Is it sensible to have a specific bike for turbo training?
Discussion
Man maths moment - am wondering if it is worth buying a cheap bike purely for using on turbo trainer.......
I have an Orro Terra for commuting a few times a week.
I have a Titanium road bike for weekend rides. This is running Sram Red mechanical. It’s a beautiful thing and I try and keep it as pristine as possible. This is the bike I also use on the turbo trainer.
I only got the turbo last year, and it is mainly a winter/wet weather toy but I plan to do a bit more training on it.
Starting to worry that I am going to add a lot of wear to the Ti bike and groupset.
Does anyone run a bike specifically for turbo training?
I kind of figure that provided the geometry is right, I could use any cheap old bike?
Or is the likely cost of a working road bike always going to outweigh the component wear on my bike?
Cheers
I have an Orro Terra for commuting a few times a week.
I have a Titanium road bike for weekend rides. This is running Sram Red mechanical. It’s a beautiful thing and I try and keep it as pristine as possible. This is the bike I also use on the turbo trainer.
I only got the turbo last year, and it is mainly a winter/wet weather toy but I plan to do a bit more training on it.
Starting to worry that I am going to add a lot of wear to the Ti bike and groupset.
Does anyone run a bike specifically for turbo training?
I kind of figure that provided the geometry is right, I could use any cheap old bike?
Or is the likely cost of a working road bike always going to outweigh the component wear on my bike?
Cheers
alolympic said:
Man maths moment - am wondering if it is worth buying a cheap bike purely for using on turbo trainer.......
I have an Orro Terra for commuting a few times a week.
I have a Titanium road bike for weekend rides. This is running Sram Red mechanical. It’s a beautiful thing and I try and keep it as pristine as possible. This is the bike I also use on the turbo trainer.
I only got the turbo last year, and it is mainly a winter/wet weather toy but I plan to do a bit more training on it.
Starting to worry that I am going to add a lot of wear to the Ti bike and groupset.
Does anyone run a bike specifically for turbo training?
I kind of figure that provided the geometry is right, I could use any cheap old bike?
Or is the likely cost of a working road bike always going to outweigh the component wear on my bike?
Cheers
Your logic is sound. If I were you I would buy a new carbon framed bike with an ultegra set or sram force. this way you can run it in the summer if the weather doesnt play ball. I Use my fancy roadbike on the turbo at home also in winter but then I go outside on my CX bike if the weather is in some way decent. So thats also a route you could go down. I have an Orro Terra for commuting a few times a week.
I have a Titanium road bike for weekend rides. This is running Sram Red mechanical. It’s a beautiful thing and I try and keep it as pristine as possible. This is the bike I also use on the turbo trainer.
I only got the turbo last year, and it is mainly a winter/wet weather toy but I plan to do a bit more training on it.
Starting to worry that I am going to add a lot of wear to the Ti bike and groupset.
Does anyone run a bike specifically for turbo training?
I kind of figure that provided the geometry is right, I could use any cheap old bike?
Or is the likely cost of a working road bike always going to outweigh the component wear on my bike?
Cheers
I bought a £180 CAAD8 to use on the turbo. I used to use my old "best bike" through the winter on the turbo but you do hear scare stories about carbon bikes and turbos, plus it's an excuse for a new bike innit?
I've picked up some bling bits and bobs and it has inherited the groupset from my S5, so actually it's a very nicely set up bike now. I'm even tempted to take it outside at some point...
I've picked up some bling bits and bobs and it has inherited the groupset from my S5, so actually it's a very nicely set up bike now. I'm even tempted to take it outside at some point...
ALawson said:
My S-Works didn't like my cyclops fluid so I bought an Atom. If you have a crapper then it does make sense, some manufacturers don't warranty bikes on turbos.
