Indoor training has got so much attention in last couple of years especially after breakout of covid19 as there are restriction to train and move outside. For veteran cyclists indoor cycling cannot be appealing because it is not comparable to riding on tracks but sometimes your options gets limited due to weather, lockdown restrictions and work routine. Indoor biking is a great way to train efficiently especially during winters. In this post we will talk about bike trainer fluid vs magnetic.
There are many ways to train indoor and cycling is one of them. Indoor cycling is fun, effective and great activity to keep you fit. For indoor cycling we can use many different types of machines like stationary bikes, Bike trainers and bike rollers.
It can be challenging to decide about specific type of bike trainer as there are too many options available like fluid, wind and magnetic trainer. A perfect indoor cycling setup comprises of good bike trainer and traditional bike.
How do magnetic bike trainers work?
It is operated by resistance created by magnets attached with fly when of trainer and you can adjust the resistance by engaging or disengaging magnets. If you will disengage more magnets the resistance will be at low level and change of resistance can be done through a handle mounted cable which is attached to trainer. The quality and features of these trainers varies according to pricing. We have reviewed some of the budget bike trainers on our blog post which you can read below.
Top 10 best Budget Bike Trainers for All – Buyer’s Guide
Advantages and disadvantages of magnetic bike trainers
Pros
- It is easy to use and there are not much technical aspects in set up.
- Great machine for working indoors
- Very long lasting and durable in nature
- Prices of magnetic bike trainers are quite fair and reasonable
- It is easy to store and does not take much space
- Not so heavy to move around
Cons
- Will have to adjust resistance every time
- These machines generate sound so expect loud sound
- Never expect same experience of riding actual bike
- Will require a compatible bike
How does a fluid bike trainer work?
A fluid bike trainer work on flywheel mechanism and rear wheel of bike drives it. The flywheel contains liquid and this liquid becomes thick when temperature increases due to resistance. As soon as you start pedaling fluid will start providing resistance and it increases with the speed of pedaling.
The efficiency of fluid bike trainers is way more than magnetic trainers as it gives realistic biking experience due to undulating resistance. In magnet trainer if you stop pedaling the wheels will stop but this is not case in fluid trainers. Once you start pedaling the wheel will keep turning which give you feel of road biking.
Fluid bike trainers have so many advantages and are first choice of most fitness enthusiasts. We have reviewed few top selling fluid trainers in dedicated post which you can read below.
Top 10 Best Fluid Bike Trainers Available Widely!
Advantages and disadvantages of fluid bike trainers
Pros
- These trainers require less effort in setting up
- You don’t have to pause biking to change the resistance as it is automated
- Tailor made for fitness freaks
- More realistic feel of biking
- Quieter then magnet trainers
- Compatible with most of the mountain bikes
- Great for apartments
- Road like feel
Cons
- Heavy in weight
- Not great for storage
- Fluid can be leaked
- Maintenance is expensive
- These trainers are more expensive then magnet trainers
Which trainer is great fit for apartments?
Fluid bike trainer is great fit for apartments due to less noise. These trainers are heavy and larger in size so it will be hard to change positions daily.
Bike rollers:
If you are looking for budget friendly option to train indoor then bike rollers are for you. These are easy to set up and will take less space. We have dedicated article about bike rollers which you can read below.
Top 10 Best Bike Rollers You Should Get for the Money!
Conclusion
I hope we were able to differentiate Bike trainer fluid vs magnetic in this concise post. Please head over to blog section of bikedestiny.com for exciting content.
