How to Turn Bike into Stationary Bike in 2023

If you are a bike enthusiast, the chances are that you ride it often as a career, hobby, during your leisure time, or to exercise. Bike riding gives the body comprehensive exercise, whereby every part of your body is involved. You may prefer having a stationary bike in your house or place of work instead of running, jogging, or going to the gym to do other harder exercises.

You can spend many hours riding your stationary bike either indoors or outdoors. This is because they are portable, and you can ride as you bask in the sun while breathing fresh air. Statistics have it that stationary bikes have outdone normal bikes by far.

A Case Study of Normal Bike Riding

There are many challenges that you encounter when riding a normal bike outdoors. These challenges greatly hamper your performance and expose you to health hazards & even death. For instance:

• Bad terrain that has ups and downs
• Lack of or bad roads
• Weather conditions like rain, scorching sun, snow, dust, wind, floods, etc.
• Traffic
• Attacks by robbers & wild animals
• Punctures
• Bike breakdowns
• Accidents, and so much more

With all the above, you will perform poorly and have a horrible bike riding experience. Sometimes, you may go out riding and end up in the hospital or even lose your life because of what you encounter outdoors.

What about riding a stationary bike?

Amazingly, it is a different experience to ride a stationary bike indoors or outdoors.

NB: Stationary bikes have small wheels that the manufacturer has installed in them to help you move them around. For instance, if the bike weighs 40 lbs., you do not have to lift and carry it to where you want. Rather, you can either push it like a wheelbarrow or pull it like a trailer, and its wheels roll. That makes it portable and easy to move from one place to another.

With a stationary bike, all the challenges mentioned above and risks are eliminated. This is because the bike is ridden indoors and it is stationary. You are absolutely safe and secure when riding it. Wherefore, you spend more time cycling, which significantly enhances your overall performance.

Those who do not have time or cannot beat the challenges of riding normal bikes outdoors are highly favored by stationary bikes.

Do I have to buy a stationary bike if I have a normal bike?

No, you do not have to buy a stationary bike. In fact, if you have been asking this question, you are reading the right article where this question will be answered and the solution given. If you have a normal bike, you just need to do a few things to convert it to a stationary bike.

It is very easy to convert a normal bike into a stationary bike, especially when you use an indoor cycling trainer. This is a stand that is used to mount and hold the rear wheel so that it is lifted off the ground. The rear wheel turns freely, and the tire is held by a roller attached to a fan or flywheel. Sometimes it is also attached to a magnetic assembly that offers the required resistance.

Looking at resistance on a normal bike

When you ride a normal bike, resistance comes from the friction that is created between the rear wheel and the surface of the ground. Resistance is also heightened by the topographic gradient of the terrain in relation to the force of gravity. The force of gravity pulls things downwards.

Thus, when you cycle uphill, the resistance is stronger. This is because you are challenging the force of gravity by cycling against it by moving upwards, while the gravitational force is pulling you downwards. That is what makes uphill ascension more difficult than cycling on flat ground or downhill. In fact, when you are cycling downhill, the resistance is naught because you are moving in agreement with the force of gravity.

Since a stationary bike does not move, the rear wheel that is attached to the pedals is mounted on an indoor cycling trainer. It means that the stationary bike does not have natural resistance like a normal bike. But, the cycling trainer is installed with a flywheel that creates resistance against the rear wheel. It can either be contact or magnetic resistance, and you pedal against this resistance, which helps you to exercise.

Cycle trainers are meticulously designed for convenience. Once you set it up, you can easily secure the bicycle and use it for normal outdoor riding. You can also replace the bike with another one without adjusting to the cycle trainer stand.

How Do I Turn a normal bike into a stationary bike?

If you live in a storey building, you need to consider the noise and vibrations that come from a stationary bike when you cycle. The residents who live below you will be disturbed when you are cycling. In this case, you need to put sound dampening mats on the floor where the stationary bike will stand. Apart from lowering the intensity of the noise, the mats also prevent the stationary bike from injuring the floor.

The place where you put the stationary bike becomes an exercising place, and there are other essentials that need to be there. For instance, you will need drinking water, a fan, and a towel to wipe the sweat.

You have to be very careful with alignment as you change your bike because you do not want to ride a stationary bike. This is necessary for a nice riding experience and performance and to prevent you from injuries.

For instance, if you mount your stationary bike saddle too high, it will impact your thigh muscles. This is by causing them to be quickly tired and sore because of straining.

