Best Magnetic Bike Trainers under $300 (Reviews)
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As you get more into cycling you may have the desire to ride even when the weather doesn’t permit it. For this, your best options would be either a bike trainer stand or rollers. In this article, we’ll be covering the best magnetic bike trainer stands on the market.
A bike trainer is a mechanical device that you can attach your bike to in order to ride your bike in a stationary position. Some people use a bike trainer when there’s inclement weather others do it just when they don’t want to go out for a ride.
A bike trainer allows cyclists the ability to train or just get on their bike any time and anywhere.
There are two major distinctions between the mechanical workings of a bike trainer. Bike trainers can function through fluid or magnetic resistance. Fluid bike trainers are the more high-end bike trainer. So, fluid trainers cost more. In this article, we’ll be focused on the best magnetic bike trainers. In a future article, we’ll cover the best fluid trainers. Magnetic bike trainers provide resistance through magnetism instead of using fluid.
It’s easy to think you just hop on your trainer and start pedaling. While it is pretty straightforward, there are a few things you still need to take into account that may not be too obvious.
Fans
One thing is heat dissipation, you should always have a fan on you when riding on a bike trainer. When you go out on a normal bike ride, you have the wind that keeps you cool and helps manage your heat but riding indoors you don’t have that breeze so it’s easy for you to overheat and have a miserable workout.
Having a good fan will also allow you to maximize your power output while on your trainer. Since your body will be creating heat from working out, if you don’t dissipate that heat it will restrict your maximum power output.
Water and Cycling Snacks
Since your kitchen may only a be a few steps away, it’s easy to get on your trainer and forget to get water and snacks or think I’ll just grab them if I need them but you should treat your rides on your trainer as you would a ride on your real bike.
This keeps you in the routine and keeps you from having to take unnecessary breaks during your ride. This isn’t to say you can’t take breaks throughout your ride, but having no water on your bike is an unnecessary stop rather than stopping to refill your bottles down the road as you would on a normal bike ride. Staying hydrated is one of the most important things you can do. If you wait until you’re thirsty to drink water it may be too late, especially on a 50 or 100+ mile ride.
Snacks are something that many newer cyclists don’t think about. Cycling is an intense workout and you don’t want to become energy deficient. By the time you consciously notice that your body is running low on fuel, it’s usually too late. At that point, eating won’t help you fast enough. So, you’re supposed to gradually eat snacks throughout your ride to keep your body fueled.
Bike Trainer Platform
Some riders may want to get a bike trainer platform also known as a rocker plate. A bike trainer platform is a platform that you attach below your bike trainer. The platform allows for your bike to rock side to side replicating the feel of a real bike. Many people complain that bike trainers are stiff and don’t give the feel of a real bike, so this was their solution to this problem.
Table of Contents
The 6 Best Magnetic Bike Trainer Stands Under $300
- Conquer Magnetic Indoor Bike Trainer
- Alpcour Magnetic Bike Trainer Stand
- Unisky Magnetic Bike Trainer Stand for Mountain & Road Bikes
- BalanceFrom Bike Trainer Stand
- Sportneer Bike Trainer Stand for Road Bikes
- Dkeli Magnetic Bike Trainer Stand
1. Conquer Indoor Bike Trainer Review
Conquer Bike Trainer Features
- Heavy Duty Steel Design
- Front-wheel block for greater stability
- Works with 700c and 26-27 in wheels
- Progressive Resistance
- Quick Release Stem Included
The Conquer Indoor Magnetic Bike Trainer is an amazing bike trainer for it’s price point. Magnetic price trainers are less expensive than fluid trainers but magnetic trainers still vary on price. This bike trainer is the best bang for your buck on this list.
As with many mag bike trainers, it features adjustable magnetic resistance. On this trainer, you can’t adjust the resistance while riding other than by switching the gears on your bike. If you want to adjust the resistance, you have to dismount your bike and adjust the resistance knob on the Conquer Bike Trainer.
This portable bike trainer is very easy to store, it folds up and lays almost flat. So, you can store this trainer in your closet, under your bed, or pretty much wherever. The compact size and the ability to fold it flat also makes it easy for you to transport with you when going to races or just to continue working out while traveling.
The Conquer trainer is made of heavy-duty steel which makes it very durable. This amazing bike trainer is made to last for years. You can’t go wrong buying this bike trainer.
This magnetic bike trainer is compatible with 26-27 inch wheels and 700c wheels. It isn’t compatible with bikes that require a skewer length of longer than 7.5 inches or that has over 10 gears on the rear cassette. Other than that, this bike trainer should fit most bikes.
You won’t be disappointed with the Conquer Indoor Bike Trainer, especially at this price point. If you would like to learn more about this magnetic bike trainer, click the button below.
