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Riding a bike

Whether it’s the freezing weather or just a lack of time that’s keeping you from enjoying a lovely bike ride outdoors, you don’t need to pack everything and put it away in the shed. You can turn your regular bike into a stationary bike and still get some exercise indoors. 

How to Turn a Bike into an Exercise Bike 

Before you get started, there’s one important thing you need to keep in mind. There are 2 kinds of stationary bike stands:

  1. A trainer – this clamps the back wheel of the bike while the front wheel is mobile 
  2. A roller bike – this elevates the bike, keeping both the wheels in motion. 

Step 1 – Position Your Stationary Bike Stand

Look for space in your home where you can fit the bike on its stand. Ideally, it should be completely flat and not carpeted. Lay out the parts of the stand the way they are meant to be assembled. This will ensure that setting up the stand is quick and easy, and you don’t forget any essential parts. 

Step 2 – Install the Bike

Start by placing the back end of the bike onto the stand and clamp the back wheel securely into place. It will still move around a bit until the front end of the bike has also been secured. 

Once you’ve done this, place the front wheel of the bike onto the stand and secure it into place as well. Then, check to see that the back wheel hasn’t come loose. 

Step 3 – Check it All Once 

Make sure the bike is mounted evenly and is not tilting in any direction. Gently test it to ensure that it won’t fall over once you start riding it. It may wiggle somewhat when you’re riding fast. If this happens, you must know that this doesn’t mean that there’s a fault with the trainer, or that it isn’t assembled properly. 

Benefits of Biking At Home

Converting your bike temporarily into a stationary bike can be pretty great – you can continue to enjoy the sport you love, even if the weather outside isn’t great. Plus, you can get in a solid cardio workout without the need for any fancy gym equipment. 

All this activity keeps you in a good mood, helps strengthen your immune system, and improves your stamina. 

Overall, you can keep cycling all year round and stay active, healthy, and happy by turning your regular bike into a stationary one during bad weather. 

Best Bike Trainer Stands

If you want to be able to cycle all year long, even when it’s snowing outside, and the wind is rough, you’ll need a bike stand to set everything up. We’ve put together a list of some of the best bike stand options to get you cycling in no time:

Best Overall Bike Trainer Stand: Sportneer Bike Trainer Stand

Editors Pick: Bike Lane Trainer

Runner-up: Topeakmart Bike Trainer

Best For Traveling: Travel Trac Comp Fluid Bicycle Trainer

Premium Option: Kinetic Road Machine 2.0 Fluid Trainer

Budget Option: RAD Cycle Bike Trainer

Sportneer Bike Trainer Stand

Buy Now: Amazon

The Sportneer stand is designed to provide stability, even on uneven surfaces. It has anti-slip rubber feet to keep it in place and a noise-reducing resistance wheel so that you won’t wake up your neighbors with all the racket. 

It also makes for an excellent workout since you get to choose between 6 resistance settings that will help you achieve your fitness goals. 

If you want to ride outside, this stand has an easy bike release lever – just press it down to release your bike, and you’re ready to go. 

One of the best features of this stand is that it can work with pretty much any bike. Whether it’s a mountain bike or bike with much smaller wheels, it can be fit onto the Sportneer stand with ease. 

Pros 

  • Comes in 2 different colors 
  • Compatible with almost any bike
  • Keeps the bike straight on uneven surfaces 
  • Instant assembly
  • Range of resistance. 

Cons 

  • Best for slower speeds
  • Resistance settings are not suitable for those who want a serious cardio workout. 

Bike Lane Trainer Bicycle Indoor Trainer

Buy Now: Amazon

The Bike Lane Trainer is one of our favorite options. It uses the latest technology to provide a noiseless and high-quality machine for your cardio workouts. The resistance is controlled by a magnet system and altered by shifting gears on your bike. However, since the maximum amount of resistance it offers isn’t that high, this stand is better suited for beginners.  

Not only that, the bike stand is also lightweight and can be folded up easily and stored away when it’s not in use. It has a wide and sturdy frame for extra stability. 

Similar to the previous one, this one is also compatible with pretty much any kind of bike. 

