A lot of indoor bike trainers are already available in the market. Why bother making your own indoor bike trainer when you can get them online with a click of a button at reasonable prices?
Well, some people like the challenge of designing and building their own things. It might not always be about saving money although a DIY project can sometimes help you do that especially if you already have materials lying around.
We’ve rounded up the best DIY ideas for indoor bike trainers and accessories for you to try…or not.
Indoor Bike Trainer Using Tink Tube
This project is definitely not meant to save you money as you have to buy the materials from Tinktube or another company offering similar products. However, this plan can be useful if you have a BMX or cruiser which are not usually compatible with typical indoor trainers.
Bike Trainers from Inline Skate Wheels
DIYers tried to beat their boredom at the height of the Coronavirus pandemic by building bike trainers from inline skate wheels.
First, we have the build from Santanu Chakraborty. He just joined together a pair of inline skate wheels and used them as a roller for the rear wheel.
On its own, it is not a very stable contraption. He mentioned in the description that you have to secure the front wheel and handlebar to ensure that you won’t fall off when riding. He also said that the design is for mountain bikes and not recommended for road bikes.
The next one was built by Juan Torres. This is a bit more complicated than the first as he has disassembled all the wheels and threaded four wheels on each end of a wooden base. But this looks more stable than the previous one.
The downside for both designs above is that you can’t add or adjust resistance but they would work in a pinch. Plus, you’ll get some use out of the pair of rollerblades that has been gathering dust in your storage.
Bike Rollers Using PVC Pipes
If you have leftover PVC pipes and wood from previous projects, you can use them to make your bike roller. We have two versions, both from a DIY Youtuber named Mr. Zoir. One is like a regular bike roller and the other is patterned after Feedback Omnium Trainer. Watch his videos below.
Homemade Rocker Plate
So you’ve heard that a rocker plate can give you a more realistic and comfortable ride indoors. So you head off to Amazon and whoa! The thing costs around $400! If you already spent a fortune on your indoor cycling obsession and are trying NOT to spend more, maybe you can DIY a rocker plate using a large sheet of plywood and a couple of hinges and tennis balls.
GCN Tech shows us how.
DIY Trainer Table
Need a table for your laptop while you train? You can build your own using OSB and some elbow grease. See the detailed instruction below.
Adjustable Cycling Trainer Desk
This adjustable cycling trainer desk also has a slot for your phone or tablet. Watch below and get the plan here
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Conclusion
It is understandable that DIY is not for everyone. Some people simply don’t have time or patience for a DIY project. Well, there’s Amazon for them. But for those who find enjoyment in designing and building their own things, I hope that the DIY indoor trainer ideas presented above can provide inspiration. They are great weekend projects for DIY and indoor bike enthusiasts and can help save you some bucks.