Inside bike trainers options – how noisy?

Im sure this topic has been covered loads of times here but I’m not having great results from the forum search bar so sorry for another post.

After always being resistant to the idea of an inside trainer I’m starting to think about one.. I’ve been out disappointingly few times the last few weeks.

And in the new year we’re expecting a baby! So anticipating going out even less for a while.

So wondering about an inside trainer. The issue is it would be in the spare bedroom on the 1st floor, next to potential baby room! And terraced house etc.

Are there any trainers that would be suitable from a noise point of view? I like the idea of rollers but I hear these are the noisiest? What experiences do people have?

I can tell you my (cheap) Tacx Vortex sounds like a jet engine on full blast so I’d recommend you avoid one of those (not that  they make them anymore…)

My Elite Arion parabolic folding rollers having plastic frame means they aren’t as noisy as some metal framed rollers and having no resistance means they are quite a bit quieter than many turbos. placing the rollers on a thick yoga matt also quietens them down a little more.

You couldn’t pay me to sit on a turbo anymore. But having to balance means rollers at least  feel like you’re involved in riding the bike. There’s also zero faff setting anything up. Just unfold them get on the bike and start pedalling.

My old Tacx wheel-on trainer was unbelievably loud, particularly when giving it beans.

Current Elite Suito is much quieter, but I believe it’s not the quietest in general. I think Wahoos are supposedly the quietest (?).

Possibly best to avoid rollers/wheel-on. It’s the tyre/roller friction that makes all the racket.

I used a 2017 Kickr for years then switched to a borrowed Tacx Neo. The Neo was massively quieter, most of the noise is from the drivetrain of the bike itself. I gather the 2018 Kickrs onwards are similar. Using a decent foam mat will also reduce vibration / noise transmission to the floor of the room. But the Neo is about as quiet as it gets, given that you need a chain / cassette / ring.

I guess that a belt drive would be quieter and possibly one of the virtual shifting bikes with what’s effectively a mechanical singlespeed set-up, but moving parts are always going to make a noise. The pre 2018 Kickr uses a toothed belt to drive the main flywheel, which is where most of that noise is from. Wheel-on trainers, from past experience, are really noisy and also create vibration at the same time.

Anyway, the Neo is great in terms of noise – few moving bits – and function, but also quite expensive, though they are user serviceable – unlike the Kickr, which is actively user hostile if the bearings wear out – so a used version might be a reasonable call.

Our elite, wheel off, smart trainer is very quiet. Compared to the old wheel on friction one they are chalk and cheese

Any of the trainers that don’t use the rear wheel will be quieter than the wheel-on type. I can confirm that the Neo is very quiet – one of the reasons for me selecting it.

A decent mat under the trainer will help reduce vibration and noise and also protect your flooring from dirt and sweat.

Wattbike Atom is pretty quiet and with a mat and fan can be located in quite a small space, much smaller footprint that a wheel off trainer.

used to run my neo in a wooden framed house in the room next to two sleeping toddlers. No issues at all.

Make sure the grass are aligned properly.

My Saris H3 is a lot quieter than my old Elite Direto.

Currently £299 at Go Outdoors, plus Blacks and Millets I think.

Wattbike atom on a matt on a hard floor is not loud at all.  The fans you’re going to need make more noise than the bike.  and the loud music to get some motivation and block out the noise of the fans even more.

Tacx Flux here; quiet enough to hear any slight indexing noises on the bike, and I often have the radio on just for some background noise.

My Saris H3 is a lot quieter than my old Elite Direto.

I also have a H3 and the main noise is from the chain and sprockets. It’s a bargain at £299 – I paid £850 for mine, although that was in the great Covid trainer shortage. Remember you’ll need a cassette too.

Modern smart/direct drive trainers significantly quieter than the old wheel on – I used to have a scrap heap road bike on a wheel on trainer in my university halls, poor flatmates used to reckon it sounded like a helicopter engine.

A thick rubber mat, yoga mat or gym tiles helps, and note also the bike itself will make a lot of noise so perfect gear setuo and clean chain is important.

Finally – congratulations, and don’t tip-toe around trying to be quiet for the baby. The more they are exposed to noise the better and the easier your life will be long term.!

The newer Kickr core with Zwift Cog and electronic shifting are almost silent as the chain line is clean and zero shifting noise

Most modern direct drive trainers are basically silent – nothing that’s going to wake up baby, anyway. Although either way I subscribe to this:

Finally – congratulations, and don’t tip-toe around trying to be quiet for the baby. The more they are exposed to noise the better and the easier your life will be long term.!

🙂