Quick Trainer Question
 

Hello all,

I just got my KK Road Machine in the mail. My question: Must I use the skewer that came with the unit, or can I just use the one that is already on my bike? Is it harmful or ill-advised to just toss my bike on the unit, as is, and start pedaling?

Thanks!

While I do not own a trainer, I think it probably is a better idea to go with the skewer that came with the unit, that way you don't mess up the skewer that came with your bike. Also might be a good idea to get a trainer / disposable (aka, a tire you dont plan on using for anything except for while on the trainer, as the trainers are rather harsh on the tires, so I hear) tire as well.

If the skewer on your bike will mate with the cups on the trainer, then feel free to use it. I would expect that it'll get scratched up, but if you don't care how it looks it isn't a problem. Many high-end skewers have a shape that won't mate with the cups on the trainer, so Kurt includes a cheap skewer with the trainer.

I would use it. Trainers tend to chew them up.

what kind of skewer do you have? The road machine comes setup with the round cups for the provided skewer. if you use the flat type skewer like a shimano you need to swap out the cup with the provided cup for the different shape skewer.

I just set mine up today and it works fine with my existing skewer as well as the one that came with the trainer. The one that came with the trainer is the one I'm keeping on because it's beefier and much more heavy-duty. Plus, I don't want to scratch mine up!

Thanks for your helpful responses!

i never changed out my skewer. the one on my CAAD9 fits fine.

As for the tires, I recently bought the Specialized Armadillos, in part because I heard they're pretty good for trainer use. Anyone have experience here? How do they hold up?

I guess one more question: When I was riding today I looked around at my rear wheel and noticed that it was kind of oscillating side to side on the resistance wheel. Maybe only a half inch either way, but moving nonetheless. Is this normal?

Your fine with those tires,they will shed a little bit though so put something under and behind the trainer to stop getting black rubber stains.

Also, your wheel is out of true,
a shop can fix it for about 20$, if it is not too bad leave it... check to see if any spokes are extremely loose by squeezing pairs of spokes on the rear wheel and compare to the front.

No. Not out of true.

It's flex in the trainer or the bike. They do that.