That is always the other (expensive) option, which actually has the major benefit that my wife could also use it. She used to love spinning but doesn’t have a bike to use on a turbo trainer. But it would be easy for both of us to use an Atom with its easily adjustable geometry.How do you find it?
alolympic said:
That is always the other (expensive) option, which actually has the major benefit that my wife could also use it. She used to love spinning but doesn’t have a bike to use on a turbo trainer. But it would be easy for both of us to use an Atom with its easily adjustable geometry.
How do you find it?
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=174&t=1695891&i=0How do you find it?
I'd say it depends on the turbo you are using. Previously when using an on wheel trainer (Kurt Kinetic RM), I used to worry about the stresses on the carbon frame when using my summer bike.
However now I have a direct drive smart trainer (Tacx Neo), I use my best bike all the time on it and feels like it puts far far less stress on the bike and obviously saves wearing out tyres or having to have a turbo specific wheel with a turbo tyre.
However now I have a direct drive smart trainer (Tacx Neo), I use my best bike all the time on it and feels like it puts far far less stress on the bike and obviously saves wearing out tyres or having to have a turbo specific wheel with a turbo tyre.
ChrisMCoupe said:
I'd say it depends on the turbo you are using. Previously when using an on wheel trainer (Kurt Kinetic RM), I used to worry about the stresses on the carbon frame when using my summer bike.
However now I have a direct drive smart trainer (Tacx Neo), I use my best bike all the time on it and feels like it puts far far less stress on the bike and obviously saves wearing out tyres or having to have a turbo specific wheel with a turbo tyre.
What's different about the way a Neo holds the bike compared to the RM? don't understand why it would put less stress on the frame.However now I have a direct drive smart trainer (Tacx Neo), I use my best bike all the time on it and feels like it puts far far less stress on the bike and obviously saves wearing out tyres or having to have a turbo specific wheel with a turbo tyre.
lufbramatt said:
What's different about the way a Neo holds the bike compared to the RM? don't understand why it would put less stress on the frame.
Good question... The RM works like most on-wheel trainers by having it's own skewer which is then clamped tightly between the frame of the trainer, in the case of the RM, this makes a very rigid setup with zero flex, all the flex and stresses are being put onto the frame for lateral movement.As I'm sure you know, the Neo or other direct drive trainers, you essentially mimic a rear wheel and put the frame onto a cassette and skewer on the trainer. The trainer then has quite a lot of lateral flex and takes a lot of the strain which previously would have gone through the frame.
Just my personal opinion from owning both types of trainer.
It’s what I did. Planet X RT58 frame & forks (inc headset) for £99, seat post was £9.99, most other bits were kicking about, mechs, shifters etc. Bought a SRAM chainset on eBay for £25 & job done. All in I spent £150 ish and it sits on turbo permanently getting sweated all over without a care.
I’ve actually taken a sensible (unexciting) approach.
I’ve put my old commute hybrid and accompanying 9 speed cassette on the turbo. Bought my wife some spd shoes. We each have our own seat post and saddle combo I can swap over depending on who is riding.
The idea is to see if she takes to it before contemplating the expense of the Wattbike.
The ride on the hybrid is actually fine and I don’t think it gives anything away to my ti bike as a stationary ride, in fact last night I did a Zwift MAAP tour race on it and averaged 2w over my FTP over an hour, so it should be fine for training on.
So, outlay is £70 for the shoes, something we would have to buy anyway if we were to share a Wattbike.
So far, so smug in my economic approach.
I’ve put my old commute hybrid and accompanying 9 speed cassette on the turbo. Bought my wife some spd shoes. We each have our own seat post and saddle combo I can swap over depending on who is riding.
The idea is to see if she takes to it before contemplating the expense of the Wattbike.
The ride on the hybrid is actually fine and I don’t think it gives anything away to my ti bike as a stationary ride, in fact last night I did a Zwift MAAP tour race on it and averaged 2w over my FTP over an hour, so it should be fine for training on.
So, outlay is £70 for the shoes, something we would have to buy anyway if we were to share a Wattbike.
So far, so smug in my economic approach.
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