Turbo - how tight to the rear wheel?

gotwood25
gotwood25 Posts: 314
edited January 2014 in Road beginners
Just wondering, how tight should the roller on a turbo be to the back wheel?

Comments

  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    Same issue. New to turbos and can't seem to get it right. As it seems to be either slipping or so tight the wheel won't turn.
  • gavbarron
    gavbarron Posts: 824
    Are you using a turbo tyre? Let the pressure down a bit too to get a bigger contact area
  • 3013buz
    3013buz Posts: 12
    I think providing your consistent and the tyre doesn't slip under power you'll be ok.
    Not sure how all turbo trainers work but with a Kurt Kinetic Rock & Roll I go with 4 full turns of the once the roller rests on the tyre, the tyre pumped to 100psi.
    Strava ● TrainerRoad
    Triban 3: Red ● CAAD10-3: Black (2014)
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,586
    Great question.

    I have no idea either.
    _
  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    I have a TACX and best way I found was to put the bike in its lowest gear and on the highest resistance . adjust the distance until there is no wheel spin. Then give 1 extra click. After that all other gears and resistance levels are fine. This was done with a cheapo Hutchinson tyre at 100psi.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,479
    Mine just has two settings - off the wheel and on it! I then just use the gears to adjust resistance.
  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    Mine is either on it or off it, no adjustment other than tension level and gears when in use.
  • Velonutter
    Velonutter Posts: 2,437
    I have a couple of Turbo's and with all of them, I adjust until it is just touching completely with no slip, then give it a full turn as when you sit on the bike it will compress it even further.

    I then check when its in its biggest gear and can only just turn the cranks by hand.

    I use a turbo tyre and inflate to 115psi, I find with this setup each session is like doing a hilly session and a lot harder than the road.

    Ah just thought, this setup is for hour long sessions, if I am doing a 2 hour plus session then I ease it off 1/4 turn
  • gsvbagpuss
    gsvbagpuss Posts: 272
    No love for the spin down test? The idea of being that you get the wheel up to 20mph then time how long until it stpos - 10-12 seconds is generally suggested as a good marker.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I asked in my lbs and the fella said if you see the wheel flattening at all at the point of contact you've gone to far.
  • littledove44
    littledove44 Posts: 871
    sjmclean wrote:
    I asked in my lbs and the fella said if you see the wheel flattening at all at the point of contact you've gone to far.

    Really?

    On the Cycleops demonstration video they show how much the tyre should be compressed.
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    That's sorted then...
  • patrickf
    patrickf Posts: 536
    Just got a CycleOps Fluid 2 and that has a clutch knob. With this you keep tightening until the knob clicks.
  • Velonutter
    Velonutter Posts: 2,437
    Was on my turbo yesterday and noticed that my rear Turbo tyre has about 3/4 inch contact with the roller as the tyre has worn down over the last 18 months, I bet this is the reason why my turbo has got some much harder over the time I have been using the tyre :shock: :roll: :cry:
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,586
    Velonutter wrote:
    Was on my turbo yesterday and noticed that my rear Turbo tyre has about 3/4 inch contact with the roller as the tyre has worn down over the last 18 months, I bet this is the reason why my turbo has got some much harder over the time I have been using the tyre :shock: :roll: :cry:

    S'kinda the point of a turbo, non?
    _
  • Velonutter
    Velonutter Posts: 2,437
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Velonutter wrote:
    Was on my turbo yesterday and noticed that my rear Turbo tyre has about 3/4 inch contact with the roller as the tyre has worn down over the last 18 months, I bet this is the reason why my turbo has got some much harder over the time I have been using the tyre :shock: :roll: :cry:

    S'kinda the point of a turbo, non?

    I know Rick, I just want some sympathy! :roll: :wink:
  • jermas
    jermas Posts: 484
    I find using minimal clamping force on the tyre works best. During the first minute or so, the tyre slips on the roller, but then once it's warmed up there's no slipping.

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