Back in New Delhi, I used to ride my bike around the city all year round, but now that I am living in the UK- winter cycling can be quite challenging. I’ve been wondering whether I can use my regular bike indoors by converting it into an exercise bike. I did some research and found out a few things you’ll find useful for beginning your indoor cycling journey.
Here are the 4 steps to convert any regular bike into a stationery bike:
#1 Buy a bike trainer (Wheel-On Trainer, Direct Drive Trainer or Rollers)
#2 Buy a wheel block (for the front tyre)
#3 Assemble the trainer and fix the bike on it.
#4 Fix the front tyre in the wheel block
Of course, I promised a complete how-to guide, so let’s break down each of these steps one by one, including:
- What are the types of indoor bike trainers, their cost and which ones to buy
- Can any type of bike be converted to a stationary bike
- Other factors to consider while cycling indoors
- And a few other FAQs
Let’s dive in!
Equipment You’ll Need For Converting Your Bike To A Stationary Bike
To convert a standard bike to a stationary bike, you can choose among the following 3 pieces of equipment:
- A wheel-on trainer
- A direct drive trainer
- A set of rollers
Let’s dive into each one by one
Wheel-On Trainers
A wheel on trainer is basically a cylinder that gets fitted on an A frame stand (like a standard bike stand) and presses up against your bike’s rear wheel when you attach your bike to the frame.
You would also need to fix your bike’s front tyre on a wheel block (like this one on Amazon) before you start.
The front wheel fits inside the wedge of the front wheel block which allows it to rotate but keeps the bike stationary. The rear of the bike- since it is fixed onto the A-frame stand of the trainer, doesn’t touch the ground, rather touches the cylinder at the back which offers resistance.
This is basically how you simulate the conditions of riding outdoors.
Now, there are a few options here in terms of Wheel-on trainers you can buy, based on the level of their sophistication.
The various types of Bike Wheel-On trainers are:
- Air resistance turbo trainers (cheapest but create a LOT of noise) – usually cost less than $50 or £35
- Magnetic trainers (less noisy, better resistance)- usually cost around $150 or £100
- Fluid trainers (least noisy, best resistance)- usually cost around $200 or £160
Here’s how each of them work-
1. Air Resistance Trainers. The friction is basically being generated here by fans inside the roller that generate air once the rear tyre starts turning, which in turn creates the resistance. The faster the wheel goes, higher the resistance. As you can imagine, these type of trainers are very noisy, and extremely basic, which is why they are cheap. The other drawback is that air resistance trainers are not very good at generating resistance beyond a threshold, so unless you’re a beginner, you might be frustrated.
2. Magnetic Trainers. Here, the cylinder touching the rear tyre has a magnetic flywheel inside that generates resistance. In terms of ‘smoothness’ while in use, they are better than air resistance trainers but slightly inferior to fluid trainers. However, the big advantage here is that you can adjust the resistance levels manually with a cable lever attached to your handlebar.
3. Fluid Trainers. Here, the cylinder next to the rear tyre is packed with fluid. As the rear wheel starts rolling, the fluid starts generating resistance. As was the case with air resistance trainers, the resistance increases progressively as you start pedalling faster, and fluid trainers simulate resistance much closer to real life conditions than can be simulated by air resistance or magnetic trainers. They are the quietest of the lot too. However- you aren’t going to be able to control the resistance levels, unlike in a magnetic trainer.
The main thing to note with Wheel-On trainers is that they are not smart machines. Which means that they do not require to be plugged in anywhere, and take much less space inside your home. The trainer can even be tucked away when not in use.
However- if you’re interested in tracking data, such as your power output, heart rate, speed, etc- you’ll either need to attach sensors to your ‘Wheel-On’ trainer to make it ‘smart’ OR get a Direct Drive Trainer.
Let’s dive into both options:
Direct Drive Trainers
Direct Drive Trainers or ‘smart’ trainers are the most sophisticated, make the least noise and the starting price of these models is around $270 or £220– but the good quality ones (like this one on Amazon) will cost you at least $900 or £740.
The Direct Drive Trainer simply replaces your rear wheel. To use it, you need to remove the rear wheel and fix the trainer in it’s place.
It’s basically a rear flywheel to which you attach a cassette, rig your chain drive and that becomes the ‘rear’ of your bike. These are pretty heavy so you will get very good resistance from them. For the front, like I mentioned earlier, just fix it onto a wheel block.
The direct drive trainer will need to be plugged in to function. Most of them have smart meters that measure your power output as you cycle.
The real fun though, is in linking a direct drive trainer to virtual cycling apps/softwares. These are virtual environments that simulate different cycling terrain (hills,d, races, etc in a single or multi-player game format. You simply connect the app to your TV/Ipad/Laptop to and can even play along with other people across the world using the game at the same time.
Apps like Zwift, TrainerRoad, Sufferfest, Kinomap, RGT cycling- and many more are out there. The most popular by far, though, is Zwift.
To start- you simply connect your smart trainer or direct drive trainer with the app using bluetooth or ANT. If you’re using a separate speed sensor, connect that with the app using bluetooth as well.
Here’s a super important thing to check before you buy a bike trainer:
You’ll need to check your rear axle- whether it has a quick release skewer or a ‘through-axle’. Most trainers support a quick release skewer as that is more common. Before buying the trainer, do verify that the trainer will be compatible with the bike.
