Each year many people come up with the resolution to get in shape. Usually it lasts for the first couple weeks of January and in come cases, just the first couple days. Time passes slowly but before you know it the summer months are upon us and screaming bathing suits and tank tops. What is a fitness procrastinator to do??
Lets say you have read all the wonderful benefits of indoor bike trainers and decide its the perfect thing for you. bike riding and getting in shape all in the air conditioned comfort of your own home. How do you decide which bike trainer to buy?
Well the first thing you need to do, is determine which type of indoor bike trainer is the right type for you.
Resistance Bike Trainers allow the cyclist the use of their shifters to adjust resistance level, and there are several types to choose from:
- Wind Trainers – Wind resistance trainers offers the cyclist a more authentic outdoorsy feel but tends to be rather noisy somewhat limited their upper end resistance. So if you are a competitive cyclist looking for an alternative to riding in unfavorable weather conditions, its possible that a wind trainer might not offer sufficient resistance to be beneficial for you.
- Mag Trainers – Quieter than the wind trainers, the magnetic trainer gives the cyclist the ability to adjust the trainers resistance to a specified level, while the shift levers allow for tweaking the trainers resistance to the cyclists preference. The main disadvantage of the magnetic trainer however is that it does not continuously increase resistance with tire speed, as it would if you were actually cycling on the road.
- Magneto trainers – The Magneto design is much like that of the Mag trainer, however the magneto trainer actually increases resistance with increased tire speed by utilizing the use of magnets and centrifugal force.
- Centrifugal trainers – One of the newer types of bike trainers, the centrifugal trainer BB’s to increase resistance. the faster you spin the tire, the greater the resistance via centrifugal force. However once you stop pedaling, the BBs and tire resistance are released, and the wheel coasts to a more natural stopping style.
- Fluid trainers – Considered the most popular indoor bike trainer, the fluid trainer creates resistance with the use a fluid-filled, closed reservoir fan. As the bikes wheel speed increases, so does the trainers resistance. Plus there is the added bonus that the fluid trainers are rather quiet.
- Electronic trainers – Like gadgets? Well this trainer has them. Offering a lot of power thanks to the electromagnetic brake system, electronic trainers also provide the tech savvy cyclist with the ability to interface with their PC. Meet up with a group of virtual riders; experience first hand the various road and weather conditions as you take your virtual tour of the world. Utilize the optional steering element to break ahead of the “virtual” herd, and before you know, you too can ride alongside Lance Armstrong!
So how do you choose the best indoor bike trainer? Only you can decide, but hopefully the information above will shed some insight in finding the best indoor bike trainer for you.
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