Bike setup and fit on trainer versus road

Wheelspinner

I’ve recently acquired a (somewhat vintage now) TT bike - an old Cervelo Dual - to use as permanent fixture on the trainer. Main reason is I want something I can use aero bars on, which will be set up with fairly tall riser blocks so I can just rest comfortably on them for longer periods. I have some problems on the roadie sitting on the trainer for extended time.

This bike has a reversible seatpost to give either 75 or an effective 78 degree STA, quite steep. My roadie (also a Cervelo RS) is about 73 deg.

What are the general guidelines for bike setup compared to road? Much change in saddle height, and angle should still be pretty level? Tried my default settings from the roadie and seemed very awkward...


Any tips appreciated!

DeVlaeminck

I guess whatever is comfortable. I just use the same set up as I do on the road.

pblakeney

My road bike is my trainer bike. Makes logical sense that what is good for one will be good for the other. Interested in how this pans out though.

First.Aspect

pblakeney said:

My road bike is my trainer bike. Makes logical sense that what is good for one will be good for the other. Interested in how this pans out though.

This. Unlike on the road, to rest shoulders and neck, you have the sitting up without holding the bars position available, as well as the bobble head not looking where you are going position.

Curious to know what "extended period" is. I want to give up cycling forever if I am on Zwift for more than about 90 minutes, regardless of effort.

vincesummerskRoxcBTr

Only change I found was tilting the saddle up at the front slightly as i spend a lot more time sitting up, no hands on the trainer and was slipping forward on the saddle.

MattFalle

I must admit to no changes here.

get road bike

put road bike on trainer

job jobbed

Wheelspinner

First.Aspect said:

pblakeney said:

My road bike is my trainer bike. Makes logical sense that what is good for one will be good for the other. Interested in how this pans out though.

This. Unlike on the road, to rest shoulders and neck, you have the sitting up without holding the bars position available, as well as the bobble head not looking where you are going position.

Curious to know what "extended period" is. I want to give up cycling forever if I am on Zwift for more than about 90 minutes, regardless of effort.

True. I find though that the sit up position is fairly bad for my (admittedly dodgy) lower back and @r$e, and it significantly changes the resistance of the roller wheel, and would appear to be very hard on the rear tyre because all my weight is directly over it.

My trainer is an older Elite dumb one, fluid resistance thing which is already quite hard work. It takes more effort to sit at about 22 km/h on it than it does to ride my MTB on the road on fat slicks at 35psi cruising at 25 km/h. Which seems wrong...

I rarely last more than an hour on the turbo now, mainly for the comfort issue. I’m hopeful the TT frame will set up comfy enough I can rest my weight on forearms, and solve the sore back issue at the same time

First.Aspect

You really could use a better trainer I think. If you hold on for a few months there will be a glut of second hand smart trainers on eBay.

vincesummerskRoxcBTr

"True. I find though that the sit up position is fairly bad for my (admittedly dodgy) lower back and @r$e, and it significantly changes the resistance of the roller wheel, and would appear to be very hard on the rear tyre because all my weight is directly over it."

Not sure how this would happen, surely the weight of bike and rider is supported by the qr fixing into the frame of the trainer, the tyre shouldn't be taking any of the weight.

Wheelspinner

vincesummerskRoxcBTr said:

"True. I find though that the sit up position is fairly bad for my (admittedly dodgy) lower back and @r$e, and it significantly changes the resistance of the roller wheel, and would appear to be very hard on the rear tyre because all my weight is directly over it."

Not sure how this would happen, surely the weight of bike and rider is supported by the qr fixing into the frame of the trainer, the tyre shouldn't be taking any of the weight.

This is the trainer I use...



Note lack of frame supporting the bit the QR clamps into. 😀

First.Aspect

Wheelspinner said:

vincesummerskRoxcBTr said:

"True. I find though that the sit up position is fairly bad for my (admittedly dodgy) lower back and @r$e, and it significantly changes the resistance of the roller wheel, and would appear to be very hard on the rear tyre because all my weight is directly over it."

Not sure how this would happen, surely the weight of bike and rider is supported by the qr fixing into the frame of the trainer, the tyre shouldn't be taking any of the weight.

This is the trainer I use...



Note lack of frame supporting the bit the QR clamps into. 😀

You should get that carbon dated.

vincesummerskRoxcBTr

I see what you mean!

super_davo

I had that trainer for a few years. Was great for training hard in the saddle efforts because if you ever got out of the saddle there was no weight on the back wheel and it would slip like crazy. I remember riding home from a club ride early with a really strong racer and he was amazed at how I stayed seated up every climb... Training on a Super Chrono was how

Turbo training an infinitely more enjoyable experience since a I got Direto though.

vincesummerskRoxcBTr

We are pleased with the Direto as well.

vincesummerskRoxcBTr

On a lighter note, I joined a zwift race yesterday and really struggled to keep up my normal power output, muscles in legs were strangely sore feeling, must be having a bad day, not recovered from a ride etc.
Only later did I realise I hadn't put the saddle back up to my position after my partner had used the trainer, 2 inches can make all the difference