2. Alpcour Bike Trainer Review
Alpcour Bike Trainer Features
- Made with Stainless Steel
- Compatible with Road & Mountain Bikes (26-28in & 700c wheels)
- 6 Levels of Resistance
- Front Riser Block Included
- Quick Release Skewer Included
- Noise Reduction
The Alpcour Magnetic Bike Trainer Stand is an amazing bike trainer but the price is a bit higher than the Conquer Bike Trainer. You get a great bang for your buck with the Conquer trainer, but the Alpcour is a better overall bike trainer.
The Alpcour Bike Trainer is the perfect magnetic trainer to meet all your needs. If you’re looking for the best magnetic bike trainer to stay in shape during the off-season, this is the trainer I would recommend.
This bike trainer features a smooth spinning feel, a super quiet design, and an easy remote adjustment. Magnetic trainers feature a consistent ride and resistance experience. With this trainer, there’s a remote that you can attach to your handlebars so that you can adjust the magnetic resistance while riding. There are 6 resistance levels that you can choose from.
Alpcour focused heavily on stability and durability when designing this bike trainer. It is made with a stainless steel frame with a side base for the best stability. Having a sturdy wide base simulates riding on the road without having to deal with the bumpy road and inclement weather.
If you would like to learn more about the Alpcour Bike Trainer, click the button below.
3. Unisky Magnetic Bike Trainer Stand Review
Unisky Bike Trainer Features
- Available In 3 Different Colors
- Made of Steel Alloy
- Compatible With Mountain & Road Bikes (26-29 inch or 700c Wheels)
- 6 Levels of Resistance
- Noise Reduction & Smooth Spin
The Unisky Bike Trainer Stand is an amazing magnetic bike trainer. It comes with a handful of great features and is built to last.
The Unisky trainer is made of high carbon steel and is rated to hold up to 264 lbs. It also features a wide base and anti-slip rubber feet for extra stability.
Assembly of this bike trainer is also very easy! You can attach and detach your bike in seconds with their unique lift to unlock and push down to lock design. It’s very simple and convenient.
You can use the Unisky Bike trainer with almost any road bike or mountain bike. It fits 26-29 inch wheels and 700c wheels. If your wheels are too wide, that can hinder compatibility.
With the remote that comes included, you can change the resistance on this trainer without dismounting your bike. The remote attaches to your handlebar just like a handlebar light attaches. You can than turn the nob to adjust the amount of magnetic resistance on the bike trainer. You can also change the resistance by changing the gears on your bike.
If you would like to learn more about this amazing bike trainer, click the button below.
4. BalanceFrom Bike Trainer Review
BalanceFrom Bike Trainer Features
- Compatible with 26-28″ and 700c wheels (Road Bikes and Mountain Bikes)
- Easy Installation
- Quick Release & Riser Block Included
- 8 Levels of Resistance
The BalanceFrom bike trainer is a great choice for your indoor bike trainer. You won’t be disappointed. All the magnetic bike trainers on this list are great options there are small differences between most of them but those little features won’t be noticeable to most riders.
The BalanceFrom bike trainer features noise reduction technology, so, it makes very little noise. If it makes a lot of noise, it’s because you have the wrong type of tire on your bike to ride the trainer. It shouldn’t mess up the trainer but the best bike tires for riding a trainer are slick road tires. You can check out the best slick road tires in my article about the best tires for fixies. The list is primarily for fixie tires but many of the best fixie tires are also slick road tires.
Having 8 different resistance levels is a lot for a magnetic bike trainer, most people probably don’t need this many. With 8 levels of resistance and the gears on your bike, you have a ridiculous number of resistance levels. The benefit of this is you can fine-tune your resistance to the exact level that you want.
Overall, the BalanceFrom bike trainer is a great bike trainer and will fit most of your needs. If you would like to learn more about this trainer, then click the button below.
5. Sportneer Bike Trainer Review
Sportneer Bike Trainer Features
- Made of Steel
- 6 Levels of Resistance
- Noise Reduction
- Compatible with 26-28″ and 700c wheels
- Quick Release
Sportneer has been making sports products since 2016. They focus on all things sports, fitness, and outdoors and they cater to all ages and skill levels. Their goal is to help people live a healthy life by providing people with the products they need to stay in shape.
Sportneer’s magnetic bike trainer follows that motto. It’s a great bike trainer that will definitely help you get in shape. It features 6 resistance levels that can simulate even the steepest inclines.
The Sportneer Indoor Bike Trainer is easy to assemble, easy to attach and detach from, and features a ridiculously smooth ride.
This bike trainer is compatible with most bikes including 26-28″ and 700c wheel bikes. There are other bikes out there that don’t fall in these categories but the majority of riders that ride for exercise have bikes that fall into that wheel range. That wheel range covers most road, fixed gear, and mountain bikes.
