Where Your Static Bike Trainer Can’t Compete with Wattbike

Static bike trainers provide a convenient way to improve your fitness and training, but could your current set-up be letting you down? A static bike trainer might not provide all the benefits of a smart bike from Wattbike, which are designed to improve every area of your cycling performance. Discover all the ways your trainer can’t compete with Wattbike today.

Table of Contents:

• Types of Static Bike Trainers
• Where A Smart Bike Outperforms a Static Bike Trainer
• Time To Upgrade to a Wattbike Smart Bike
• How a Static Bike Trainer Can Improve Your Fitness

Types of Static Bike Trainers

A static bike trainer is a stationary indoor cycling set up, which attaches to your road bike to allow you to cycle in one place. These types of indoor bike trainers can vary massively, depending on the model or specification you opt for.

Smart Bikes

A smart bike can be much more advanced than a static bike trainer. Rather than requiring your road bike, they have a permanent bike structure, so you can begin pedalling straight away. The Wattbike Atom smart bike has advanced technology, accurate data collection, and is compatible with a number of indoor cycling apps to help you reach your performance targets.

Turbo trainers

Turbo trainers are a style of static bike trainer which slots onto your road bike. There are two types of turbo trainer:

• Wheel-on - These A-frame models require you to leave your rear-wheel intact, and have it resting on a rolling platform.
• Direct drive - These models require you to remove your rear wheel, in order to connect your chain and cassette to the turbo system.

When comparing a turbo trainer to a smart bike, the differences vary between these two types. However you’ll find they both come up short against a smart bike if you’re looking to improve your cycling or fitness.

Bike Rollers

This type of static bike trainer involves a network of cylinders you place your road bike on, which rotate as you pedal, allowing you to cycle on the spot. When comparing bike rollers to a smart bike, you’ll find they can’t provide as much insight into your training as you might like, which is why you’ll be looking to upgrade.

Where A Smart Bike Outperforms a Static Bike Trainer

While your static indoor trainer can provide many benefits, it might fall short on some key areas of your training. Here are some of the ways your static bike trainer is not providing the very best for your needs:

You can harness more performance data from a smart bike

Static bike trainers vary in their technology - which means they can’t all replicate the data of your ride the way a smart bike does. Smart bikes like the Wattbike Atom can capture your performance data as you ride. That way, you can keep an eye on which areas of your ride need improving. Whether you’re looking to improve your VO2 max or improve your cadence. This means you’ll get more from your training session than you might with another static bike trainer which doesn’t assess your performance in such detail.

Smart bikes allow you to control resistance

Controlling the resistance is an important part of indoor training. A resistance trainerthat puts you in charge, like the Atom or Pro/Trainer means you have more control of your cycling workout. Increasing the resistance means you have to put more effort into your ride, so you can adjust your technique to whatever your training for. Whether you opt for electromagnetic or air resistance, a static bike trainer which offers adaptable resistance will offer more training benefits than one which doesn’t.

You’ll be motivated to train

Even the keenest indoor cyclist may find it unmotivating to think about training with a static bike trainer. Connecting the road bike, then cycling on the spot for hours staring at the same wall can be dull. It might mean you shorten your rides or even skip the session altogether. Alternatively, the Atom smart bike can connect to multiple indoor cycling apps, which means you’re connected to your own workout data, real-world routes, and even share your rides with fellow indoor cyclists.

You don’t have to bring your outdoor bike into the house

Picture this: you’re itching to complete a session on your static bike trainer. You get to your bike and remember the outdoor route you cycled at the weekend. Your bike is dirty, caked in mud, and definitely not suitable for dragging over the carpet to your indoor cycling set-up. A smart bike leaves your road bike for outdoor use, and means you have an indoor set-up ready for your cycling workout whenever you are.

Smart bikes won’t damage your road bike

Your road bike is at risk each time you use it with your turbo trainer or roller. Your wheel and tyre could get accidentally damaged, whether you have to remove it or not. If you’re worrying about damaging your road bike, then a smart bike is the clear option for you.

Your wheel-on turbo trainer can slip

Wheel-on turbo trainers work by having the rear wheel rub against a cylinder which spins from its contact with the tyre. Sometimes, the wheel can slip against the roller, which means any power reading isn’t accurate. The Atom smart static bike has a ±1% range of data accuracy, so you know your ride stats are a real reflection of your performance.

Direct drives can be difficult to set up

Direct drive static bike trainers require you to connect the trainer to your road bike’s chain and cassette. This means you have to remove your rear wheel and connect it up to the power metre on the trainer. They can be more reliable than a wheel-on turbo because of the lack of wheel slippage, but they can still be fiddly to connect. Smart bikes are ready to ride when you are, with minimal set-up required.

Time To Upgrade to a Wattbike Smart Bike

It’s time to upgrade that static bike trainer and get the most out of your workout. Say goodbye to wasting time connecting your road bike and say hello to enhanced indoor cycling, with real-road technology and a ±1% range of data accuracy.

• Find workouts in the Wattbike Hub - With our very own Wattbike Hub indoor cycling app, you can harness every ride in detail. You’ll find over 100 cycling workouts, training plans, and have the ability to recreate real-world routes. We’ll help you find the best way to achieve your goals on your static smart bike.
• Complete performance tests to stay on target - Check yourself against your targets with performance tests on the Atom smart bike. You can complete time trials to assess your speed and endurance, or you can identify your Functional Threshold Power (FTP) to have more control over your cycling.
• Improve different areas of your fitness - Not only can you see the live stats, but you can see which areas to focus on, such as improving your pedalling technique. Thanks to our Wattbike’s detailed Polar View recording and Pedal Effectiveness Score (PES), you’ll get live insight into your left and right leg balance during your pedal revolutions.
• Support your wider sports commitments - If you want to use indoor cycling to support your running, rugby training, or more, you can! Static bike trainers can help keep your fitness up to standard, whether for cycling sportives or workouts for sports conditioning, you’ll be able to train whilst taking the load of your joints.

• Sturdy design to support your most intense workout - Thanks to the rock solid stability of our static bikes, you can push yourself harder than ever. It’s stable and sturdy, to help you start sprint training, or complete a rigorous session.
• Wattbike are trusted by professionals- Don’t just take our word for it, listen to the professional athletes and sports-people who trust us to enhance their training. With dedicated workouts on the Wattbike Hub created by dedicated athletes, you can trust us to provide a tailored workout over your previous static bike trainer.

How a Static Bike Trainer Can Improve Your Fitness

Static bike trainers are a great way to include cycling into your exercise regime. Whether you’re looking to improve your fitness, or train for a sportive, they’re a great option. The benefits of indoor cycling with a static bike trainer or smart bike include:

• Off-feet conditioning - Static bike trainers allow you to workout your full body, while taking the load off your musculoskeletal system. This is called off-feet conditioning and can help you improve your fitness, with a lower risk of injury.

• Efficient training - Static bike trainers can support your fitness and cycling performance more efficiently than outdoor cycling. You can train without having to plan a route, avoid pot holes or swerve traffic. Every pedal revolution counts, because you don’t have to free wheel down hills or wait at red lights, wasting precious cycling time.

Train Your Way with Wattbike

At Wattbike, we help you get the most out of your training. Our data allows you to track and improve with every ride. Whether you’re a beginner to indoor cycling or you need help planning your winter training, you can find everything you need.