Also- two common questions that people ask with regards to indoor turbo trainers:
1.How to use Zwift without buying a Smart Trainer?
In order to use Zwift (or other similar gaming apps) without buying a smart trainer, simply buy a speed sensor or power meter, fit it to your bike and link it using Bluetooth/ANT to Zwift.
In case you have any issues connecting to the app, try disconnecting any other bluetooth enabled devices in your vicinity that may be screwing up the signal.
2. Are Turbo Trainer Tyres Quieter?
Turbo trainer tyres are specially made for use in indoor cycling, which is why they make significantly lesser noise as compared to a normal road bike/mtb tyre which is designed for riding outdoors. Additionally, they do not wear out as quickly either and can withstand the friction from the trainer, much longer.
Also- if you were to compare a road bike tyre to a mtb tyre, the road bike would make much lesser noise because it’s thinner. However, specific turbo training tyres will always outperform all others.
What Are Cycling Rollers and Why You Should Consider Them For Indoor Cycling
With rollers- you basically get 3-4 smooth cylinders that are connected together and move under your bike wheels. The video below shows you exactly how they look, and the challenges of riding them
The benefits of using rollers for indoor cycling are:
- You learn how to pedal properly and efficiently
- It’s a great way to warm up, cool down or do active recovery rides
- Great core workout
A few disadvantages of cycling rollers are:
- Not easy to ride for beginners.
- Do not allow high intensity workouts
- Not ‘smart’. Can’t be used with riding apps.
The biggest disadvantage when it comes to rollers is that there is a bit of a learning curve. Rollers require more practice to get used to them and you’ll likely spend a few sessions just getting used to riding them.
This is because any choppiness in your pedal form gets exacerbated with the roller and you’ll be bobbing up and down endlessly on your ride (might even fall). So, the rollers will force you to learn efficient riding techniques.
The flip thing is that rollers do not allow you to do high intensity sprint workouts because of the same issue- you end up bobbing up and down too much at such high pedalling cadence.
Trainer Vs Roller For Indoor Cycling – Which One Should You Buy?
If you are really serious about becoming a better cyclist and training well, I would highly recommend getting a set of rollers along with a bike trainer. Both should figure into your indoor cycling routine.
If you absolutely have to choose- I would recommend getting a direct drive ‘smart’ trainer instead of a roller as it is much easier to learn, and allows you to do ALL types of cycling workouts.
If you’re interested in recommendations:
I really liked this roller on Amazon.
For trainers, here are my top picks:
- Air resistance or Wheel-on trainers (couldn’t find any suitable ones online-sorry!)
- Magnetic trainers
- Fluid trainers
- Smart Trainer(Compatible With Zwift, Rouvy and Trainer Road)– Budget Option
- Smart Trainer– Good Quality Option.
Things To Consider For Indoor Cycling
#1 Use gears and a mix of cadences. Don’t push too hard all the time as that is the tendency of riders while riding a stationery bike, because no matter how much you pedal, you don’t ‘move forward’ and hence aren’t able to catch a break by coasting, which riders normally do outdoors. You end up exerting more effort than you would outdoors and if that is the goal- great. Otherwise, don’t be afraid of using gears and lower pedaling cadence to give your legs a rest.
#2 Get a Fan. You’ll sweat a lot indoors, and will end up needing a tabletop fan blowing towards you to keep you cool. Definitely get one for yourself.
#3 Get a decent trainer mat. Something that absorbs the vibrations and noise- this’ll be especially handy if you’re living in an apartment. Indoor trainers make quite a bit of noise, and unless you’re deliberately trying to annoy your neighbours, you should get a mat. It also helps absorb any sweat from the workout and keeps the floor clean. I really liked this one on Amazon.
#4 Consider a Direct Drive Bike Trainer. If you have the budget as a first time buyer-go for it. If you have been indoor cycling for a while Smart Trainers like this one on Amazon will make your entire experience even better, and if you’re spending multiple hours every week on the bike already- I would highly recommend making the investment.
#5 Get a Wheel Block. If you’re going to be riding on Zwift or any similar app, you definitely should get a wheel block, which will allow you to steer your handles and turn. The wheel block is simply a plastic block with a wedge in which your front tire gets slotted in. The block is flat at the bottom and can move sideways which allows you to simulate ‘turns’ while playing in the virtual world. I like this one on Amazon– great reviews and it’s not very expensive!
#6 Make Space. You’ll need to set aside space for a trainer mat which will cover a significant portion of the floor. You also need to plug in a fan, and perhaps, get some sort of entertainment system in there as well, such as a TV.
#7 Entertainment. Most people will need to mix in some sort of entertainment in with the training because the cycling indoors is just not stimulating enough otherwise. You could rig your TV onto Zwift or any other virtual cycling app- that’s a lot of fun. Alternatively you could just rig your phone or tablet to the bike and watch shows on that, or listen to a podcast on your phone.
Conclusion
You don’t need a lot to get started riding indoors, but you do need to consider a few of the things I’ve mentioned. You can get started with indoor cycling for as low as $100 or spend as much as $3000 on different gadgets- it’s entirely your choice.
I hope you found this article useful- if there’s anything else you want us to write about – please let us know in the comments!