Homemade Stationary Bike

Regular cycling improves your health and fitness, but it can be a daunting prospect for even the keenest cyclists when facing bad weather conditions. Indoor cycling is the obvious answer to this dilemma, but unless you want to smash a vase or two you will need a stationary bike. Buying an exercise bike is one option. However, if you would prefer to use your outside bicycle inside then you must attach it to a bicycle trainer.

Things You'll Need

• Hammer
• Screwdriver
• L-bolt
• Bicycle trainer

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Instructions

• 1

  Buy a bicycle trainer in a bicycle store or online for $300 to $500. This equipment attaches to a normal bicycle to turn it into a stationary bike, trainers at the top end of the price range tend to have more stability.

• 2

  Place the trainer in a space where you would like your exercise bike to be.

• 3

  Use the carriage bolt to connect the trainer's frame to the resistance unit. Twist the bracket on this unit until tight. Do this with an L-bolt.

• 4

  Place the bolt-action tube into the trainer's frame and use a hammer to force it through. Attach the quick-release handle onto this tube by screwing it on.

• 5

  Move the front wheel of the bicycle into the cone on the trainer.

• 6

  Rotate the resistance unit's knob in a clockwise direction -- this will adjust the position of the back wheel so that it comes into contact with the trainer's roller.

• 7

  Attach the clips that came with the trainer as instructed in your trailer's instruction manual -- these will secure the bike to the trainer.

• 8

  Try out the bike by cycling as normal. Rotate the knob located on the resistance unit if you want to change the resistance. Clockwise increases resistance, counter-clockwise has the opposite effect.

• 9

  Lift up the quick-release handle that you previously installed to the bolt-action tube. Pull the bike's front wheel from the trainer's cone. Your bike is now removed from the trainer and you can use it outside as you normally would.

• 10

  Place the front wheel of the bike into the trainer's cone and pull down on the same handle that you pulled up in the previous step -- this will secure the bike to the trainer again so that you can exercise in your home.

• 11

  Repeat the previous two steps whenever you wish to change your outdoor bicycle into a stationary bike or vice versa.