General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Trainer Wheel Rss Feed  
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2016-06-27 10:29 AM

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137
10025
Birmingham, Alabama
Subject: Trainer Wheel
So my wife and kids are awesome and bought an indoor trainer for me for Father's Day. I'm enjoying having an option for evenings or bad weather, but changing tires every time I ride it is already getting old.

Any recommendations for a cheap rear wheel?

Also, I have a 10 speed ultegra rear cassette now (11-28 I think), whould you buy the same thing to use on the trainer wheel? Something cheaper? A different gear set to us for different terrain?

Something I'm not thinking of?



2016-06-27 11:30 AM
in reply to: marti038

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194
100252525
, North Carolina
Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel
I do 90% of my training on a trainer, but I just use a cheep set of regular road tires and don't bother switching when I go to ride outside. Then I have a set of racing tires that I will swap in on race day. Other than that... there's really no need for all the stress about tires. Yes, a trainer will wear your tires a lot faster, but I have no problems with it because I'm not messing up my race tires.
2016-06-27 12:18 PM
in reply to: marti038

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Elite
7783
50002000500100100252525
PEI, Canada
Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel

I just use an old wheel with a crappy tire - if you go to your LBS they might have something they will give you for really cheap.

As for the cassette, I try to use one that has small jumps in gearing (11-23) as on the trainer if you get stuck between gears it can really throw you off (or it does for me).  An 11-23 minimizes the difference in jumps between gears.

2016-06-27 12:21 PM
in reply to: axteraa

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Expert
4597
20002000500252525
Middle River, Maryland
Silver member
Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel

Originally posted by axteraa

I just use an old wheel with a crappy tire - if you go to your LBS they might have something they will give you for really cheap.

As for the cassette, I try to use one that has small jumps in gearing (11-23) as on the trainer if you get stuck between gears it can really throw you off (or it does for me).  An 11-23 minimizes the difference in jumps between gears.

^^^  THIS.  I have a 12-23 that I use specifically for the trainer and pancake flat races.

I actually use my regular wheel and tire (Conti GP 4000s II), It wears a little but it's not like I'm putting 6K miles a year on it anyway.

2016-06-27 1:34 PM
in reply to: marti038

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Expert
1183
1000100252525
Fort Wayne, IN
Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel
I bought a cheap wheel with the same cassette as my road wheel. The trainer wheel has a trainer tire.
2016-06-27 1:47 PM
in reply to: nickster


63
2525
Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel
Originally posted by nickster

I bought a cheap wheel with the same cassette as my road wheel. The trainer wheel has a trainer tire.


Same here, works great and I would highly recommend this solution.


2016-06-27 3:47 PM
in reply to: marti038

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370
1001001002525
, North Carolina
Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel
I have a training wheel but no extra cassette so I have to move the cassette every time i ride outside. lucky/unlucky i ride on the trainer during the week and outside on the weekend so it's only once. I didn't get the snazzy yellow trainer tire. Makes much less noise.

2016-06-27 4:25 PM
in reply to: #5188721


439
10010010010025
nashville, Tennessee
Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel
I do 95%of my biking on a trainer. I have never changed a wheel or a tire for trainer riding. Never had a problem. Sounds like y'all are going through a lot of trouble.
2016-06-27 9:58 PM
in reply to: Nick B

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Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel
You can get cassettes off eBay for really cheap, although i suppose you're getting good at swaps.
2016-06-28 2:25 PM
in reply to: ChrisM

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370
1001001002525
, North Carolina
Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel
Yea. It's no problem now. Significantly less time than changing a tire. Right or wrong I have an impact driver that will zip it right off with no chain whip. Putting it back on it super simple.

2016-06-29 9:39 AM
in reply to: mchadcota2

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137
10025
Birmingham, Alabama
Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel
Originally posted by mchadcota2

I do 95%of my biking on a trainer. I have never changed a wheel or a tire for trainer riding. Never had a problem. Sounds like y'all are going through a lot of trouble.


My trainer eats standard road tires up (at least when I adjust the resistance high enough for me to get a decent workout). How are you avoiding this or do you just replace your tires frequently?


2016-06-29 10:02 AM
in reply to: marti038

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Master
2094
2000252525
Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel
I previously used old tires but became tired of the nasty black dust and inconvenient timing of flats. I have a dedicated trainer tire and wheel. The wheel is actually an old wired Mavic Pro powertap but I don't use the power function since I have an ANT+ Smart Trainer. The trainer tire and dedicated wheel are worth the extra expense IMHO. I log a lot of miles and have had no issues with wearing, black dust, slippage or flats
2016-06-29 10:37 AM
in reply to: mchadcota2

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Member
161
1002525
Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel
I have a trainer wheel with a trainer tire I got from someone on a forum for cheap. If I were you I would look at Bikes Direct for a wheel set($59), get a cheap cassette with 12-23 or 11-23 from somewhere online for cheap, and put an old tire on it. You don't need to worry about quality since it's not like you will wipe out if you have a blow out.

