The 6 Best Budget Bike Trainers (Ideal for Beginners) [2025]

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These are the best budget bike trainers for under $500. They are perfect for beginners and people who want a cheap bike trainer. I tested some of these trainers and scored them using my bike trainer scoring system, read cycling forums, and talked with fellow cyclists to provide you with the most relevant recommendations for entry-level trainers.

You’ll mostly find non-interactive wheel-on trainers on this list. But I also found a few high-quality, smart interactive trainers that fit the budget and are compatible with indoor cycling apps like Zwift and ROUVY.

Don’t worry if you are new to indoor cycling. I will explain below how to choose an indoor trainer on a budget that will suit your needs.

What Are the Best Budget Bike Trainers?

Most Affordable

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Best Overall

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Also available at competitivecyclist.com

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Best Budget Smart Trainer

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The best budget bike trainers cost below $500. They have magnetic, electromagnetic, or fluid resistance. You will mostly find wheel-on trainers at this price point, but remember, they are noisier than direct-drive trainers.

This price range usually offers dumb (non-smart) bike trainers but also a few smart (non and interactive) trainers.

They are perfect for beginners or people who want to train indoors on a budget. Their resistance rarely exceeds 1000W, but it’s enough for most people.

I recommend reading the buyer’s guide, which explains what to consider when choosing a budget bike trainer, the benefits and drawbacks of different resistance types, and more.

Elite Novo Force (Best Overall)

Noisiness 3/5 | Ride Feel 3/5 | Ease of Setup 5/5 | Portability 5/5 | OVERALL 4.0/5

Elite Novo Force was my first trainer; I must say it has been great. It is stable, durable, portable, and reliable. Its price-value ratio is excellent.

Thanks to the elastogel roller, it improves traction, so the tire won’t slip when you push too hard.

It also reduces the noise by up to 50%. This is great if you don’t have a dedicated training cave and don’t want to disturb your loved ones (or neighbors).

Elastogel’s third main benefit, according to Elite, is that it reduces tire wear by up to 20%. Wheel-on trainers can “eat” your tires pretty quickly, so this feature can save you some money. But, if you can, get a trainer tire.

You can also make Novo Force compatible with training apps by buying a Misuro B+ sensor. It can transmit your speed and cadence data to mobile devices and bike computers, making your training sessions less boring.

Elite Novo Force Elastogel is compatible with bikes that use a 5mm quick-release skewer or 130-135 x 5 mm QR axles (included).

To use it with disc-brake bikes (thru-axles), you must buy an adapter (code 1020008) that ensures compatibility with 135x10mm | 135x12mm, 142x12mm, or 148x12mm thru-axles.

This trainer is quieter than the more affordable alternatives, like the Sportneer Bike Trainer or Alpcour Bike Trainer, but noisier than the Tacx Flow. To learn more, read my Elite Novo Force review.

Also available at competitivecyclist.com

Tacx Flow (Most Affordable Smart Trainer)

Resistance and Gradient 2/5 | Accuracy 1/5 | Noisiness 3/5 | Power Consumption 4/5 | Ride Feel 3/5 | ERG Mode 3/5 | Ease of Setup 4/5 | Portability 4/5 | OVERALL 3.0/5

Garmin’s Tacx Flow is one of the most affordable smart interactive trainers that can adjust resistance based on a training app. Thanks to this feature, your training will be more engaging and fun.

Flow is also quiet, especially when used with the Tacx trainer-specific tire. It is also easy to set up and portable, so it doesn’t take too much effort to set it up whenever you want to train. This is handy if you are limited by space, for example.

This trainer also offers decent resistance (up to 800W). This is enough for most beginners and hobby cyclists. It can even simulate up to 6% gradients, making it ideal for 3rd party apps like Zwift, TrainerRoad, etc.

It has ±5% accuracy, which is not as good as direct-drive trainers, but you can easily overlook this shortcoming if you don’t care about every watt.

Its biggest downside is that you may experience connectivity issues, so it is better to use it with an ANT+ receiver to improve connectivity.

Overall, Tacx Flow offers an unmatched value-for-money ratio, making it the best choice if you want to experience interactive indoor training.

Sportneer Bike Trainer (Most Affordable Dumb Trainer)

Noisiness 3/5 | Ride Feel 3/5 | Ease of Setup 5/5 | Portability 5/5 | OVERALL 4.0/5

This trainer is perfect for you if you have a limited budget and just need a trainer to spin your legs occasionally or lose weight.

