Which type of fan will keep you coolest on the trainer?

You don’t truly realize how much sweat you generate when cycling until indoor training season hits. Somehow, a room cooled to 17 degrees can feel like the hottest summer day if you don’t have proper air circulation. High core body temperature compromises not only power output but also time to exhaustion. Here’s the breakdown of what to look for when figuring out your fan system.

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A note on positioning

Before you start looking, think about where the fan will go. If your setup is really cramped, you might have to consider something smaller or narrower. An opened window or door can be a game-changer in terms of cooling, and if you can position a fan to work with a cold winter breeze you’re looking at a winning combo.

Floor fans: Your best bet

Fans have their own metric—a fan’s ability to move air is measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM). If you’re looking for a fan that hits the intersection of affordable, portable and high CFM, floor fans are your go-to. This typical pedestal fan moves air at around 300 CFM. At a slightly higher power, this tower fan hits 714.3 CFM. But neither of these fans have anything on the 20-inch Mastercraft floor fan, which moves air at 5,700 CFM. Get this fan at the right angle and you’ll have to wear sunglasses on the trainer to protect your eyes from the wind.

There are a few different types of floor fans. One type, box fans, still move the air upwards of 1,000 CFM, but they can’t be tilted to point upwards so they’ll be much less effective for cooling your entire body if positioned on the floor.

Other options

If you don’t have enough space for a floor fan, or you can’t use one for another reason, you do have options. Though most pedestal fans have a lower CFM, some higher-end ones can pack a decent punch. This $200 pedestal fan moves air at 2,400 CFM, and can be controlled by remote, a great feature for when you don’t want to unclip post-warm-up just to turn on the fan.

There’s also the Wahoo Kickr Headwind. It connects by bluetooth to either Zwift, a speed sensor, or your heart-rate monitor and adjusts the fan’s speed accordingly (up to 30mph). The concept is good, and the fan hits you exactly where you want to be cooled (it was made specifically to cool a cyclist’s body) but it doesn’t cool as well or move as much air as a much cheaper floor fan.