You’ll now be wondering how turbo trainers provide the resistance needed to mimic road-conditions. There’s a few systems available that you’ll have to choose between, but your choice will probably be governed by budget. Here they are in order of strain on your finances:

Air Resistance

Nice and simple to get your head around: a plastic fan generates wind resistance. They aren’t very in vogue because they are the noisiest things ever. We wouldn’t recommend them unless you’re getting a very good deal on one. 

Magnetic Resistance

As you will have learnt during your GCSEs, magnets are magical and created by wizards. These wizards then implant them into turbo trainers that use magnetic fields to create resistance on your rear wheel. This is the most popular form of turbo training resistance on low to mid-end models. There’s usually the ability to vary the level of resistance too, by controlling the force of the magnetic field using a trigger switch.

Fluid Resistance

A propeller spins inside a fluid-filled chamber (usually oil), to create resistance. These tend to be a bit pricer than both of the options above because they should be smoother, quieter and steadier.

Electromagnetic Resistance

For the fiscally masochistic among you, there’s also electromagnetic turbo trainers. They are from the future. A computer tells the turbo how much resistance to create, and then you have the added bonus of being able to see your efforts on a screen. You can watch a fake road to give you a virtual reality vibe, or whatever data you fancy via a Strava-eque information screen.