Carbon Road Bike on Turbo Trainer

ollietrex

I am just about fed up with the weather at the moment and am thinking of getting a turbo trainer so I don't spend my life in the rain. My problem is my road bike is carbon and I have had a few people say that its not such a good idea to use them on a turbo trainer.

Any one have any experience of this?

Caroline_ie

ollietrex wrote: »

I am just about fed up with the weather at the moment and am thinking of getting a turbo trainer so I don't spend my life in the rain. My problem is my road bike is carbon and I have had a few people say that its not such a good idea to use them on a turbo trainer.

Any one have any experience of this?

Just go for a run you won't damage your bike that way...

Chips Lovell

Let me qualify this by saying I don't own a turbo trainer. I've read a few comments here and there that they may stress a carbon frame. However, I've yet to read about anyone actually damaging their frame. My father-in-law uses a trainer all winter and has been riding carbon bikes for years. Never had a problem. If it were me, it wouldn't stop me, but I mightn't be doing hard out of the saddle sprints on it just to be on the safe side.

ollietrex

Yeah that was my kinda thinking general riding might be ok but all out sprints out of the saddle might not be such a good idea. :cool: I have had a bit of a google and cant find much on the net about it.

It was a bike shop that told me that so might just have been them trying to sell me another bike later in the year. Thinking about it when they told me that they had a carbon trek bike in the shop on a turbo trainer. :pac:

blorg

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Just go for a run you won't damage your bike that way...

No, you will just damage yourself instead

kenmc

I think rollers would be less bad maybe? Dunno if you can get the same range of resistance with them though.

Hungrycol

You put more stresses on the frame while on the road. It'd be absolutely fine. Carbon is stronger than you think.

daymobrew

I have my carbon bike on the turbo trainer now and again. I do see the bottom bracket area more side to side a bit.

Don't forgot to consider special tyres - Continental do an orange trainer-only set that won't run hot and burst.

bwardrop

Not much help yet... but I just took delivery of a Tacx Cosmos Ergotrainer for our lab. Been through all the guidelines etc and there is no mention of risk to carbon frames or the like. It was also bought specifically for testing cyclists on their own bikes - we asked around before purchasing it and no one has mentioned any concerns about putting their bikes on it.

We got it from Rob in Wheelworx - if you are interested I think he has a good selection of trainers.

I'll post an update on how we are getting on with it soon.

cantalach

At a minimum, keep a separate cheap QR skewer for use on the trainer because the large amount of force applied at each end can damage them in some way (according to the guy who did my bike fit). Better yet, keep a whole wheel just for that purpose.

daymobrew

bwardrop wrote: »

We got it from Rob in Wheelworx - if you are interested I think he has a good selection of trainers.

You can go back to him for the Continental Turbo Trainer tyre.

tunney

talk about a total waste of money.

Use old tyres. Tyres that you wouldn't use on the road. No need to splash more cash.