The Sportneer Magnetic Bike Trainer Stand is an amazing bike trainer and you’ll definitely be happy if you choose to buy this trainer. For more information on the Sportneer Bike Trainer, click the button below.
6. Dkeli Magnetic Bike Trainer Stand Review
Dkeli Bike Trainer Features
- Easy Assembly
- Noise Reduction Design
- Durable and Stable
- 5 Levels of Resistance
- Foldable for Easy Storage
- Compatible with 26-29″ or 700c Wheels (Mountain & Road Bikes)
The Dkeli Bike Trainer for Indoor Riding is a great budget bike trainer. This trainer is on the cheaper side of the others on this list. Some are close but the best budget bike trainer would be between this one and the Conquer Indoor Bike Trainer.
This bike trainer is very easy to assemble and it collapses very easily for easy storage. You’ll be up and riding in no time. Since it collapses, you’ll also be able to travel with the trainer if desired. If you compete, you can bring it with you to your hotel room to warm up/ train in your off time.
The Dkeli Bike Trainer is made of carbon steel and has a sturdy build. The trainer can hold at least 300 lbs and the legs have are 5 level adjustable to stay balanced on any surface. This trainer will give you an amazing riding experience.
The Dkeli Bike Trainer has 5 levels of resistance. It can simulate a wide range of terrain and resistance but it can’t perfectly replicate the wind resistance and exact feel of riding on a real road.
This Magnetic Bike Trainer by Dkeli also comes with a handlebar remote to control the resistance of the trainer. This allows you to change the resistance without getting off your bike.
If you would like to learn more about this Dkeli Bike Trainer, click the button below.
Buyers’ Guide: How to Choose The Right Magnetic Bike Trainer Stand
Choosing a magnetic bike trainer stand can be a difficult task. It can be hard to tell which ones are good and which ones are bad. In this buyers’ I will do my best to clear up any confusion when it comes to the features of a magnetic bike trainer.
Wheel Size Compatibility
When choosing a magnetic bike trainer, you need to make sure that the trainer is compatible with your wheel size. Most trainers are compatible with 26-28″ and 700c wheels. There are a few trainers out there that are compatible with other wheel sizes such as 20″-26″ but they are few and far between. There are also a couple of trainers that are compatible with ellipticals and standing bikes.
Material
Bike Trainers can be made of a number of different materials, typically the trainer will be made of steel or another type of metal. However, it’s worth noting that this should be the standard, if you get a trainer that isn’t made of a sort of metal, the durability is sure to take a hit. A bike trainer needs to be able to hold a lot of weight. You don’t want it breaking because the material isn’t strong enough. All the options on this list are made of
Resistance Levels
Magnetic Bike Trainers use magnetism to adjust the level of resistance that the bike trainer gives. Many of the bike trainers on this list have 6 or more levels of resistance. While having this many levels is a great perk, if you have a geared bike it can be unnecessary. If you have 10 gears on your bike and 6 different resistances on your trainer, you have around 60 different resistance levels.
Having a lot of levels is unnecessary but it can be nice to simulate different incline levels.
If you’re riding a fixed-gear bike or a single speed bike then the more resistance levels the better because that will be your only way of adjusting your resistance.
Changing Resistance
Depending on the bike trainer, there are different ways that you can change the resistance levels. Some of them have a knob on the bike trainer that you have to turn.
On others, there is a remote that you can attach to your handlebars that allows you to adjust the resistance while riding. One concern I have with the remotes is it is attached by a cable, similar to the gear cable on your bike, I see this having a higher chance of wear and tear than a knob on the trainer but it’s definitely more convenient.
Although I see wear and tear being a potential problem, I’d still recommend getting one with the resistance remote because of the convenience factor. Having to get off your bike every time you want to change resistance would be annoying.
Noise Reduction & Minimizing Bike Noise
All of the magnetic bike trainers on this list have noise reduction technology. They’re all pretty quiet. The main reason they make noise is that the tire that you’re using with the trainer isn’t smooth. If you want to reduce the noise even more you want to use slick road tires.
You can check out a list of the best road tires by clicking here. The list is focused on fixed gear tires, but the best fixed gear tires are slick road tires, so the best ones on there, especially the WTB Thickslicks, will be great with your magnetic bike trainer.
Quick Release
Having a quick release on your bike trainer makes it super easy to switch from indoor riding on your trainer to an outdoor ride. Quick releases can work in a few different ways but overall, it allows you to remove the wheel from the trainer by either pulling or flipping a switch.
Conclusion
I hope this buyers’ guide has helped you make a decision on the best magnetic bike trainer for you. There are a lot of options but the trainers on this list are a great place to start.
