Choosing the Best Bike Trainer Mat

Bike trainers are notoriously loud. Fan trainers are the loudest types of the trainer by far, though even the quietest type, fluid, still makes some noise in vibrations of the internal mechanism. Training mats are put underneath the trainer unit to dampen the vibrations that go into the floor and so reduce the noise they make, making it more bearable for roommates or neighbors as you train.

Trainer mats are also useful as they keep provide a flat and stable place for your trainer so they are less likely to fall over even if you are sprinting or moving around on the bike a lot.


Below are a selection of Bike Trainer Mat products

CycleOps Bike Trainer Mat Review

CycleOps is a company famous for its top-quality trainers, which are some of the best on the market. As expected, their trainer mats are made with the same care and quality as their trainers. They have tried to create the most durable trainer mat possible as they know that people will use them a lot, and the weight of the trainer, bike and the rider can add up to quite a lot. If it were not as durable as it is this weight could damage the mat, or even rip a hole in it, all things that would make the mat useless for its purpose.

The mat is also designed to absorb as much noise as possible making your training as comfortable and less disturbing as possible. It is padded to the right amount to absorb as much sound and vibrations as possible without putting the trainer off balance. Another feature of this mat is that is is made to be waterproof, so any sweat that drips onto it as you train can be easily wiped off from the surface and does not get into the foam of the mat and make it wet.

Because of its quality and the reputation of CyleOps, it is relatively expensive for a trainer mat. This may put some people off as its price can be higher than that of some of the lowest-priced trainers.
Pros

  • Durable
  • Excellent sound absorption
  • Sweatproof

Cons

  • Bulky
  • Expensive

Click here to see reviews and prices for the CycleOps Bike Trainer Mat on Amazon.com

Elite Bike Trainer Mat Review

Elite is one of the biggest cycling companies in the world. They have designed this trainer mat to be the best possible on the market and because of this is used by professional cyclists and amateurs alike. It is so popular because of its extreme grip, with many being able to put down a lot of power into their bike and this not moving the trainer in the slightest which many mats cannot usually do.

The mat is made of a thick and dense rubber that provides a lot of padding and so absorbs as much vibration as possible, however even though it is so padded it still keeps the trainer stable and almost impossible to knock over. The waterproof layer over the top of the mat prevents any water from getting into the foam and makes it easy to wipe up and sweat that drips onto it as you train. For its size and foam density it is lightweight and so makes traveling with it easy.
Pros

  • Durable
  • Lightweight
  • High Quality

Cons 

  • Expensive

Click here to see reviews and prices for the Elite Bike Trainer Mat on Amazon.com

Tacx Bike Trainer Mat Review

The Tacx trainer mat is produced by the famous company Tacx that produces some of the best trainers. This mat is made to be relatively cheap and durable as well as foldable so that it can be easily transported along with your trainer. Its main function is to prevent the dripping of sweat onto the floor of wherever you are using your trainer, so you cause the least amount of disturbance as possible. It also reduces disturbance by absorbing some of the vibrations from the trainer.

The mat has additional reinforcement to reduce wear and tear when getting on and off the trainer and when setting up the trainer so it lasts as long as possible. It is coated in non-slip material that in addition to preventing the trainer slipping as you ride it prevents some of the sweat that drips onto it from getting into the foam, though this is not quite as good as some of the other trainers.
Pros

  • Durable
  • Cheap
  • Easy to transport

Cons

  • Not entirely waterproof
  • Doesn’t absorb many vibrations from the trainer

Click here to see reviews and prices for the Tacx mat on Amazon.com

Kinetic Floor Mat

Kinetic, much like the other mats on this list, is a company that produces some of the best trainers on the market. The mat is designed to keep your training zone as clean as possible by stopping sweat hitting the floor and making it easy to wipe up when you are done. It is made of closed-cell PVC foam so is firm and dense, making your trainer stable when being used on it.

The PVC foam absorbs almost all of the vibrations from the trainer, reducing the noise it makes significantly. It also folds up to be much smaller and easy to store, though is quite heavy so not very good for travel. The trainer also has a relatively low price, and so offers more features than most mats at a similar price range.
Pros

  • Low Price
  • Waterproof
  • Quietens trainer

Cons

  • Heavy
  • Bulky

Click here to see reviews and prices for the Kinetic floor mat on Amazon.com


Final Thoughts

The best mat for you depends heavily on your budget and how much noise dampening you need. The more expensive mats do not offer much more than those that cost a lot less, except maybe easier transportation through easier folding and lighter material. They are all built to be very rugged to survive regular use and absorb as much noise as possible. If travel use is important to you then the Elite training mat is the best choice, however, if this is not an important factor to you then the best mat is the Kinetic floor mat.