I was looking for cheap wheels to get an extra set for my kids to switch from knobbies to slicks on the MTB as they are getting into triathlon. Bikes direct was the cheapest I could find. I've come to the conclusion they don't need it or care about slicks, it was more about me thinking it would help them. When they start to care about times there are other things I'm sure they will want before slicks - like a road bike.
2017-01-02 5:15 PM
in reply to: marti038

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4

Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel
Did you check out the product called Bike Trainer Tape that I've been hearing about on Facebook. It supposed to protect your good tires on the indoor bike trainer so you just peel off the tape when you want to ride outside.
2017-01-02 10:05 PM
in reply to: TriBike01

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Extreme Veteran
657
5001002525
Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel
Just one person's opinion. I have an incredibly old indoor trainer. It requires windows XP to run since the company has not updated it's product. It still works great so I keep using it. About 3 years ago I went into a local bike shop and got a Schwalbe Blizzard tire. I'm not sure the guy knew what he was doing when he recommended it. It's lasted pretty well. I bought the cheapest wheel they had and use it as my indoor trainer. If I use it, I have to pump up the tire to 98 indicated on my pump. Not 100 and not 96 but 98 for it to work. If I have the program at 100 watts when I stop, the wheel will spin on the average 20 reps. It's been pretty consistent. If it breaks, I'm not sure what I'll do. Here's a picture of the wear pattern after three years. I ride it on the average of 1 hour every week.

2017-01-03 12:56 AM
in reply to: NeilsWheel

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Extreme Veteran
1175
1000100252525
Langley, BC, 'Wet Coast' Canada
Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel
Originally posted by NeilsWheel

Just one person's opinion. I have an incredibly old indoor trainer. It requires windows XP to run since the company has not updated it's product. It still works great so I keep using it. About 3 years ago I went into a local bike shop and got a Schwalbe Blizzard tire. I'm not sure the guy knew what he was doing when he recommended it. It's lasted pretty well. I bought the cheapest wheel they had and use it as my indoor trainer. If I use it, I have to pump up the tire to 98 indicated on my pump. Not 100 and not 96 but 98 for it to work. If I have the program at 100 watts when I stop, the wheel will spin on the average 20 reps. It's been pretty consistent. If it breaks, I'm not sure what I'll do. Here's a picture of the wear pattern after three years. I ride it on the average of 1 hour every week.




just curious .. what trainer do you use??


2017-01-03 5:23 PM
in reply to: triosaurus

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Extreme Veteran
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5001002525
Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel
I have a TACX trainer Cycle Force I-magic that has to be almost 10 years old. It has held up pretty well. I just leave it in one gear and I can control the resistance on the back wheel with buttons on the handlebar.



It gives me a pretty simple screen.



I have my old faithful computer I built also almost 10 years ago that still works to control it.



There are obviously much better units out now, but for reliability I can't knock the system I have.
2017-01-03 6:05 PM
in reply to: marti038

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Master
2855
20005001001001002525
Kailua, Hawaii
Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel
I got a cheap cassette Tiagra off Ebay for about $28 new.

Rear wheels are around $35 new for a low cost one, also Ebay.

As for tires, I've been using 25mm Gatorskin.
I did by a Vittoria trainer tire, but waiting until the Gatorskin wears out,
2017-01-03 7:27 PM
in reply to: marti038


1055
10002525
Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel
Originally posted by marti038

Originally posted by mchadcota2

I do 95%of my biking on a trainer. I have never changed a wheel or a tire for trainer riding. Never had a problem. Sounds like y'all are going through a lot of trouble.


My trainer eats standard road tires up (at least when I adjust the resistance high enough for me to get a decent workout). How are you avoiding this or do you just replace your tires frequently?


I don't change tires either, use GP4k's. I just deal with the fact that'll I'll go through a couple extra tires each winter.
2017-01-04 8:24 AM
in reply to: marti038

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Elite
3683
20001000500100252525
Whispering Pines, North Carolina
Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel
I have an additional wheel, with the same cassette I use for outdoor riding (training and racing) and threw a cycleops trainer tire on there...

Now that my bike is on the trainer for the winter, I just leave the trainer wheel/tire on there and will then swap it out as it warms up...
2017-01-23 8:41 AM
in reply to: marti038

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Expert
1111
1000100
Albuquerque, NM
Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel
I use the same wheels and tires that I ride outside - using this sequence:

Spring - Move front tire to the back and install new tire on the front. Ride mostly outside.
Summer - Ride mostly outside.
Fall - Ride mostly outside.
Winter - Ride mostly inside

Rinse and repeat.


2017-01-24 1:51 PM
in reply to: 0

Veteran
459
1001001001002525
Indiana
Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel
Agree an inexpensive rear wheel and an extra cassette can be had pretty cheap. I picked up a used rear Shimano R500 for $40; probably a better wheel than really needed for a trainer but it was there. Cheap road wheels tend to be a bit heavy, but who cares on a trainer. Durability also doesn't matter as much if you're eliminating any chance of a pothole or a bump.

I do like a narrower range cassette for trainer use - I have a 12-25 on my trainer wheel now and would go 11/12-23 without a lot of argument.

For $25-35, there is not much to be gained by moving your cassette back and forth.

I've found that if you have the same or similar cassette on your trainer and road/race wheels, you can usually switch out without much derailleur adjustment. For 10 speed, note that some of the spacers are slightly different than the others; if you get the cassettes at the same point relative to the hub/dropout you won't have to fiddle much when you change over.

Note a lot of people don't bother with any of this, and just use the same tire, wheel, and cassette on their trainer. Depending on the texture of the trainer roller, and maybe the rider weight, people seem to get away with this. Not me. My trainer does seem to eat tires up pretty fast unless they're trainer specific tires.

Edited by alath 2017-01-24 1:54 PM
2017-01-26 8:09 AM
in reply to: marti038

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Pro
5892
5000500100100100252525
, New Hampshire
Subject: RE: Trainer Wheel
Get the least expensive wheel you can find, a cassette that matches what you have on your road wheels and a trainer tire. A steel skewer should've come with the trainer, so make sure you use that. If it didn't, you need to get one.

You should be able to get the entire setup for $100-120, well worth the investment. I use my trainer year around, if the weather is crappy, or if I simply don't have a lot of time, I stay indoors.
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