|   Trainers and Tire Problems... | Tryin2B
Jan 15, 2003 9:51 AM | | I noticed yesterday that my continental grand prix tire is seperating from the casing. Anyone else experiencing this type of problem? This is my road bike set-up on the trainer. It probably sees 4-6 hours of work per week. Mostly 1 to 2 hours per session. I use the Carmichael Training Systems workouts.
Think this is unusual? Should I take the tire back to my LBS? It is only 3 months old probably less than 500 miles on it. Oh, yeah, this is a mag trainer.
Thanks,
Tryin2B |
| Same thing happened to my road tire last week.... | SS_MB-7
Jan 15, 2003 10:57 AM | | The exact same thing happened to my cheapie road tire I'm using on my trainer. It's a generic IRC road tire. During a LT Interval training ride, my trainer started to suddenly feel funny. I stopped pedalling, hopped off the bike and was shocked to see the rear tire bubbling in 5 different locations. Some of the bubbles were over 1" long.
The heat generate during a 1-2 hr training ride can be significant depending on the tire, trainer, exercise, etc.
You can try warrantying it, but don't hold your breathe.
Ride Hard,
Mike B. |
| Best tires to use for trainer riding??? (nm) | Tryin2B
Jan 15, 2003 2:31 PM | | |
| I would also like to know what tires are good for trainer riding | sjt78
Jan 16, 2003 6:16 AM | | I just got a new trainer so I'd like to know what tires I should get that won't fall apart quickly.
-Steve |
| I would just get anything inexpensive..... | KMan
Jan 16, 2003 6:47 AM | | I have been using a specialized wire bead armidillo with no problems. I think any tire you can get ahold of would be fine, look or ask friends for the ones they are getting ready to throw out, clearance at shops, Ebay.
KMan |
| I would just get anything inexpensive..... | sjt78
Jan 16, 2003 6:51 AM | | I'll have to check around locally for the cheapest smooth/slick tires I can find. I found some online, but I'd rather not pay shipping for such inexpensive tires (found some for as low as $10 each). Thanks for your help.
-Steve |
| Ritchey tom slick | fzn12s
Jan 17, 2003 9:40 AM | | on my mountain bike. One tire lasts the whole winter on the trainer. |
| not sure if I followed you correctly, but | KMan
Jan 15, 2003 11:19 AM | | I know trainers will eat tires for lunch, wear is super fast. My Conti GP3000 are pretty close to being replaced so I figured it would be ok to use them on the trainer a little since I didn't feel like changing tires out. Used the during 2-3 trainer seasons and can really see the additional wear on them just in that short time frame. Took the tire off right away and threw on my cheap tire I use for the trainer only. That tire (Specialized) was just used last year on the trainer and I think it will need to be trashed after this winter.
KMan |
| re: Trainers and Tire Problems... | Glen
Jan 16, 2003 11:13 AM | | I picked up an old Conti wire bead 700x28C tire for $10 a few years back. It's seen three winters of trainer use (2-5 hours/week for 4 months) and still going strong. It's got a really smooth tread so it's quiet too. I found my old Specialized tied to be too loud with the little "s" cut outs running right on the drum.
See what old smooth crap tires they have at your LBS... |
| sounds like a heat problem | jw25
Jan 16, 2003 11:35 AM | | Chances are, this can be traced to a few causes.
First off, make sure the tire is inflated to optimal pressure - I think a Grand Prix is around 100-110 psi. Remember, it's only seeing the roller, and rider weight has very little effect, so going higher isn't necessary.
Second, make sure your rear wheel is true and round. A slight radial wobble here can mean loss of contact at one point, with a resulting wear spot when the roller reconnects. This'll tend to leave black crud on the roller or on the floor, which is rubber that's been scraped off the tire.
Third, make sure the roller has optimal contact with the tire. If it's spring-loaded, this is easier, but most still have some sort of adjustment. You want it snug enough to prevent slippage, but not much more. Too tight, and you flex the casing a lot with each revolution, and that generates heat. Remember that on the road, the contact patch is bigger, so your weight is spread over a larger piece of tire. On a trainer, the roller only contacts an inch or two at a time. My trainer has a tension knob and no spring. I dial the roller up until it contacts the tire, then add half a turn more. I then spin the tire by hand, and add tension in quarter-turns if it squeaks. Your trainer manufacturer should have guidelines in the instructions, but if not, use your ears.
And finally, this is a good place to use up old tires. If a nice tire of mine gets a deep cut, to the point I don't feel safe riding it outside, I'll save it and run it on the trainer. Racier tires have softer rubber, so they'll make less noise on the trainer, and usually last through a winter. If not, I have more waiting to take their place. I've found the el-cheapo tires to use hard rubber, which makes more noise and requires more tension. I can't really stand to use them, so I can't compare lifetimes, but economically it makes sense for me.
Hope this helps. If the tread on your GP isn't peeling off, but just coming up at the edges, it should be fine for trainer use. I wouldn't ride it on-road, though (no cornering inside...) |
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