I reviewed it, and it surprised me with its ease of setup and relatively low noisiness.

NOTE: There is also the Alpcour bike trainer (and a few more), which is the same but sold under a different brand name.

The Sportneer bike trainer stand features 6 resistance levels, which you can adjust using a remote attached to your handlebars. The first two simulate descents and flats, the third and fourth false flats, and the fifth and sixth climbs.

I also like its portability. You can fold it to store it when you don’t use it. This makes it ideal for people with limited space, such as those living in apartments. It easily fits in a car trunk to be your companion for race warm-ups.

It only took me about 3 minutes to set up my bike. Plus, the rubber end caps are adjustable, so if you have a crooked floor like me, no problem!

The packing includes a front-wheel riser to improve your riding position and comfort (so your bike will not be tilted as if you were riding downhill). The included quick-release also ensures compatibility with most bikes (26-28″ or 700c wheel size).

The Sportneer bike trainer has a few downsides too. Riding causes vibrations, so use a trainer floor mat to absorb them and not disturb neighbors if you have any.

It’s also not as sturdy as the more expensive trainers like the Elite Novo Force. To learn more, you can read my Sportneer bike trainer review.

Interested in Zwifting? Make sure also to check out the best bike trainers for Zwift.

Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One (Best Mid-Range Bike Trainer)

Mid-to-high-range specs for a low-end price.

The Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One is the successor of the discontinued Zwift Hub and Zwift Hub One, which became a hit almost immediately after their introduction. This was mainly thanks to their affordable price and mid-to-high-range specifications. They were both based on the Jetblack Volt trainer.

However, after the Wahoo+Zwift partnership, they decided to merge the Wahoo KICKR Core and Zwift Hub trainers into one. Thanks to the Zwift Cog, you also don’t have to deal with a cassette. Plus, it makes the trainer compatible with 8–12-speed bikes.

Additionally, it has a race mode for more frequent power data updates and virtual shifting for a better riding experience.

Honestly, it’s hard to find any major flaws with this trainer. But I did find two. The first is the lack of a handle for easier carrying (for people without a permanent training area).

The second is the inability to fold it up like other trainers (like the Wahoo KICKR), making it less storable. So you’ll have to completely disassemble it after the season.

One final thought: Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One is currently compatible with third-party apps. However, its virtual shifting feature is only available in Zwift (and ROUVY using Zwift Click buttons).

Take your indoor cycling to the next level. Get a rocker plate to improve your comfort and add more realism.

Saris Fluid2 Trainer

As the name of this trainer suggests, Saris Fluid2 provides fluid, progressive resistance. Due to this type of resistance, 3rd-party apps can’t adjust it.

Saris’ trainers (formerly CycleOps) are known for their high quality. The Fluid2 model is one of the most affordable trainers from this American brand.

Thanks to the progressive resistance, it faithfully simulates riding outdoors. It is also relatively quiet (but not as quiet as Tacx Flow).

You can also get the same trainer with a speed sensor for a few extra bucks. It then transmits your ride data to a training app, making your workout more engaging as your avatar moves through the virtual world.

The biggest downside of this trainer is Saris’ customer support. It isn’t very responsive and helpful.

Magene T100 Direct Drive

This is one of the most affordable bike trainers of this type. The Magene T100 is the only direct-drive trainer on this list. More expensive alternatives start at double the price.

However, its lower price reflects lower specs (lower resistance, gradient simulation, and accuracy). But if you are not a demanding rider, the T100 will be enough for you.

Magene claims that the T100 has a noise level of 60 dB. This is a normal conversation level. (Source)

This trainer will surprise you with its excellent price-performance ratio. According to riders using a power meter, the trainer’s power is pretty accurate. Unfortunately, I have not yet been able to verify this claim.

Remember that the Magene T100 Direct Drive doesn’t include a cassette; you’ll need to buy one separately.

At this price point, you also should not expect as good a road-like riding experience as with more expensive smart trainers. It also lacks an ERG mode, so if this feature is important to you, look elsewhere.

Feedback Sports Omnium

Feedback Sports Omnium rollers with a fixed front fork axle are the most portable trainer in this roundup. The packing includes a travel case for convenient transportation.

It is perfect for people with limited space or riders needing a trainer for pre-race warm-ups. It easily fits into a closet or a car trunk.

It’s also unique thanks to its construction. Your front fork is fixed while the rear wheel is set against the rollers. They will provide progressive resistance, so the faster you pedal, the harder it gets.