Furthermore, even your buttocks will sweat profusely, and your groin hurts. This is because of swaying side by side while straining to reach the pedals. You will be worn out within a short time of strenuously riding such a misaligned bike.

Factors to consider when setting up a stationary bike

When you convert your normal bike into a stationary one, you have to consider the following factors:

The height of the saddle

To determine the right saddle height for you, you have to stand against the bike. Then check to see that the saddle height is at the level of where your hip and femur meet. After that, mount the stationary bike, sit on the saddle, and put your heels on the bike’s pedals.

Then cycle to see whether your feet will make complete revolutions without detaching from the pedals. Ensure that even when the pedal is at its lowest, your foot is still firmly stepping on the pedal. Moreover, apart from the feet constantly remaining on the pedals, your entire leg should cycle when it is completely straight. This is when the pedal is at its lowest.

Adjusting the handlebars

Your handlebars should also be properly aligned according to your size for a proper and convenient riding posture. It is just like how the adage goes, “Cut your coat according to your cloth.” If your handlebars are wrongly positioned, your entire posture will be affected, and that causes you to ride uncomfortably.

Your handlebars should be set at the same height as the saddle. But, some people have special conditions like pregnancy, disabilities, as well as tastes and preferences. Such conditions need the handlebars to be raised a little bit. You should feel comfortable when riding the stationary bike, and your arms should not be fully stretched out.

Adjusting the saddle horizontally

As you pedal, you push down, and when the pedal is at 3 O’clock, the front of the knee should be aligned with the pedal’s center axis.

Mounting the normal bike on a stand to make it a stationary bike

Turning a normal bike into a stationary bike is quite easy because you do not have to dismantle your normal bike at all. You have to buy a stand and mount your bike on it. Put the bike’s rear wheel on the stand first, and clamp it on the stand firmly. But, you will notice a space for the wheel to wiggle until you mount the front wheel on the stand.

After mounting and securing the front wheel on the stand, go back to the rear wheel and retighten it. This is because it was wiggling before mounting the front wheel on the frame. Tighten the rear wheel until you feel that it has reached the tightness. Besides, you should be careful to ensure that the wheel is neither too tight to the extent of causing rubbing nor causing the ball bearings to fail.

Checking the stationary bike

After mounting the normal bike on a stand to make it a stationary bike, move a short distance away from the bike. Then check whether it is correctly aligned & mounted. If you notice any fault, realign the bike to make it even.

Besides, wiggle the bike sideways to check its stability and ensure that it is tip-proof. Then mount the bike and test-ride it to check the movement. The bike feels wobbly when you ride it at high-speed, but it should be stable to support you.

Removing the bike from the cycle trainer stand

When you want to break the monotony of indoor cycling, you can remove your bike from the stand within minutes and go out riding:

• Unsecure the quick-release skewer from your bicycle’s rear wheel. You have to turn      the quick-release lever & unscrew the assembly.
• Continue by fixing back the quick-release cone to the skewer.
• Safely store the skewer for future use.

Mountain bike riders

If you ride a mountain bike, installing it with a slicker road tire is advisable. This is necessary to prevent the tire from making noise and discomfort when riding. The stand raises the tire between 4-6 inches above the ground, and you should also raise the front wheel at such a level for evenness.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

After reading this comprehensive article, you may want to know some of the people’s questions about converting normal bikes into stationary bikes. They include the following:

Do I have to dismantle my normal bike before turning it into a stationary bike?

You do not have to dismantle your normal bike so that you can convert it to a stationary bike. Instead, you will just mount it whole on a stand and secure it. You can also remove it from the stand very easily and ride it outdoors as a normal bike.

Basically, you have to do no change, adjustment, or modification on your normal bike to turn it into a stationary bike. It remains whole and absolutely intact. All you have to buy is the stand that you mount your bike on.

Do I need a technician to turn my normal bike into a stationary one?

Turning a normal bike into a stationary one is easy. After buying the stand, the only thing that remains is mounting and securing the bike on the stand and aligning it. This does not need skills or technical know-how because the stand comes with a manual that guides you on how to install the bike on the stand.

Where can I buy the stand?

Place your order on diverse online stores and markets like Amazon. After purchasing, the stand will be shipped to you according to the address that you provided.

Conclusion

You are now good to go because you have learned how to turn your bike into a stationary bike. It is an effortless and straightforward thing that you can do within a couple of minutes. From now onwards, you can ride your stationary bike indoors and outdoors whenever you want.

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