Turbo / Roller tyre wear?

Quizmate

Hi

Rather than buy a turbo trainer and all the associated problems with tyre wear, spare wheels, cassettes etc I thought I'd try rollers. I know they're very different in the type of workout they provide and take some getting used to, but I might benefit I think from the balance / core strength benefits whilst getting some miles in when I can't ride outdoors. Is it true they aren't as harsh on your tyres as a turbo trainer so there's no need to swap over wheels / tyres etc. Or if there is some wear likely is it really that much of a problem or easily remedied? My alu winter trainer has Conti Hardshell Gatorskins and although not overly expensive I'd rather not trash them. Any advice greatly appreciated!

Thanks

cougie

I don't get wear on my tyre Conti GP 4000s and my turbo - a cateye.

Have you ridden rollers before ? I prefer the turbo - I can do really nasty intervals with no need to worry about balance.

If you are just getting miles in - then I think you're doing it wrong. Use indoor training as a much more intense training session.

bahzob

I've had Contis on my turbo too and been using them for months without any problems.

I swapped to them after trying a Michelin "turbo" tyre which was useless and would not recommend. It was a nightmare to put on then shed orange rubber all over the place making the drivetrain and surrounding floor filthy.

Also used rollers prior to upgrading turbo to VR. IMO they are fun and better than a bog standard turbo, once you get used to them they feel more like real cycling. Also time seems to pass more quickly since your mind has more to do than just look at a computer screen.

However you do need to get rollers that have a resistance option and good ones at that. Standard rollers wont provide enough resistance to do the sort of hard effort short intervals that indoor training is especially good for.

A cheap unit may well be a waste, I had a Tacx one that only lasted a few months before burning out. I upgraded to a Cycleops aluminium set with non contact magnetic resistance and they were superb, built to last forever.

kettrinboy

As above i,m using a Conti GP4000S on the turbo and its done around 500 miles this winter and as far as i can tell its hardly worn, no black dust around the roller so certainly no need for a "turbo" tyre.

slowbike

Personally I just use an old tyre .... that way it doesn't cost me anything and I have no worries about wearing out whatever tyre I am using on the road.

cougie

Looking back - I put almost 300 miles on the turbo in 9 days doing the Sufferfest. Tyre is fine after that - and I've been doing at least 5 sessions a week on it since November. And it wasnt a new tyre then even.

Quizmate

Thanks Cougie that's really helpful. Can I ask what Turbo you have?

cougie

It is an old one - Cateye Cyclosimulator - its a metal roller if thats any use ?

gubber12345

I use a cycleops fluid turbo and just use my winter bike with gatorskins on it as I cant be ar5ed to change wheels etc if its not howling a gale or lashing it down.absolutely no wear whatsoever on the tyre...nor any tyre I've used on it.

twinpop

Conti turbo tyre has served me well for 2 years now

DeVlaeminck

The only time my Tacx turbo wore a tyre it turned out the frame had collapsed a bit and the tyre was rubbing on the concrete floor. Some people do complain of excessive tyre wear and being some increased wear may be expected but it shouldn't be too bad.

lakesluddite

kettrinboy wrote:

As above i,m using a Conti GP4000S on the turbo and its done around 500 miles this winter and as far as i can tell its hardly worn, no black dust around the roller so certainly no need for a "turbo" tyre.

I have just bought my first Turbo (finally succumbed), and got on there for the first time last night. It's not a particularly expensive one, in fact its at the cheaper end of the scale (Minoura B60) - but after a two hour session, I noticed that there was a fair bit of 'black dust' around the roller. Is this a bad thing? Is it unusal to see this after just a couple of hours? I set it up pretty much to the instructions, the pressure of the roller against the tyre left a few mm of indentation as instructed.

Fortunately I have a couple of old Vittoria tyres that I took of my bike before this Winter, so I'm not too bothered about wrecking them, but would anyone recommend buying a specific Turbo tyre rather than just use my old tyres?

BrandonA

Have you thought about a turbo which does not use a rear wheel?

okgo

The black dust is rubber. The same thing happens when you ride outside, hence tyres wear out...

FWIW I have done loads of turbo on my Vittoria Rubino pro, and also ride it outside too, its lasted a year...!!

lakesluddite

okgo wrote:

The black dust is rubber. The same thing happens when you ride outside, hence tyres wear out...

FWIW I have done loads of turbo on my Vittoria Rubino pro, and also ride it outside too, its lasted a year...!!

Yes, sorry, I realise that it was rubber, I was merely using the same terminology from the post I had quoted.

Given that you have used normal tyres quite effectively on the Turbo, I think I'll just persist with the cast off tyre I have been using. Thanks.

"by BrandonA » Thu Feb 13, 2014 11:35 am

Have you thought about a turbo which does not use a rear wheel?"

I had looked at them, but the prices seemed a tad high for me, I just wanted a simple, entry level unit.