road.
This is what provides a real-life training experience by simulating a real-life riding experience.
A free App (for both Android and iOS) gives you access to a multitude of training/coaching sessions from world-renowned Olympic coach Murray Healey.
Use Bluetooth-assisted sensors on your Smart device to monitor and record stats on speed, cadence, heart rate and virtual power in watts, and much more.
The trainer comes already assembled and ready to go straight from the box. It has around a 40% slimmer profile than many of its competitors. And it can be easily folded down for convenient storage at home.
Consider: The Top 5 Rowers
5. Feedback Omnium Resistance Trainer
The Feedback Omnium Resistance Trainer is a simple fork-mount bicycle training device suitable for in-home bike training for both amateurs and pros alike.
It features Internal Progressive Resistance for an almost noise-free real-life riding experience.
And it’s designed to be highly portable. It arrives without any need for complicated assembly – simply unfold and start using it.
To transport or store just fold it up again. Weighing only 6.2kg and measuring a compact 66*18*20cm when folded it is a breeze to take or store anywhere.
Maintenance is also trouble-free, with internal ball-bearings being pre-greased and sealed for zero maintenance.
The design features a fork at the front with a clip for the front wheel. The rear wheel sits on two quiet aluminium rollers to simulate real-life road riding.
Progressive magnetic resistance allows for self-adjustment to suit your fitness level, training goals and preferences on the day.
The stand fits forks with standard QR, 12 x 100, 15 x 100, and 15 x 110 through the axles. Wheel sizes 650c, 700c, 26”, 27”, 27.5” and 29er will also fit. A maximum rider weight of 137kg applies.
The wheel-base length it accommodates is between 840 – 1200mm. A heavy-duty tote bag is also supplied for transportation.
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Where To Buy Bike Trainers?
Any good cycling shop will likely have rollers and tyre drive trainers available to purchase. There's far too many retailers to list, so be sure to check out your local area.
Alternatively you can use the links above, we found all ours on Amazon.com.au which offers fast shipping nationwide at an affordable price.
Some other online cycle stores to checkout include:
- BicyclesSuperstore.com.au
- 99bikes.com.au
- CyclesGalleria.com.au
- BikeExchange.com.au
- Pushys.com.au
- Wiggle.com.au
- ReidCycles.com.au
Related: Cycling Phone Holders
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Last Updated: December 3, 2021 by Rhys