An Alternative to an Exercise Bike

Those of you who enjoy the exercise bike at the local gym and have considered buying one, might want to consider another option. Do you already own a regular bike? If you do, a bike trainer may be a better route to go. This can save you a lot of money and also a lot of storage space. A trainer is a stand you hook your bike onto that provides resistance either through the use of air, fluid, or magnetism. These units take up very little room when compared to an exercise bike.

There are three different types of trainers each with their own qualities. You will need to decide what works the best for you. Wind trainers rely on a fan to create resistance with the air. They are the cheapest of the three, however they are very loud when pedaling. But can work well with beginners as the resistance is normally on the lighter side. Resistance is controlled by how hard you pedal.

Magnet trainers are a great mid level trainer. Similar in price to a wind unit, they work exceptionally well for a beginner to intermediate rider. The magnet trainers are very quiet compared to the wind and the fluid trainers but you do give up some quality in the resistance area.

Fluid trainers are tht top of the line, feeling similar to riding on the road with your bike. They are the most expensive of all three and still have some limitations. Using a "fan" encased in liquid to create resistance, it is considerably more complex than it's counterparts which leads to more wear and tear over it's lifetime. Some models have had reported problems with leaking.