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How to Pick the Best Indoor Trainer for Your Cycling Goals

Table of Contents

Types of Indoor Trainers

When choosing an indoor trainer, the first step is understanding the different types available. Each has unique benefits depending on your budget, training style, and space.

Wheel-On vs. Direct-Drive Trainers

Wheel-On Trainers: Your bike’s rear wheel stays on, pressing against a resistance roller. Basically, you're taking your whole bike and just attaching it to the trainer.

  • Pros: Lower cost, easy setup, works with most bikes. Usually these ones can fold up, making them good for small spaces
  • Cons: Louder, less accurate power measurement, wears down your tire. Probably need to buy a separate wheel, trainer tire and skewer if you're going to be using the trainer somewhat often. This will save your outdoor equipment from the hard wear of the trainer.

The dedicated training wheel, skewer and tire can run you at least $100–$150, but it's worth it. 

Direct-Drive Trainers: You remove your rear wheel and mount your bike directly to the trainer, which will have a cassette on it.

  • Pros: Quieter, more resistance control, no tire wear, no extra wheel to buy, better power accuracy.
  • Cons: More expensive to buy the trainer, requires an extra cassette.

The cassette should be an exact match to the one on your wheel. Otherwise, you run into issues with your chain and shifting.

What is a Smart Trainer?

Smart trainers connect to apps like Zwift, TrainerRoad, and Wahoo SYSTM, and have the ability to automatically adjust resistance as prompted by a computer or training software for a more interactive experience.

  • Most direct-drive trainers are smart.
  • Some wheel-on trainers are smart, but not all.

If you trainer isn't smart aka a "dumb trainer," you are just required to shift as you would outside to adjust resistance. With a smart trainer, you could stay in one gear through a whole workout as the power changed on Erg mode (the mode where it adjusts your resistance).

Having the training platform adjust the resistance for you might seem like an obvious convenience to want, but as dumb trainer users ourselves, we can assure you that simply shifting to make more or less power is no big deal.

Are Rollers a Good Choice?

Rollers require balance and core engagement, making them a great skill-building tool. However, they lack resistance control and are harder to use for high-intensity training.

Which Trainer is Best for You?

  • Budget & Space-Conscious? Wheel-on trainer ($150–$400).
  • Want Realistic Ride Feel? Direct-drive smart trainer ($600+).
  • Working on Balance & Cadence? Rollers.

Still not sure? Drop a comment or visit your local bike shop for expert advice!

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