Best Bike Trainer in 2023 – Bike Trainer Reviews and Ratings

For some time now, the Kinetic Road Machine 2.0 has been the top rated bike trainer on Amazon among others whose ratings come from an equally large sample size. This is due not to a successful marketing scheme, nor is it the outcome of some fancy new technology which takes eighty gigantic words to describe (though it does use some pretty great technology). Rather, the Kinetic Road Machine 2.0 is as successful as it is simply because it does a great job in all of the ways you would expect a bike trainer to. It doesn’t come in an overly sleek package or have any fancy features. In fact, just by simply looking at it, it can be easy to let the eye wander onto the next one down the shelf simply due to its standard appearance. Of course, when it comes to bike trainers, appearance doesn’t mean a whole lot.

The Kinetic Road Machine 2.0 works through the use of a technology known as fluid resistance, which simply means the inner blade is swishing through fluid as it moves, creating resistance on the bike. The fluid resistance is actually quite useful, being that it mimics outdoor biking quite well. Although you’ll still be biking in place, you’ll almost feel as if you’re able to gain momentum through pedaling faster and, upon letting your feet go, said momentum will actually decline at roughly the same rate is it would if the bike were actually driving on the ground. At the same time, the amount of effort required to keep building momentum gets higher as the current momentum rises, ensuring things stay challenging. This is particularly useful if you’re actually training for a cycling event, rather than simply trying to get some exercise through any means necessary.

Outside of its use of fluid resistance, which is certainly a huge plus, another useful tool is its included smartphone app. If you’ve been using stationary bikes (like what you might expect to find at a gym) for some time now, you may miss having a display right in front of you while you work out, giving you some indication as to just how hard it is you’re working out in the first place. Luckily, this problem is solved through the Kinetic Road Machine 2.0’s included app, which gives you an idea have how fast you’re driving while measuring a few other metrics as well, closely mimicking a stationary bike’s display on the screen of your smartphone. All of these features easily make the Kinetic Road Machine 2.0 one of the very best bike trainers on the market.

As I’m sure you can guess by its name, the CycleOps Fluid 2 is similar to the above model in that it works with fluid resistance to bring you an experience which more closely resembles that of driving on a real road, making it more suitable if you’re actually training for a marathon or another cycling event, though it will certainly work just as great as any other bike trainer in terms of giving you a good workout. Also like the last model we covered, said fluid resistance is the CycleOps Fluid 2’s best feature. With that said, what’s the difference between the two exactly?

The CycleOps Fluid 2, while perhaps not equipped with any smartphone-related features, is well known for being an extremely durable bike trainer. Don’t take my word for it, though. If you click the product’s name above and head on over to its Amazon page, you’ll see that other customers are saying the same. The bike trainer in question also comes with a lifetime warranty, ensuring that the CycleOps Fluid 2 actually lives up to its name regarding its durability. While it can be easy to pass over a warranty without thinking much into it (after all, product warranties aren’t the most exciting thing in the world), when you stop to think about the fact that this warranty lasts indefinitely, things are a bit different.

Regardless of whether or not you actually need to cash out on this warranty in the first place (you probably won’t), it’s nice to see that the manufacturer is confident enough in their product to back up their claims with money. Couple its warranty and great durability with its easy-to-adjust frame and you’ve found yourself one of the most practical bike trainers on the market. If you want all of the basics covered and care less for fancy features, the CycleOps Fluid 2 is easily your best choice.

The two bike trainers we’ve covered thus far are some of the best (probably the best) bike trainers on the market. There’s no doubt about that. However, if you paid a visit to either one’s Amazon page, you’ve likely noticed that they’re not exactly economically friendly. Although they’re great for the price, not all of us have the will or the resources to spend over three hundred dollars on a bike trainer. If this sounds like you, the FDW might be better suited toward you. Although it may still look somewhat pricey, if you have experience with high-end bike trainers, you’ll know this isn’t so much the case.

Despite this, it still comes as one of the very best on the market. Now, you won’t get the luxury of having any “smart” features, nor will you be treated to a lifetime guarantee of anything. However, you will get the very best bike trainer out there in terms of the cost-to-quality ratio. In fact, if your idea of the best product is the one with the very most value, you can consider the FDW as being the best on the market.

This high level of value is most seen in its smooth operation. Despite many bike trainers (even those of a higher price) making a whole lot of noise while in operation, the FDW offers an extremely smooth ride which is void of clicking, rumbling and bumpiness. When all you really care about is getting a great workout session, the FDW is an excellent choice through its ability to give you just what you’re looking for while skipping out on the many advanced features which drive up the price of many other bike trainers.