[Comparison] Best Home Trainer: Characteristics and Price - January 2022

A home trainer allows you to carry out your training sessions on the bike even if the weather conditions do not allow it.

Indoor training used to be boring. However, since the advent of home trainers and third-party apps, working out at home has become fun. Indeed, it gives you the possibility to mimic outdoor training sessions as well as possible. There are many types of home trainers on the market. Which is the best ?

Discover without further delay our comparison of the best home trainers.

Best home trainer ranking:

Table of Contents

1) Tacx Neo 2T Smart: the best Home trainer

If the price of this high-end home trainer may put some people off, its sophistication justifies it. On the one hand, it is one of the most comfortable models to use. In addition, it communicates without problems with other devices/software, Zwift being particularly easy to use.

Of course, the Tacx Neo 2T Smart can never match the feeling on the road, but it comes surprisingly close. However, we can deplore the lack of accessories, the competitor Wahoo offering more complete offers. There are also no physical movements to simulate ascents and descents.

Nevertheless, this model remains the home trainer best placed to meet the needs of the greatest number, adapting to all possible configurations. In addition, it measures a large number of parameters, without having to buy an accessory.

Specific characteristics

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TacX Neo 2T Smart Bike Trainer

1 189.90 €Check Wait... We are looking up the price of this product on other sites

2) Wahoo Kickr Core: the best affordable home trainer

The Kicker Core is a model mid-range from Wahoo. However, it offers almost everything that a high-end device offers. As a full-fledged home trainer, the Kicker Core is able to automatically adjust its power.

The Core can simulate inclines up to 16%. And again, it will automatically adjust the resistance based on the gradient of the virtual road you are riding on. In addition, it has an accuracy of +/- 2%.

Like the Tacs Neo 2T Smart, this trainer is barely audible. In fact, the only noise you will hear is that of the chain.

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Wahoo Fitness KICKR Core Smart Trainers Black

749.00 €Check Wait... We are looking up the price of this product on other sites

3) Elite Direto: best home trainer for reliability

The Elite Direto is the option mid-range from the Italian brand. As it's compatible with ANT+ and Bluetooth, the Direto works with external apps, giving you plenty of options to explore.

It has a 14% gradient simulation and a maximum power of 1400 Watts. The Elite Direto features +/- 2% power accuracy. This trainer is noisier than its high-end rivals. Indeed, the Elite Direto emits a buzzing sound that can be heard through walls.

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Elite Direto Bike Trainer Roller

710.66 €Check Wait... We are looking for the price of this product on other sites

4) Saris H3: the brand's best home trainer

The new H3 is a home trainer top of the range from Saris. It is the successor to the Saris H2. Speed, cadence and power measurements are all integrated. Because of this, it does not need external sensors, which is another advantage.

Like the Wahoo Kickr and the Tacx Neo 2T, the H3 has a maximum power of 2000 Watts, with a maximum incline of 20% and an accuracy of +/- 2%. Like those two, the H3 is compatible with the most popular virtual cycling platforms thanks to ANT+ FE-C and Bluetooth FTMS connectivity.

Sound-wise, the Saris H3 is fairly quiet. More precisely, Saris claims that the sound level of this trainer at 20 mph is 59 decibels.

Technical characteristics

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Saris Adult H3 Direct Drive Bicycle Trainer Unisex Black Size M

769.00 €Check Wait... We are looking up the price of this product on other sites

5) Wahoo Kickr Snap: the brand's best budget trainer

Just like the original Kickr, the Snap is compatible with Bluetooth Smart, ANT+ and ANT+ FE-C. It can be controlled by a Wahoo smartphone, tablet or computer. Additionally, the Wahoo Kickr Snap is compatible with Wahoo's Headwind (wind speed simulator) and Climb (level simulator) accessories.

This trainer works seamlessly with third-party apps like Zwift, The Sufferfest, TrainerRoad, and more. The Wahoo Kickr Snap can automatically adjust resistance to simulate climbs of up to 12% incline. By combining this with the Kickr Climb indoor slope simulator, you can do indoor climbing sessions.

