Cycling is a great sport, but in winter, it can become challenging. Cold mornings and much less light make it tough to find the motivation to go outside. A common mistake many cyclists make is taking the whole winter off and struggling to find fitness in spring when they return to the pedals.
There is a solution, and that comes as a turbo trainer. A turbo trainer is a device to which you can attach your bike and train indoors. In this article, we will tell you about some of the best budget turbo trainer options and some excellent buying tips.
Top 5 Budget Bike Trainers
Balanceform Bike Trainer
Design: Wheel on
Smart Capabilities: None
Resistance: Magnetic
Auto Resistance: No
Cost: $$ (check here)
Special Features: None
If you are looking for a basic trainer and have a very low budget, then the Balanceform could be ideal for you. It is a wheel on turbo trainer, so you put your whole bike into it.
With the bike inserted, you will be able to ride freely. It has eight resistance levels and works on a magnetic resistance system. The resistance is controlled via a dial which is attached to the handlebars.
It’s not the quietest on this list, but it won’t shake down the house down, providing you have it on a soft surface and use a turbo trainer tire. The trainer cannot connect to applications, but with a speed sensor, you can convert it, though you won’t get the best online experience going down this route.
Coming in at only $60, it’s incredible value for money, and we can highly recommend it as a trainer in which you can spend a short hour on every so often. Investing more will go a long way if you want a turbo trainer to be on every day.
Pros
- Cost
- Easy to store
- Looks great
- Adjustable resistance
Cons
- Not smart
- Quite noisy
Elite Tuo Smart Trainer
Design: Wheel on
Smart Capabilities: Yes
Resistance: Magnetic / Electronic
Auto Resistance: Yes
Cost: $350
The Elite Tuo is one of our favorite trainers on this list. This wheel on trainer not only looks very classy but it also has some excellent features. The first thing to mention is it can be connected to your favorite applications, such as Zwift.
It has a maximum wattage output of 1300w, a max incline replication of 10%, and is accurate to 5%. The resistance is controlled electronically and automatically.
The trainer itself comes with a full 12-month subscription to Elite’s E-Training, which is a good platform if you don’t fancy Zwift. It has the ability to fold and underuse, is fairly quiet.
As far as wheel on smart trainers, you will struggle to get better than the Elite Tuo, and coming in at currently $350, that’s incredible value for money in our eyes. We highly recommend it as our favorite wheel on smart trainer.
Pros
- Smart Capabilities
- Looks amazing
- Price is great
- Folding Ability
Cons
- Not as quiet as a direct drive
- We recommend investing in a TT tire
RockBros Direct Drive A1 Think Rider Trainer
Design: Direct Drive
Smart Capabilities: Yes
Resistance: Magnetic
Auto Resistance: No
Cost: $$$ (check here)
Rockbros are known for making excellent cycling accessories, and we have been waiting for them to make a turbo trainer to go up against the bigger brands. We are impressed at what they came up with in the A1 Think Rider.
The Rockbros direct drive turbo trainer not only looks pretty good but also boasts some great stats. It has a maximum wattage output of 1200w and a max incline replication of 3%, which means it can’t heavily push back at you. It is also accurate to 3%. Being a direct drive trainer, it is going to be fairly quiet, but the Rockbros says it will be no more than 58db.
It has great connectivity and is easy to get onto applications like Zwift, but it is non-interactive, so there is no auto resistance. Coming in at only $320, it is one of the cheapest direct drive trainers available, and we really like it.
Another great feature of this trainer is it doesn’t require a power cord making your training setup look super clean.
Pros
- Price is great
- Excellent Compatibility
- No power cord
- Quiet only 58db
Cons
- Looks Basic
- Non-interactive
- Low incline replication
My Elite Suito
Design: Direct Drive
Smart Capabilities: Yes
Resistance: Magnetic / Electronic
Auto Resistance: Yes
Cost: $$$ (check here)
This budget turbo trainers list wouldn’t be complete without a product from My Elite. They make an excellent turbo trainer at a very low price compared to companies like Tacx. The Suito is one of our favorite models because it just offers so much.
