Turbo - tyre question

secretsam

Hey all

Got a turbo and intend to use it once we've sorted the garage, but do I need a special tyre for the back wheel? Have some old Schwalbe Lugano tyres that I lifted off my road bike (replaced by Michelin Pro3, yum yum) - would they do, as they've only done 900km or so?

Flexisurfer

I would say that's ok, I wouldn't bother with a special tyre not if you've got a couple of old ones.

wishitwasallflat

Turbo tyres wear better and are quieter. Turbos really wear tyres squaring them off really quickly due mostly to the heat build up AFAIK. If you have old tyres you don't mind finishing off though and are not overly concerned to get it as quite as possible no reason not to finish them off on the turbo.

Secteur

I have a dedicated rear wheel for the turbo which I quickly change to for turbo sessions. It has a Michelin home trainer tyre on it

xscreamsuk

Also have a turbo wheel which I put my old road tyres on, done about 1000 miles on the turbo on an old Lithion 2, shan't be rushing to buy a turbo tyre.

centimani

Never bothered using a turbo specific tyre, i just put the bike in as it is, with a Conti gatorskin. Never had wear issues, overheating, anything.
That said, i adjust the flywheel so its got just enough for traction on the tyre, not too much, not too little. If i really push i can get slip between the two, but thats ok if it preserves the tyre (which it certainly appears to do).

I suspect if you really have too much pressure between the two, you're going to wear the tyre quickly.