Hey, this may be a stupid question, but I have no knowledge of how trainers fit certain bikes. I was wondering if anyone put there C & V bikes on trainers, and if they're damaging to the dropouts in anyway. also , any problems fitting a 126mm frame onto a modern day trainer? thanks

I don't think so. All the trainers I've seen attach to the skewers. They can ding them up pretty well, so use an old one you don't care about. As far as the width, that shouldn't be a problem either.

I had my '77 Schwinn Le Tour in the trainer for a while. The trainers are pretty widely adjustable for axle width and tire diameter.

Hmm...good to hear, thanks for the help

Have you considered rollers? Something like this: https://www.sportcrafters.com/welcometop.htm. They do not offer the same resistance as trainers (though still plenty for most people), but are better for working on form and are no risk to your bike. I'm sure technology has come a long way since I last used a resistance trainer (20+ years), but I've always found them to be too loud. Plus, if I'm going to be riding indoors, I like the feel of "riding" my bike, versus just sitting on a bike spinning my legs.

An old thread, for further consideration: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...er-vs-Trainers

Also, keep in mind that, because you are not out in the open air, you tend to sweat more (or maybe it just doesn't evaporate as quickly?). As a result, you can drop a lot of corrosive sweat onto the bike. This is perhaps more of a threat to your bike than the rollers/trainer itself.

+1 to rollers. I find that using a box fan to provide some wind helps a lot too.

My Kinetic trainer came with a skewer with a large nut designed to fit into their clamp. It looks fine, so I just leave it on. They're very adjustable, 126mm will be no problem at all.

Definitely find some "beater" skewers that you don't mind dinging up. It also helps to have metal ends on the skewer. The ones I have with a plastic end opposite the handle just don't stay in the trainer. I bought my first C&V bike for the sole purpose of being on the indoor trainer. Now, I ride it more than anything else.

This is my experience also. I won't mount one of my "good" C&V bikes to the trainer... I don't want to take chances with one of my babies. But I've got a Shogun 300 hooked up to a Blackburn trainer right this minute and it works just fine. Last winter it was an Azuki and the winter before, yet something else. The trainer, btw, tends to "eat" rear tire if you spin frequently, so I always buy a super cheapy tire just for the trainer each winter.

I also have kurt kinetic and I have used it on my track bike, 7 speed (126mm spacing) and 8 speed (130mm). Most modern trainers have the ability to adjust for different axle widths, and use the metal skewer that comes with the trainer.

FWIW, the last time I did use a resistance trainer, I was doing interval/sprint training and really getting up to good "speed" when suddenly the little fan wheel flew off the trainer (fast!) and made a hole in the wall on the other side of the room. It didn't just come loose, the sheet metal literally tore itself off at the edge of the resistance fan. Probably a freak accident and not something likely to happen again, but I mention so as to suggest periodically checking any trainers with metal fans to see if any cracks are developing. I'm just glad the fan went backward and not upward!

+1 Watch out for sweat. I have bought several vintage steel bikes that were used on trainers, and the top tubes tend to have rust from sweat. I've also seen rust around the bb from sweat as well.

They make sweat guards, that should help.

+1 - you'll see the one on my Nishiki in my photo above. I've also used rags/towels but the sweat guard is nice because it's suspended over the top tube and not resting on it.

+2

Use an old ugly uncared for bike, nice bikes need to be on the road.

Good thread! I'm tending toward getting a trainer this winter.

Rollers? I saw that video that was posted somewhere here this summer....I laughed my head off at the poor guy trying to learn to stay on it. He had an inflated mattress on his left for good reason.

Here it is......

I finally recently picked up a set of rollers and they have a mag resistence unit on them. They also came with a support mount to secure the bike that I won't be using. If you have reasonable balance then rollers should be fine. Sold my last set about ten years ago.

I tend to look at rollers as a toning and efficiency tool, trainers on the other hand as torture and punishment devices. Rollers are the feeling of freedom, trainers are bondage. But on the other hand with a trainer you can watch TV and no have to pay attention to where you're rolling.

Wait, sorry, what was the question? Oh yeah, C&V bike on a trainer, no problem. Probably better to use an old steel bike on one than a modern c/f bike. And as noted above, find some air flow from a fan and set up some sort of sweat catcher.

If anything I'd think it would be less likely to harm a vintage bike because of the strong metal dropouts. That being said I haven't heard of anyone breaking a bike because of a trainer but maybe it can happen.