It is imperative to compare a Fluid VS Magnetic Bike Trainer to help yourself with indoor bike riding when the weather gets harsh.
FYI, a Bike Trainer is a device, gear, or apparatus that lets you pedal a stationary cycle and is mainly used for exercise when outdoor biking is impossible due to weather or anything.
- The main aim of a trainer is to help you pedal and run a bike without moving its wheels indoors for the sake of exercise to lose weight and build muscles.
- The fluid bike trainer entails a flywheel and a roller. It is called a fluid bike trainer because it comes with a special liquid encased in its outer shell.
- A magnetic bike trainer consists of a bike flywheel with rotating magnets. Here, instead of fluid, magnetic force helps create resistance.
The trainers were hype during the pandemic because, due to lockdowns, it was impossible to go around mountain bike trails in southern California.
A bike helps you do a complete body workout. I have seen real-life examples where people opted for Mountain biking for weight loss.
It helps you lose belly fat, have fit thighs, remove meat from all body parts, and gain muscles. You can check my complete guide on how much I should cycle daily to lose weight to know more about the topic.
Coming back to the discussion below, I am penning a Fluid VS Magnetic Bike Trainer comparison guide to help you find Mag or Fluid Trainer; which is better?
What is a Bike Trainer?
The main aim of a trainer is to help you pedal and run a bike without moving its wheels indoors for the sake of exercise to lose weight and build muscles.
Different bike trainers are offered in this regard, such as fluid trainers, magnet trainers, wind trainers, cycling rollers, and direct drive trainers.
Today I am mainly covering two of my personal favorite (Fluid and Magnetic) trainers to help you buy something that is worth the money.
Fluid Bike Trainer
The fluid bike trainer entails a flywheel and a roller. It is called a fluid bike trainer because it comes with a special liquid encased in its outer shell.
The main of the fluid is to provide resistance. When a biker pedals hard, the outer shell, making liquid heat up, and pedaling will become tough.
The more you pedal, the more heat is created, and the more significant resistance is produced.
Magnetic Trainer
A magnetic bike trainer consists of a bike flywheel with rotating magnets. Here, instead of fluid, magnetic force helps create resistance.
You can engage or disengage these magnets to increase or decrease the pressure. Besides, all the adjustments here are made on a manual basis.
If I Compare Fluid VS Magnetic Bike Trainer, the former increases the resistance on its own when the pedaling speed increases, while with the latter, you can adjust the pressure manually.
Fluid VS Magnetic Bike Trainer
When it is hot or too cold outside, you can do your cycling workout at home without buying a fitness bike when you can turn your cycle into one using bike trainers.
Fluid and Magnetic Bike Trainers have excellent features, such as adjusting the intensity or resistance. However, the problem occurs when you don’t know which trainers to buy.
Here, I will compare features, pros, cons, and everything to help you decide on the Magnetic VS Fluid Trainer, which is best.
Difference between a Fluid VS Magnetic Bike Trainer
The following table explains the main difference between a fluid and a magnetic trainer.
| No. | Magnetic Bike Trainer | Fluid Trainer |
| 1. | It uses a flywheel with rotating magnets. | It consists of a flywheel and fluid encased in the outer shell. |
| 2. | Uses magnetic force | Uses special liquid |
| 3. | Requires manual adjustment | Resistance automatically increases with pedaling speed. |
| 4. | You can decrease pressure even at high speed. | At high speed, you cannot adjust the pressure. |
| 5. | Due to manual adjustment, the ease factor is a bit weak. | Fluid trainers will be extremely easy to use. |
Fluid Bike Trainer Pros and Cons
Fluid bike trainers are among the latest and most updated trainers. They are also known as rollers. Being updated versions, these trainers will help you feel like you are actually riding in the mountains.