It has a maximum wattage output of 1900w, a max incline replication of 15%, and is accurate to 2.5%. It by far, boasts the best performance. You get automatic resistance on this trainer, so applications like Zwift will offer an amazing experience.
It definitely looks the part, and included in the trainer is a riser for your front wheel too. My Elite products are known to last, and although this is more expensive than others on this list, it is a great investment and one we’re sure you won’t regret.
Pros
- Looks Amazing
- Auto Resistance
- 1900w max, 15% incline replication, and 2.5% accurate
Cons
- Not the cheapest
- Quite a large unit
Garmin Tacx Flux X
Design: Direct Drive Trainer
Smart Capabilities: Yes
Resistance: Magnetic / Electronic
Auto Resistance: Yes
Cost: $600
The Tacx Flux is one of the most popular turbo trainers on the market, and that’s because it is very good and comes at a great price. In our opinion, it is the best looking trainer on this list and offers excellent stability with wide legs on the side.
It has a maximum wattage output of 1500w and a max incline replication of 10%. It will be able to challenge both beginners and professionals with ease.
The Flux X has automatic resistance, so ideal for programs like Zwift. It’s easy to use, and Tacx trainers are known for being silky smooth, even under maximum pressure.
A great feature of the Tacx Flux X is it doesn’t require a power source. You can literally just chuck the bike in, start pedaling, and it’s ready to go. It isn’t as cheap as some of the others on this list, but it’s very high quality and offers an excellent indoor cycling experience.
Pros
- Looks Great
- Auto Resistance
- No Power Source Needed
- Tacx Quality
Cons
- Not the cheapest
- Quite a large unit that doesn’t fold
Budget Turbo Trainers Buying Tips
So you are in the market for a budget turbo trainer but still trying to figure out what to look for?
In this next section, we’ll tell you the questions you need to ask yourself before buying a trainer to ensure you get the right one for you.
Wheel on or Direct Drive
The first question you need to ask yourself is whether you should use a wheel on trainer or direct drive.
A wheel on means you use your rear wheel and tire inside the trainer. A direct drive trainer means you remove the rear wheel, and then the turbo trainer goes in its place.
Wheel on trainers are cheaper, quicker, and easier to set up but do cause extra wear to your components. Direct drive are typically more expensive and take longer to set up, but they do give a much quieter and better indoor cycling experience.
We recommend direct drive over the wheel on, but if you have a small budget, a wheel on is fine too.
Smart Trainer or non Smart Trainer?
A smart trainer means it has the ability to connect to other devices. A good example is connecting it to a laptop or iPad and going onto Zwift.
You get a much better experience from a smart trainer as they are typically equipped with power meters and give much better data. It is well worth the extra investment.
Auto Resistance
A very cool feature of these smart turbo trainers is auto resistance. Just because your trainer is smart doesn’t always mean they will have automatic resistance, which is a common misconception. Auto resistance means you can set up a workout and start cycling, and the trainer controls all the resistance for you.
It is amazing for sessions like intervals and sprint sessions. It also means if you are freeriding in an open world like Zwift, it will automatically add resistance and subtract resistance when you come to a hill. The best indoor cycling experience, in our opinion, has automatic resistance.
Extra Parts
It’s important to understand when buying a turbo trainer, there’s a good chance you will need to buy some extra things. You might need axle adaptors if you’re using thru-axles or maybe even turbo trainer tires if you’re using it often.
Many people also tend to buy cassettes on direct drive turbo trainers, which makes putting the bike in much quicker and easier. We would recommend accounting for these extra costs.
Conclusion
The turbo trainers on this list come highly recommended by us, and we know using them will give you an excellent experience for the money you are spending. When reading this article, we hope you found the perfect budget turbo trainer for you and stay super fit over winter, ready for cycling next summer.
Robbie Ferri has spent years working in a bike shop, has worked with industry leading brands on product creation, has been a semi pro athlete, and is a fully qualified strength and conditioning coach. He has broken World Records, bikepacked all over the World and raced ultra distance at a top-level.
