Separate bike for trainer

[justinrchan]

I have 5 road bikes of which i keep 1 on the trainer year round. It's not a beater by any stretch as i find it hard to justify having a beater bike.

[unterhausen]

I have a nice old centurion on my rollers. If a frame is somewhere in the range where you can get the contact points in the right place, I see absolutely no rationale that would keep you from using it on a trainer. Not like handling and weight distribution is a significant factor. I think the main expenses on the bike I use on the trainer are the handlebar tape and the frame, which cost me $30. So I have less than $100 into the whole bike. Ok, so you have to ignore the initail expense of the other parts, but I don't think any of them owe me anything, they are well-worn

[wallymann]

Originally Posted by shovelhd

I train on my race bike because I am training to race.

funny.

Originally Posted by johnniecakes

With the coming cold weather it is time to tune up the bike I use only on the trainer. The thought of dripping sweat and cranking hard on a bike that costs more than my first 3 cars combined lead me to put together a bike for the trainer. No brakes, down tube shifters and a $199 frame/fork from ebay suits me fine. Does anybody else do this or do you use your carbon Giantrekingdale?

yep. 25 year old bottecchia. bare bones build as you suggest -- not even bar-tape! i go the step of wrapping the frame-tubes in saran-wrap to protect from sweat since it never leaves the trainer.

[David Tollefson]

I have an old Scott Waimea that I have set up as a roadie that mostly resides on the trainer (I take it out when I do a tri with my wife, so that we both have the same size tires and I carry the spare). Got the frame for $50 and built it from the parts bin.

[k-mac]

Originally Posted by azrider

Wait, I thought that's why they invented TT bikes....no ?

I like the setup here using an elevated QR mount to be able to forgo the use of a front wheel completely! Takes up much less floor space too. Hard to tell exactly from the photo, but is that just 3 2x4s sandwiched together?

[cfox]

Originally Posted by shovelhd

I train on my race bike because I am training to race.

On the road, yes of course. On the trainer? No way. I'm depending on that bike to help me win, and I can't win if the frame cracks. Trainers are tough on frames. It might be a remote risk, but if I'm putting the time and effort to train, I want to remove any easily removable risks. Can't you mimic your setup closely enough on a cheap ebay frame? Just put your power meter on it for the winter.

[shovelhd]

Originally Posted by cfox

On the road, yes of course. On the trainer? No way. I'm depending on that bike to help me win, and I can't win if the frame cracks. Trainers are tough on frames. It might be a remote risk, but if I'm putting the time and effort to train, I want to remove any easily removable risks. Can't you mimic your setup closely enough on a cheap ebay frame? Just put your power meter on it for the winter.

The question is, why? I'm not going to break my frame on the trainer. We get enough decent riding days in the offseason that it's a simple wheel swap to go from trainer to road. I get the race bike a heck of a lot messier riding it in the winter slop than sweating on the trainer. I do have another bike with fenders if needed.

[azrider]

Originally Posted by k-mac

I like the setup here using an elevated QR mount to be able to forgo the use of a front wheel completely! Takes up much less floor space too. Hard to tell exactly from the photo, but is that just 3 2x4s sandwiched together?

(2) 3X5 with metal spikes nailed to keep them together.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by johnniecakes

With the coming cold weather it is time to tune up the bike I use only on the trainer. The thought of dripping sweat and cranking hard on a bike that costs more than my first 3 cars combined lead me to put together a bike for the trainer. No brakes, down tube shifters and a $199 frame/fork from ebay suits me fine. Does anybody else do this or do you use your carbon Giantrekingdale?

Get a cheapie track bike, rollers...better/faster workout, helps you ride outside, very inexpensive and you can get your sister's black jeans and too small plaid shirt on and go outside with all the other cool hipsters.

But for a great, fast, have to concentrate, type indoor workout..hard to beat rollers with a fixie...

[Jgrooms]

Originally Posted by shovelhd

The question is, why? I'm not going to break my frame on the trainer. We get enough decent riding days in the offseason that it's a simple wheel swap to go from trainer to road. I get the race bike a heck of a lot messier riding it in the winter slop than sweating on the trainer. I do have another bike with fenders if needed.

Computrainer. Takes time to hook up sensors, route cables to head unit, etc.
more robust training options that a basic mag unit.

And beg to disagree, but I don't want to be hammering the rear stays on a good frame during a 3 min power test. That is a power transfer through the dropouts that it wasn't designed for imo.

[aramis]

Originally Posted by Jgrooms

And beg to disagree, but I don't want to be hammering the rear stays on a good frame during a 3 min power test. That is a power transfer through the dropouts that it wasn't designed for imo.

Watching how much a bike can move on the trainer during hard intervals makes me never want to use a carbon bike on the trainer. Yes you can keep it to a minimum with a smooth pedal stroke, but try doing a max effort and watch that BB move sometime!! Bikes aren't designed to be clamped by the stays, and I feel like metal would be more forgiving from that kind of stress.

I use a fairly recent but beat up 2010 raleigh aluminum bike. I bought it on craigslist for $350, of course over the last year I ended up replacing the wheels, crankset, shifters, bars and seat. If the frame cracked in half I wouldn't be sad at all.

[shovelhd]

Originally Posted by Jgrooms

Computrainer. Takes time to hook up sensors, route cables to head unit, etc.
more robust training options that a basic mag unit.

And beg to disagree, but I don't want to be hammering the rear stays on a good frame during a 3 min power test. That is a power transfer through the dropouts that it wasn't designed for imo.

Good point. That's a lot of stuff to hook up.

I don't test on the trainer, but I'll do 80-90% sprints on it. Never had a problem with two different frames.

[bjf]

I set up a Dolan PreCursa on a CompuTrainer. Permanent set-up, always ready to go.

[stephenmarklay]

I was just thinking about this today. I will likely do it at some point. Although I don't sweat I perspire.

Really with the garage at 50 degrees, a fan running on high with a beanie on my head everything is pretty contained. I also clean the bike after every session just in case.

[cd_davis]

Got tired of the trainer setup routine, tire wear, etc. to ride in purgatory - old cellar in 1850 house. A colleague who is a spin instructor sold me her Schwinn Spinner for $200 and I use that and listen to iPhone Pandora radio since there is no entertainment equipment down there next to all the tools and boxes.