Exercise Bike vs Bike Trainer??

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happycauseIride
happycauseIride Posts: 536 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Differences? Advantages or disadvantages to either? It's getting pretty dark in the mornings now so I think it's time to bring it inside.

TBH I have a bike trainer and a mountain bike. We installed the bike on the bike trainer last winter and something went wrong and the skewer ruined the wheel bearing on the bike. So we replaced the wheel, I have ridden it this summer but now I'm hesitant to install it again. We obviously did something wrong, but I don't know what. I search Youtube and all I find are videos on changing a skewer, nothing on installing a new one.

Hunting Craigslist and I'm finding exercise bikes for cheap and thinking maybe that might be simpler.

Your input is greatly appreciated.

Replies

  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,124 Member
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    I have not used a trainer, but I find exercise bikes and real bikes are completely different to use. One does not equal the other. Have you considered going to a bike shop and asking about how to properly hook up the trainer on your bike?
  • igypsy
    igypsy Posts: 64 Member
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    I really love my bike trainer - it folds up and can be packed away easily in the summer when I'm using my bike on the road, and it gives a more realistic cycling feel than the exercise bikes I've used in the past.

    The only disadvantage to the trainer that I have experienced so far is that over time the tread on the back tyre gets worn down. But its cheap enough to have a spare tyre for the trainer.

    An exercise bike takes up a lot of room and is expensive in comparison to the trainer (depending on the model) - though as you say craigslist etc are good options.

    I'm not sure what you mean about the skewer and how it ruined the wheel - did you maybe over tighten the nuts/bolts when attaching it to the trainer? I haven't had any problems taking the skewer in or out. It might be an idea to search for your brand of trainer on Amazon and read the reviews there - I got a lot of tips on how to set it up correctly from there.
  • happycauseIride
    happycauseIride Posts: 536 Member
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    I'm not sure what you mean about the skewer and how it ruined the wheel - did you maybe over tighten the nuts/bolts when attaching it to the trainer? I haven't had any problems taking the skewer in or out. It might be an idea to search for your brand of trainer on Amazon and read the reviews there - I got a lot of tips on how to set it up correctly from there.

    I'm not sure what we did wrong. I don't think we over-tightened it. I'm going to do some more investigating.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    The big advantage to using a trainer is that you're on your own bike that, hopefully, is fitted properly for you etc etc

    I'm a road bike rider and I've yet to find any exercise bike (unless you want to buy a club quality spinning bike) that can really mimic the geometry of a road bike frame.

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