Technical characteristics

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Wahoo Fitness Wahoo KICKR Snap Bicycle Trainer Unisex, Black

499.99 €Check Wait... We are looking for the price of this product on other sites

6) Bkool Smart Air: the best home trainer with a sleek design

The Bkool Smart Air seduces with a design with clean lines that would not derogate from Apple. This is the brand's first direct-drive home trainer. The Bkool Smart Air has a maximum power of 3000 Watts and can simulate slopes of up to 25%. In addition, it has an built-in tilt mechanism. As a result, it can lean from left to right at an angle of 6°.

Technical characteristics

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Bkool Smart Air Smart Roller

Not availableCheck Wait... We are looking up the price of this product on other sites

7) Elite Drivo II: the top-of-the-range trainer

This trainer represents the pinnacle of the Elite brand . It has a stable and robust platform ideal for advanced cyclists. Indeed, this device has the specificity of simulating slopes of up to 24%. In addition, the maximum power generated reaches 3,600 watts with a top speed over 60 km/h. Fast, it claims an accuracy of plus or minus 0.5%.

Although a cyclist, even a professional, can achieve such performance, Elite Drivo II remains a comfortable device. In terms of sensation, it reacts quickly to changes in inclination, thanks to a 6 kg magnet on the steering wheel.

Finally, despite such power, the Elite home trainer has a low sound, not annoying. In this price range where competition is fierce, Drivo II offers unparalleled precision and power.

Technical characteristics

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Elite Drivo II Direct Drive Trainer FE-C, B+ Mag Trainer with Power Meter Power OTS+

Not availableCheck Please wait... We are looking for the price of this product on other sites

FAQ

How to install your bike on a home trainer?

Essential step, the way locking the wheel of your bike on the home trainer is not the same depending on the type of device used.

For a classic home trainer, you will therefore need to replace the axle of your rear wheel with the one supplied with your new accessory. It will then be necessary to introduce the axis in the entries provided and then tighten all the nuts. Finally, it remains to raise the treadmill by contact with the rear wheel.

For a drive model, simply remove the rear wheel of the bike. Then, position the bike correctly on the home trainer by fixing the chain directly on the cassette of the latter.

If you have opted for a connected model, you will need to connect the cable from the treadmill to the handlebars in order to be able to manage the resistance of the roller from the handlebars. Depending on the brand, it will sometimes be necessary to install other sensors.

Home trainer or exercise bike?

If your house is quite narrow, it is better to opt for a home trainer. It is lightweight and only needs a small space. You can move it more easily when needed. In addition, the latter is modern equipment that has the ability to simulate locations.

How to use a home trainer?

A training session carried out on board a home trainer has many specificities. For this to be beneficial, rules must be followed.

The home trainer does not in any way promote endurance capacity. Indeed, it is best to use this device for short periods. For example, to improve strength and power.

Heart rate should be monitored in order to know the actual level of exertion. For a pulse at a specific level, the work done corresponds to the energy spent on the road. A stationary session with a heart rate of 70% or more is necessary to maintain good basic blood circulation.

To avoid the increase in heart rate, it is necessary to cool down. Standing near a well-open window is already a good solution. This practice reduces profuse sweating. It is even necessary to put on adequate sports clothing to collect sweat and to have a small fan to train systematically.

In addition, home workouts should not last longer than 2 hours. After this time, the work gradually loses its effectiveness, and sessions that are too long in winter risk harming the other seasons.

Roller or fixed home trainer?

For the fixed home trainer, you no longer need to hold your balance, because the rear tire of your bike is attached to a compartment of the home trainer. But while using the roller trainer, you have to keep your balance.

Fluid or magnetic home trainer?

The choice is up to you. In fact, the magnetic trainer is louder than the fluid trainer. However, it has good resistance which can be adjusted via a selector on your handlebar. As for the fluid home trainer, it offers you resistance very close to real conditions.