If you’re looking for something very budget-friendly (hey, aren’t we all after a bargain these days), you don’t really need to look much further than the Bike Lane Pro trainer.
The guys at Bike Lane have created a series of budget friendly bike trainer stands (we also reviewed the Bike Lane Premium trainer and the 7-levels of resistance of the “standard” Bike Lane Trainer), but seriously, you don’t have to look beyond this one if you’re looking to put in some decent training sessions on your bike over the winter months.
Coming in at well under $90, this trainer turns your bike into an indoor exercise machine that you can use all year long when outdoor rides become impossible due to the bad weather (whether that be snow or extreme heat).
See the latest discount on this Bike Lane Pro trainerWhat’s going to win you over with the Bike Lane Pro trainer
The Bike Lane Pro is built with state of the art technology that employs magnetic induction to provide the adjustable resistance that creates a drag against the bike wheel. This guarantees riders a smooth, almost noiseless ride.
The 850-grams steel flywheel is the drive mechanism of the trainer that induces the resistance according to the level that you selected. Its rotating magnets are noiseless and give a smooth and natural quality to your ride. If you’re a beginner, you can start with the lower levels and work out towards higher resistance as you develop those Tour de France biking muscles. The lower levels of resistance are also appropriate for warming up prior to a bike race.
For the more serious cyclists of you, the seven levels of magnetic resistance provide more than enough power for some decent endurance training. Beginners and hobbyists can choose the level of resistance that will give the workout that is appropriate for them; the resistance level is easily adjusted using the resistance controller, or just shift the gears on your bike to make the adjustment.
It’s also a trainer that is easy to set up. Just unfold the frame, set the legs down, and then mount your bike via the rear skewer (one is included in the package). Be sure to tighten the butterfly nuts and use the plastic inserts give a tight fit to the axle. Once the trainer is set, mount the bike in place and set the included Riser Block (this in itself usually costs something like $15, in our opinion adding some serious value to this trainer and making it even more appealing!) to keep the front wheel in place. The riser elevates the front tire a little to make the bike level. And once you’re done, just fold the frame down, almost like you would an ironing board (we’re presuming you’re very familiar with the pleasures of an ironing board, right???), making it easy to store away as required.
Main features of the Bike Lane Pro
- The trainer is built using state of the art technology and is equipped with an internal magnet that quietly (and we mean quietly!) creates resistance.
- It has seven levels of resistance which we feel is more than enough for beginners and serious cyclists.
- It is equipped with an 850-gram steel flywheel that gives riders a very natural “pedal feel”.
- Its sturdy frame and extra wide legs provide maximum stability to both bike and rider.
- It is constructed using extra durable materials that are guaranteed to last a mighty long time.
- It is light (around 22 pounds), easy to store, and extremely portable, with a frame that folds compactly like an ironing board.
- The trainer is designed for bikes with a quick release rear axle and fits bikes with 700c and 26-inch wheels with different tire sizes.
- The front riser is the icing on the cake in our opinion…
Things to take into consideration…
If you’re looking for some intense resistance, be aware that the maximum resistance provided by the trainer does not produce as much drag as you’d get from an uphill ride. If you want to develop your endurance for mountain climbs, you will need a more powerful trainer (and if climbing is your passion, we’d recommend the Kurt Rock n Roll trainer).
The trainer seems to come without assembly instructions, so you need to figure out where to use the plastic inserts that come with the trainer (when attaching your rear tire to the trainer with the skewer).
Cheap and cheerful – but do you get value for money?
Yes!
The Bike Lane Pro is built to last and will undoubtedly give you a very decent training session, whatever your level. At around the $80 mark, this one is hard to beat for pure value (and it’s really not hard to see why this trainer made it into our list of the 3 BEST cheapest stationary trainers)…
