Single speed on a Turbo?

thiscocks

Hi all,

I am tempted with this: http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/productde ... 0000000000

But my question is can a single speed bike be used effectively on these? Id make sure it is a turbo with variable resistance but would I still have a lack of choice for resistance? My single speed is a 52x20 (about 70") so on the flat is about 90rpm cadence without pushing that hard...

Cheers for any advice,
Tim

Ash_

As long as it's a single-speed freewheel. You'll be fine.

I've got a single speed bike on my turbo trainer at the minute with a smaller gear than you (42x18) and a much less sophisticated turbo. It offers all the resistance and more than I would need for effective training.

Gears will give you more resistiance options, and you can fine tune cadence and the like a little more, but you won't be at any great disadvantage.

If it's a fixed wheel though, it nigh-on won't work, unless you've got such a fluid pedalling style that you evenly apply power at all times. The wheel whill slip and squeak as the inertia of the trainer's flywheel is nowhere near the inertia of you and the bike when out on the road and so won't roll smoothly.

ride_whenever

I use my pompino on my gf's turbo when i can't be arsed to go night riding with my flatmate, it works fine and is arguably simpler than with a geared bike!

thiscocks

Cool cheers. I have the flippy floppy hub so Ill switch to freewheel then. Next bike purchase sorted...!

John.T

No reason not to use fixed. It is smoother than a freewheel.

Monty Dog

Many turbo spindles don''t adjust narrow enough to fit a rear track hub e.g. Tacx, but you can cut the plastic locking collar off to make it fit. Tacx also do special track nuts for trainer use but i've never needed them. A fixed gear bike on a turbo is a great way of developing a fluid pedalling technique - I find it smoother than a geared bike and never suffered wheel slippage. .

nielsamd

cadseen wrote:

Only potential problem i can see is the width of the hub, some turbos dont screw in far enough to grip the rear wheel. Some of the fittings may not fit on the track nuts.


Other that that its fine, used fixed no problem.

Perhaps a list can be started of turbos that do fit standard track rear widths.? WIthout e.g. cutting the plastic locking collar.

With all the OTP `fixies' and hipsters etc it would be commercially churlish of the turbo makers to not make machines that will work easily with them.