General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Protecting Tires on Indoor Bike Trainer Rss Feed  
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2017-01-03 4:06 PM

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Subject: Protecting Tires on Indoor Bike Trainer
has anyone tried the new product on Amazon called BTT Bike Trainer Tape? It suppose to protect your good tires on the indoor bike trainer so you don't have to swap tires or wheels when switching between indoor riding and outdoor riding


2017-01-03 4:38 PM
in reply to: #5208838

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Subject: RE: Protecting Tires on Indoor Bike Trainer
I've heard about it. There was a thread on Slowtwitch about a month ago. Not a bad concept...would be good for warming up before a TT. When it's trainer season (now) I just use an older tire. I buy new tires for race season.
2017-01-04 5:03 AM
in reply to: JoelO

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Subject: RE: Protecting Tires on Indoor Bike Trainer

I've never switched tires until it gets to winter time, then I just run an older, cheaper one I have lying around.  I don't bother switching them when it's warm out.  I haven't had any problems.

2017-01-04 7:33 AM
in reply to: TriBike01

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Subject: RE: Protecting Tires on Indoor Bike Trainer

I have used a direct drive trainer for four years now (first the Wahoo KICKR and now the Tacx Neo Smart) so no worries about tires and wheels but...

a wheel mounted trainer will eat up tires a lot more than you guys think it does.  It also squares the tire since the trainer wears the middle of the tire.  So your tire ends up shaped more like a rectangle than a U.  There's a reason tires are rounded and not square.  Square wheels don't handle well and you're potentially causing some serious handling issues, in addition to the exponentially enhanced likelihood of a blow out due to tire wear.  I'm not going Chicken Little and saying the sky is falling but the possibility certainly exists that you could be causing an issue.  Do you really want to crash on your bike going 20 mph because you were too cheap or lazy to spend a little extra money or time swapping out a wheel or tire?  Not me.

My advice:

1) Use a direct drive trainer.  I get that's an expensive and infeasible option.

2) Use a dedicated trainer tire.  I suggest one of the trainer specific tires.  Those things last forever.  If not, an older tire you're not riding outdoors with any longer.  Obvious hassle being changing tires when you go outside.

3) Dedicated wheel + trainer tire.  Find a cheap box rim and trainer tire and swap out the wheel when you go outside.  Easier than swapping out a tire.

2017-01-04 8:04 AM
in reply to: jmhpsu93

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Subject: RE: Protecting Tires on Indoor Bike Trainer
Originally posted by jmhpsu93

I've never switched tires until it gets to winter time, then I just run an older, cheaper one I have lying around.  I don't bother switching them when it's warm out.  I haven't had any problems.



Ditto, except I never change tires/wheels. Probably less stress on your tire on the trainer than there is on the road. I've literally put thousands of miles on a set of tires riding both in and outdoors without problem.
2017-01-04 8:07 AM
in reply to: GMAN 19030

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Subject: RE: Protecting Tires on Indoor Bike Trainer

I get that the tire changing is a hassle. I'd have to do it several times a week and don't really want to do that.

The other two should not be though #1 can be too expensive for some.

#3 should last a very long time so give it some thought at least. I have well past 20,000 miles on the tire & wheel I've been using and they're still in great shape.



2017-01-04 11:59 AM
in reply to: 0

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Subject: RE: Protecting Tires on Indoor Bike Trainer
Originally posted by mroger82

Originally posted by jmhpsu93

I've never switched tires until it gets to winter time, then I just run an older, cheaper one I have lying around.  I don't bother switching them when it's warm out.  I haven't had any problems.



Ditto, except I never change tires/wheels. Probably less stress on your tire on the trainer than there is on the road. I've literally put thousands of miles on a set of tires riding both in and outdoors without problem.

+1
Hundreds of hours on the trainer and thousands of miles on the road. Same tire. Never had a problem. (Kurt Kinetic trainer and usually Continental Gatorskin or GP.)

Edited by jwrichey 2017-01-04 12:01 PM
2017-01-04 2:01 PM
in reply to: jwrichey

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Subject: RE: Protecting Tires on Indoor Bike Trainer
I have a Conti GP 4000S II tires on my TT bike. As I started my winter trainer sessions last winter I had already a few hundred miles on those tires. I did 3 or so months of 3x/week trainer sessions to where the rear was flattened pretty good (KK Road Machine is my trainer). I rode that tire for 1500-1700 miles this past season after it's "flattened" state and it's still on my TT bike. Will probably toss it after this winters trainer sessions.

A lot to be said for quality of Conti GP 4000S tires.

FWIW: I weigh 195 lbs so the tire isn't exactly exposed to "light" wear
2017-01-04 2:25 PM
in reply to: reecealan

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Subject: RE: Protecting Tires on Indoor Bike Trainer

Might be a good time to mention these guys again (no, I'm not affiliated):

http://www.staczero.com/

 

2017-01-05 8:29 AM
in reply to: spudone

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Subject: RE: Protecting Tires on Indoor Bike Trainer
"Square wheels don't handle well and you're potentially causing some serious handling issues, in addition to the exponentially enhanced likelihood of a blow out due to tire wear."

X1, this if for no other reason.
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