You can play some nature trekking videos on YouTube while doing a workout; the quieter setup will help you enjoy exercise in peace. Here are some pros and cons for more information:
| No. | Pros | Cons |
| 1. | Extremely easy to use | Not so lasting and reliable |
| 2. | No manual adjustments are required. | Fluid might leak over time. |
| 3. | Perfect for advanced riders looking for HIIT bike training. | Expensive (mainly when they cover liquid leaking warranty). |
| 4. | The realistic feeling of riding a bike in the mountains. | Heavy and not portable. |
| 5. | Noticeably quieter (only the trainer, not the bike). | You might need an extra adapter to make your bike quieter. |
| 6. | It feels like you are really riding outside. | You might need an extra device to attach it to a mountain bike. |
Magnetic Bike Trainer Pros and Cons
Magnetic bike trainers are also easy to use, but their manual adjustment features might dismantle the decision to buy them.
However, it is not bad, and for detailed info on Fluid and Magnetic Bike Trainers comparison, check the pros and cons of the device:
| No. | Pros | Cons |
| 1. | Proper cardio and muscles workout. | Manual adjustment can be a minor annoyance. |
| 2. | Very reliable and can last for a very long time. | It doesn’t feel the same as riding outdoors. |
| 3. | Very inexpensive and affordable | Significantly louder |
| 4. | Perfect for newbies. | Most models are not compatible with MTBs. |
| 5. | Provides the highest resistance. | It can lessen your bike tire life. |
Mag or Fluid Trainer – Which Should You Buy?
I guess the decision is mainly based on your budget and if reliability is one of the integral features you are looking for.
If I compare Fluid VS Magnetic Bike Trainers on the basis of differences or pros and cons, the points which I find are;
- Your budget
- Reliability of the trainer
- Quality resistance
- Automation
- Realistic experience
The Fluid Trainer stands out on 3 points: quality resistance, automation, and realistic experience.
These are silent trainers, so you can play videos, listen to music, or watch TV while cycling. Besides, the fluid provides quality resistance, which will never undermine the lifespan of your bike’s tires.
All with this, the smoothness and sleekness help you feel like you are actually riding on the roads and not a mechanical trainer.
However, Magnetic Bike Trainers give you a lot of bang for your buck when it comes to price and reliability. These are inexpensive and can stay with you for as long as your bike.
However, these trainers scarce realistic experience. Besides, the resistance is too high that it can damage the tires of your bikes or at least shrink their lifespan.
If you ask me if there is no problem related to budget and money in Fluid VS Magnetic Bike Trainers race, I would support Fluid Bike Trainer.
I personally use a fluid bike trainer stand during winter to work out. My wife is also its fan.
DIY Bike Trainer
Here is another hack for you. If you know some woodworking, you can make a bike stand for yourself.
Although it will not have features like to control resistance, it will allow you to drive your bike indoors without spending bucks like Fluid VS Magnetic Bike Trainers.
How will you make it? Check the video below for the entire method.
FAQs
Before I end this discussion, let’s go through our usual section of adding your frequently asked questions.
How Does a Bike Trainer Work?
First, you should know about the parts a trainer consists of. It comes with a frame, clamp, and roller. The frame is used as the bike stand, and the clamp helps mount the bike securely while the rollers top rub against the wheels.
The whole mechanism is used to produce resistance while pedaling. Different bicycle frames have different mediums or mechanisms to create resistance, for instance, magnets, fluids, winds, etc.
How many types of bicycle trainers do we have?
We have just discussed Fluid VS Magnetic Bike Trainers. But some other types we have are:
- Wind Trainers: These use the wind to create resistance.
- Rollers: They use drums that spin with wheels and create a hindrance.
- Direct Drive Trainers: It comes with a cassette. To turn a bike into a stationary one, the rear wheel is removed while the bike is mounted on the cassette.
Besides this, for exercise, people also use indoor bikes or Pelotons.
Which is better magnetic or fluid bike trainer?
Well, that depends on the budget and features you are looking for. Magnetic trainers are reliable and lasting, and they come at cheaper rates. These come with a simple mechanism, but it is manual.
On the other hand, liquid trainers start leaking after some time, and they are expensive too. However, these trainers provide a more realistic riding experience. They automatically increase resistance when the bike speed increases.
Bottom Line
Now, I shall close my discussion on Fluid VS Magnetic Bike Trainers. Based on the differences, features, advantages, and downsides, which trainer would you prefer to have? Let me know in the comments below.
