Trainers

person011

Anyone have advice on trainers? Thinking about getting one, but don't know much about them other than they can wear your back tire. Any suggestions?

imposter2.0

Riding a bike on the road can also wear your back tyre. There's loads out there, depending on budget, objectives and planned usage..

markhewitt1978

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19717228#p19717228]person011[/url] wrote:

Anyone have advice on trainers? Thinking about getting one, but don't know much about them other than they can wear your back tire. Any suggestions?

Turbo trainers? I was thinking you were talking about footwear!

It entirely depends on what you want to do and like most things in cycling they range from quite cheap to crazily expensive, so it's impossible for anyone here to give any advice until you've done a bit of your own research and you've got specific questions to ask. As it's far too broad a subject to just say "tell me about trainers" and have someone type out a succinct answer.

lakesluddite

You can (and probably should) use a turbo specific tyre. I used an old tyre on the first turbo I got (and still have - don't use it much) and it left a black 'dust' all over the back of the mechanism and the interior wall immediately behind. Getting a cheap turbo tyre cured this mostly.

fenix

Why are you thinking of getting one ?

Its not the same as cycling - its hard work using one and you dont get to see the sights.

If you want to keep fit - then yes they are good - but you need a plan to utilise them.

Trainerroad or Sufferfest.

I'd reckon 90% of turbos see no action past the first month of purchase.

person011

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19717250#p19717250]Fenix[/url] wrote:

Why are you thinking of getting one ?

Its not the same as cycling - its hard work using one and you dont get to see the sights.

If you want to keep fit - then yes they are good - but you need a plan to utilise them.

Trainerroad or Sufferfest.

I'd reckon 90% of turbos see no action past the first month of purchase.

Cannot ride in the winter here.......that is why.....

markhewitt1978

Cannot ride in the winter here.......that is why.....

Sure, but you still need to be more specific about your aims, and your budget.

darkhairedlord

What about rollers?
You could break your frame using a turbo trainer and your warranty might not cover it.

markhewitt1978

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19717267#p19717267]darkhairedlord[/url] wrote:

What about rollers?
You could break your frame using a turbo trainer and your warranty might not cover it.

Why would it break your frame?

darkhairedlord

side to side motion setting up stresses in the frame it was never designed to carry.

fenix

Naah. It'll be fine on a turbo.

Unless the OP is serious about his cycling fitness - he might be better off buying a fat bike and extra warm kit.

I'm presuming he's somewhere cold and snowy rather than somewhere where cycling is banned in Winter ?

imposter2.0

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19717293#p19717293]darkhairedlord[/url] wrote:

side to side motion setting up stresses in the frame it was never designed to carry.

Do people still believe this kind of stuff..??

cal_stewart

My P5 hasn't exploded yet

KarthikK

Hello, I tried the Minoura B90 and the Kurt Kinetic Road Trainer before I made the purchase and bought the Kurt Kinetic. Regarding the tires, yes they do burn your tires at a quicker rate than normal. two tires down in two months. So ordered for a Vittoria Zaffiro trainer tire.

But, if you plan on taking the bike out on the road during the winter then you should change the trainer tire to road tire before you take it out. so you have to have a separate trainer wheel with the cassette if you don't want to keep changing your tire every so often.

ayjaycee

I've got a very lightly used Cycle Ops Fluid 2 Turbo Trainer complete with Cycle Ops Riser Block, 700C spare wheel (with both 9 and 10 speed cassettes and Vittoria Zaffiro dedicated trainer tyre), 2 skewers and a training DVD for sale. Only problem is that due to the bulk of the whole package, it will have to be picked up in Gloucestershire.
PM me if you are interested and maybe we can do a deal.

homers_double

I bought a Tacx Blue Motion of CRC for a shade over £100.

I'm a turbo N00b and this has worked ok so far (twice). I don't have any software to use, just a home made beginners one hour plan and a bluetooth speaker.

5 minutes at a decent pace, 80 prm and one minute sprints around 100rpm raising the heart rate a zone or two.

ayjaycee

Triggmeister, If you see this, I have sent you a PM replying to yours (which I have just noticed). After I sent it, I remembered that I can confirm the wheel is 10 speed compatible as I have tried it and have the relevant cassette which is included in the package and, indeed, fitted to the wheel.
Regards, ayjaycee

simon_masterson

Agree with the comments above - the clue is in the name, it's (very good) for training, and it's not a very good substitute for going for a bike ride for fun.