Owners are also delighted with this trainer because it is quiet. Another benefit is that the package includes adapters for quick-release and thru-axles. They make this trainer compatible with virtually any bike.

Remember that you need a power meter or speed + cadence sensors to connect it to training apps.

Also available at trekbikes.com

My Verdict

How to Choose the Best Budget Bike Trainer?

Regarding budget bike trainers, I mean wheel-on entry-level trainers for up to $100, mid-range for about $250, and high-end ones for up to $500.

Low-end and mid-range bike trainers are mostly not “smart” or “interactive.” Only the higher-end trainers are. They can transmit your ride data to a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Interactive trainers can also adjust the resistance (more about them below).

Learn more about wheel-on and direct-drive trainers’ differences, benefits, and disadvantages in this bike trainers guide.

Type of a Bike Trainer

Budget trainers for up to $500 are mostly wheel-on trainers. In fact, among the 30 trainers I researched, 90% were wheel-on, and the rest were direct-drive (not counting rollers).

Therefore, I will focus on wheel-on trainers only in this guide. Visit the best smart bike trainers article if you are interested in direct-drive trainers.

Wheel-on Trainers: Dumb vs. Smart vs. Smart Interactive

Wheel-on trainers work on a simple principle. Your rear wheel is set against the cylinder that provides resistance (learn more details on how to set a wheel-on trainer).

Which one should you choose?
Of course, the more sophisticated the trainer is, the more you have to pay.

Non-interactive trainers are good if you don’t plan to ride for more than one hour, you have a power meter (so you can use apps like Zwift, ROUVY, etc.), or you want to just lose some weight.

Smart (non-interactive) trainers are suitable for people with a limited budget who don’t require interactivity. This means they don’t mind that the trainer won’t adjust the resistance based on the training app.

Smart (interactive) trainers are perfect for more demanding riders who need more engaging training to stay motivated during longer training sessions.

Resistance & Resistance Type

Budget bike trainers mostly use wind, magnetic or fluid resistance, and sometimes even electromagnetic resistance (mostly found on smart trainers). The following table shows their pros and cons.

Progressive resistance means that the more you pedal, the greater the resistance. It better simulates real-world riding conditions because the air resistance increases exponentially.

The overall bike trainer resistance is given in watts. Unfortunately, the info on the maximum resistance is often unavailable for budget trainers.

However, if you are a casual cyclist or just want to buy a budget trainer to spin your legs from time to time, you don’t have to worry about it, as the resistance will be sufficient.

TIP: How do bike trainers work?

Gradient Simulation

Gradient simulation means the trainer can slow your pedal stroke as you start a steep climb in a training app. This improves your ride experience and makes indoor training feel more like riding on the road.

Gradient simulation is a common feature of smart interactive bike trainers. Budget trainers often don’t offer it. The higher the gradient simulation, the faster the trainer slows down your pedal stroke when you encounter a steep climb in an app.

Watch the following video by Shane Miller (GPLama) to learn more about how this feature works.

Accuracy

Accuracy is less important for casual cyclists than for performance-oriented riders. However, it should not be omitted.

The trainer’s accuracy means the power deviation at a certain power. Let’s say you ride 200W, and the trainer has a power accuracy of 5%. This means the power can vary from 190 to 210W.

The general rule of thumb is that the more expensive the bike trainer is, the more accurate it is. With budget trainers, expect an accuracy of around 5%.

The following table shows the power variance for different levels of accuracy and power.

Noisiness

The biggest downside of budget trainers is their noisiness. Due to the nature of wheel-on bike trainers, they are pretty noisy.

The noise level of budget trainers can vary widely. The quietest direct-drive trainers have a noise level of around 55 dB, while budget wheel-on trainers can easily exceed 70 dB.

To reduce the noise, follow these tips to make a bike trainer quieter.

Other Features to Consider

• Included accessories – budget trainers often come with the front wheel riser to improve your comfort and simulate climbing. If it is not included, don’t worry, you can use a book instead. However, the included wheel riser is a nice-to-have. The packing should also include a quick-release for an easier attachment of your bike to the trainer.
• Bike compatibility – most bike trainers are compatible with 130-135 mm quick-release (QR) axles. Bikes that use thru-axles may require special adapters. Always double-check the trainer’s compatibility to avoid future issues.
• Portability – bike trainers are cleverly designed so you can fold them when you don’t use them. However, some trainers are more portable than others due to their construction, so keep that in mind if you are space-limited.

Budget Bike Trainers FAQ

More bike trainers FAQs answered.

Preview picture source: Kinetic