Pros 

  • Instant assembly 
  • Suitable for any bike 
  • Magnetic resistance 
  • Thick, stable bars 

Cons 

  • Some users have complained that it does generate a bit of noise 
  • Somewhat pricey 
  • Takes up a fair bit of space 

Topeakmart Bike Trainer

Buy Now: Amazon

This bike stand is made of a combination of metal, plastic, and magnets and is compatible with most bikes. It comes with adjustable feet caps to keep the stand and the bike straight and stable, even on uneven surfaces. You simply need to rotate each cap to adjust the height as required. 

It is foldable and easy to store when not in use, but when it is fully constructed, it is quite stable and has a sturdy mount system, complete with front-wheel support. 

Even if you’re riding fast, the stand shouldn’t suffer much damage. 

Pros 

  • Easy to assemble 
  • Minimum noise 
  • Great for indoor cardio workouts.

Cons 

  • The flywheel is not adjustable 
  • It doesn’t work with some common bike models. 

Travel Trac Comp Fluid Bicycle Trainer

Buy Now: Amazon

The Travel Trac trainer is not one of the most affordable options, but it does have a range of solid features.

It’s lightweight and easily foldable and is controlled by a fluid resistance trainer. It has an external flywheel and can fit bikes with wheels that have a diameter between 24-29” inches (limited bike compatibility as compared to some other trainers).

What you will find is that the trainer is not smooth during a slow ride, but once you speed up, it’ll be fine. 

It isn’t completely silent, but still relatively quiet. This trainer is quite a decent option, especially for those who don’t like magnetic resistance trainers. 

Pros 

  • Quiet and stable 
  • Fluid resistance is easier to work with than magnetic resistance. 

Cons 

  • Fluid resistance may not be very long-lasting 
  • Works with limited bike models. 

Kinetic Road Machine 2.0 Fluid Trainer

Buy Now: Amazon

This one is quite an expensive trainer, but with a great price comes a great range of features. This compact, solid trainer works on fluid resistance and has a pretty high weight limit – up to 260 lbs. 

It has a riser ring and non-slip base to keep it straight and stable on uneven surfaces. The flywheel is designed to mimic the feeling you get when you ride on the road. 

It can also be paired with the Pro Flywheel if you want to add more resistance for a more solid cardio workout. 

One thing to watch out for is that it does make a fair bit of noise. The frame supports bikes with wheels with a diameter between 22-29 inches. The trainer also has an adjustable incline, making it an excellent trainer for pros. 

Pros 

  • Speed is easily variable 
  • Variable incline to help you obtain your fitness goals 
  • Smooth, fluid resistance that is great for pros
  • Some models are “smart” and can be connected to fitness apps to help you keep track of your progress. 

Cons 

  • Not completely noiseless
  • Quite expensive.

RAD Cycle Bike Trainer

But Now: Amazon

This is probably the most budget-friendly trainer on our list, but despite its low price point, it’s packed with a range of useful features. 

The trainer runs on magnetic resistance and is designed to be extremely quiet, making it ideal for small spaces such as apartments. Resistance can be altered easily by shifting gears on your bike. 

This lightweight trainer is portable and can be folded easily for storage or transportation. 

It has a sturdy frame with wide legs for extra stability. This trainer is built using high-quality materials, making it quite a durable purchase. It is also quite easy to set up. 

Pros 

  • Budget-friendly
  • Solid build 
  • Comes fully assembled
  • Minimum noise. 

Cons

  • Limited bike compatibility 
  • Limited durability. 

The Final Verdict 

There’s no one winner – the final decision will be yours based firstly on your budget, and then the features you’re after. We’ve included both types of trainers – those with magnetic resistance and those with fluid resistance so you can choose the one you’re more comfortable with. 

Noise is also quite an important factor, especially if you live in an apartment with lots of neighbors in the vicinity. Also, keep the amount of space you have in mind before getting a trainer that is too big.

Lastly, and most importantly, choose a model that is compatible with your bike. If it doesn’t fit your bike, there’s no point in buying one.

Once you have your desired trainer, you just need to assemble it (all the models in this list require barely 5 minutes of assembly), and you can start riding.