Turbo Trainer Tyres

elffy
elffy Posts: 98
edited September 2010 in Training, fitness and health
Can anyone tell me if I need to buy specific tyres for use with my trainer or can I use my normal road tyres? I thought about buying a rear wheel and cassette for a turbo trainer tyre but the price seems to soon add up considering I'll only be using it during the winter months.

Comments

  • blackhands
    blackhands Posts: 950
    Have a look in Decathlon they have cheap wheels.
  • MikeWW
    MikeWW Posts: 723
    You can use a normal road tyre but it will wear. Will last Ok through the winter but wouldn't want to go out on the road on it after
    www.lichfieldccc.org.uk
  • volké
    volké Posts: 58
    You could also try ebay for an old rear wheel. If you run Shimano, I think their old 9sp hubs will work, though I'm not entirely certain

    Failing that, halfords might have something compatible.
    Racing Bike: Cervélo S2
    Training/ Criterium Bike: Cervélo S1
    Mountain Bike: Santa Cruz Blur XC
  • ArroyoDave
    ArroyoDave Posts: 49
    Search ebay or even ask at your local bike shop for a secondhand wheel.
    As for tyres just use your wornout ones that you have used on the road.
    Myprotein referral code mp288135 (get money off)
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    A turbo-specific tyre is thicker and uses a compound that won't wear down as fast - and runs cooler than a regular tyre. Less chance of the heat generated from the friction causing the tube to burst. Also less bits of the tyre will be found in your living room floor!

    But if you have some old road tyres lying around you can use them no problem. I actually use an old track tyre that has lasted for ages.

    Just don't use your 'good' road tyres as they will be useless afterwards.


    And +1 to buying a cheap rear wheel to use - then you won't have to pfaff around with swapping the tyre over every time you want to do a turbo session. Winter is a LONG time and you'll get more use out of a spare wheel than you might think. Unless you're really hard. :)
  • Yossie
    Yossie Posts: 2,600
    I picked up an old bike off the free ads for using on the 'trainer - set it up, leave it on the trainer permanently. Use the wheel it came with and as its so old (1980s Gitane) you can get replacement wheels for nothing (although I've never had to replace one so far).

    I also use old road tyres and have never had any tubes burst on me in 10 + years of doing this.

    When it breaks throw it away and get another one.

    Ok, not feasible if you have to pack your trainer away after every use, but if you have a garage/shed/etc then no worries.

    As an added bonus, I threw away the front wheel and use a modern good wheel with a good tyre on it that is kept permanently pumped up so when you walk in the garage to go out on the good bike and find that you have a puncture you can just grab the front off the trainer bike and change over, rather than lose time having to sort out the puncture - handy when leaving for work in the morning/grabbing a quick ride away from the wife and kids where time is of the essence!

    HTH

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