I personally use an Elite gel turbo, it's very good. Plenty of resistance, low tyre wear, and low noise (which is something to bear in mind, because some turbos make quite a racket). Variable resistance would be useful, but otherwise, it does everything I need. I just leave my TT bike on it at this time of year. I haven't tried any fancy turbos, but I don't really see the point in trying to make a turbo more realistic, because it's never going to be like riding on a road.

charlie_potatoes

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19724942#p19724942]Simon Masterson[/url] wrote:

but I don't really see the point in trying to make a turbo more realistic, because it's never going to be like riding on a road.

thegreatdivide

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19717293#p19717293]darkhairedlord[/url] wrote:

side to side motion setting up stresses in the frame it was never designed to carry.

Total bollocks.

colinsmith123

My Specialized Roubaix frame snapped just above the Zertz inserts. Specialized response; either crash damage or been used on a turbo, which neither of which is normal use. Not crash damage. My response, using a Specialized bike on a turbo is normal use, please see link to youtube video of pro team warming up on the same turbo as mine.

So yes, using a turbo can snap a carbon frame. And no I cannot be bothered with the stress of wrangling with Specialized. So it is off for a consultation with the carbon doctor next week and then a nice new respray.

Can a turbo snap a steel frame? If it does 'll let you know.

Do you need a turbo tyre? I found that I do not wear a Gatorskin any quicker than a turbo tyre using the trailing arm type turbo. These do not hold the bike quite so ridged, so slightly less load on the rear wheel. Best to keep the tyre pressure near max. Google, Elite turbos to see what I mean by trailing arm type.

jamie77

I use one when the weather is dreadful & its good to keep fit. I bought a cheap one & it does the trick

ayjaycee

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19725058#p19725058]colinsmith123[/url] wrote:

My Specialized Roubaix frame snapped just above the Zertz inserts. Specialized response; either crash damage or been used on a turbo, which neither of which is normal use.

The moral of the that particular sad tale is to keep schtum about any use on a turbo trainer. I doubt the bike manufacturer would ever be able to prove otherwise if the the claimant denied ever having used one. Slightly dishonest perhaps but...................

simon_masterson

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19725058#p19725058]colinsmith123[/url] wrote:

My Specialized Roubaix frame snapped just above the Zertz inserts. Specialized response; either crash damage or been used on a turbo, which neither of which is normal use. Not crash damage. My response, using a Specialized bike on a turbo is normal use, please see link to youtube video of pro team warming up on the same turbo as mine.

So yes, using a turbo can snap a carbon frame. And no I cannot be bothered with the stress of wrangling with Specialized. So it is off for a consultation with the carbon doctor next week and then a nice new respray.

Can a turbo snap a steel frame? If it does 'll let you know.

Do you need a turbo tyre? I found that I do not wear a Gatorskin any quicker than a turbo tyre using the trailing arm type turbo. These do not hold the bike quite so ridged, so slightly less load on the rear wheel. Best to keep the tyre pressure near max. Google, Elite turbos to see what I mean by trailing arm type.

I initially had reservations about putting my best steel bike on purely because it's very nice, but all the reading I did seemed to be saying that it has more to do with the material properties of carbon fibre - being prone to failure from non-design loads.

ayjaycee

Apologies but I am pushing this to the top in the hope that Triggmiester will see it, log on to BR and read a PM that I have sent him. Thanks for your patience.

That said, whilst here, I will attempt a contribution. I'm not an engineer and therefore unqualified to comment from a professional point of view but I cannot understand how using a 'normal' turbo trainer (ie. one that does not try to replicate cornering etc.) could damage a bike (other than wearing out a tyre). Using such a machine should not put any additional stresses on the frame or other components because all it's doing is replicating the position for a normal straight line ride with the roller replacing the road surface at the back - indeed an advantage would be that you would not hit or have to avoid potholes etc. Maybe those who have experienced such issues just got unlucky and compounded the problem by telling the bike maker that they had used the turbo trainer. You could also say that they got lucky because the frame failed whilst on the turbo rather that when going downhil at 30 something MPH.