Indoor Trainer

[JDWard]

I've been training on my indoor trainer since Christmas -- approximately 2hrs per week total. I've noticed my back tire tread is really wearing down! Has anyone noticed this while using their trainer? I have a Fluid Prima trainer and the manual says nothing about back tire tread wearing down. I know the tire gets a little hot, but is it melting the rubber?

[Wil Davis]

I have a CycleOps Fluid 2 - the trick is to make sure the wheel is true, the tyre is fitted correctly and is inflated hard, and the clamp on the trainer is only just tight enough to prevent slippage (about one and a half turns from where the tyre first makes contact). I've found this (by trial and error) to be the optimum position (i.e. minimal wear, no shedding, minimal heating of tyre or trainer roller). Some tyres are made of a softer compound than others, and this will make a difference. Also, as a tyre ages, the rubber tends to get harder.

- Wil

[swimbikerun_boy]

no matter what you do there will be some tire wear from using it on the trainer. What you can do is go out and by a crappy tire, throw it on your back rim and use that on the trainer instead of ruining the tire you've got on now.

Peace
Tyler

[park]

Continental makes a tire specifically for trainers only, precisely because most standard road tires won't hold up to heavy trainer use. The computrainer I use operates best when rolling resistance is calibrated above 2.7 which is fairly high and therefore generates some high heat. I use my trainer about 5 hours a week and I've gone through one tire this winter. I've ordered the continental tire from excel sports but it is on back order.

[Dubbayoo]

I think the way to go is having a rear wheel built just the trainer - who cares about weight or aerodynamics at that time? Add in the Conti tire, straight block cassette.