Turbo Trainers

BMX race turbo trainers: warm-up, sprint and off-season

A BMX moto lasts around thirty seconds and is decided in the first few metres. Arriving cold at the gate means giving away the part that matters most. A turbo trainer answers that very concrete need first: getting up to temperature before every moto, without depending on the space available around the track or on the weather. In winter it then keeps your cadence and cardio ticking over when the track is unrideable.

Rollers or fixed stand

Two families share the job. Free rollers, where the bike is not attached, force you to hold your balance and work on pedalling smoothness and upper-body position: this is the classic pre-moto warm-up tool, valued because it folds away and travels easily. A fixed stand, which clamps the rear wheel or the axle, offers more stability and lets you put out violent out-of-the-saddle efforts with no risk of riding off the drum.

Compatibility with a BMX race bike

A BMX is not a road bike: no derailleur, no quick-release skewer, a short wheelbase and a single gear. So check three points before buying.

• The rear axle type, 10 mm on almost every BMX race bike
• The spacing of the supports, adjusted between a 20" and a 24" Cruiser
• The tyre width supported, from 20 x 1-1/8" to 20x1.75

On a fixed stand that clamps the axle, an adaptor is sometimes needed: see our BMX adaptors.

The pre-moto warm-up

The most common protocol has three stages: ten to fifteen minutes of easy pedalling to raise your temperature, a few progressive accelerations, then two or three short sprints of five to eight seconds, timed against your moto. The aim is not to tire yourself out but to reach the gate with the engine already running. Bring something to keep warm between runs and have the bike ready, with the plate and plate numbers checked before the warm-up rather than after.

Setting up at home

A mat under the bike protects the floor and absorbs some of the noise. A fan in front of you changes everything as soon as a session runs past twenty minutes: with no airflow, sweat runs straight onto the frame and headset. A frame cover keeps sweat off the paint, since it is highly corrosive on hardware. Finally, leave yourself enough clearance in front of and behind the bike if you use free rollers.

Which tyre, and what maintenance

On rollers as on a drum trainer, the tyre heats up and wears faster than outdoors. Many riders keep a training tyre, smoother and already part-worn, rather than using up a race tyre. Inflate to the high end of the pressure range quoted by the tyre maker, wipe the drums down regularly and check the stand fastenings before every session.

The BMX RACING advice

Tell us whether your priority is warming up at events or long sessions at home, and which bike you ride — 20" or 24" Cruiser: the answer differs in bulk, stability and ease of transport. We distribute the BMX race brands and point you in the right direction without bias. Dispatched within 24 to 72 hours, you can spread the cost over 2 or 3 payments available. See also our full range of BMX accessories.