Turbo Trainer Advice

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Is this normal after about 60km, or are Conti turbo (edit 'Hometrainer') tyres just shit?

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Is that the roller the tyre sits on? Are you using a normal road tyre.

I’ve had my (dumb) turbo for ~seven years now and I’ve work a huge groove in the roller by using outdoors tyres before switching to a turbo tyre.

If it is a normal tyre, I had similar experience using various tyres' manufacturers.

I did say it was a turbo tyre. Yes that's the roller

I burned turbo tires and normal tires all the same. In the end I was just using donated cheapo tires.

I've done that kind of thing before. I wouldn't say it's normal though. Check tyre pressure and tighten up the roller to tyre interface.

The pressure and tension are well within recommended levels. I think I'll buy a different manufacturer next time. But probably use old road tyres first.

Recommended levels doesn't mean you can't add tension to the setup. Does the turbo in question have a roll down test? My Computrainer had a range that it suggested. I'd normally do it up by feel (grabbing the wheel to see if it would slip when dragged over roller) and then do a roll down test after 10min warmup to double check and compensate for differing pressures.

I used a turbo-specific tyre briefly. It was such a ballache to fit that I basically never used it again after removing it. Easier to just use my normal road tyres. I use cheap, durable tyres for training so it's not much extra wear.

I’ve been using my trusty old Kurt Kinetic Road Machine for nearly a decade now and it’s been brilliant. The feel is great with good inertia and I can happily do proper interval sessions through to long (3-4 hour) LSD rides on it.

For the last few years I’ve been eyeing up the smart turbo market with interest, but with the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” thing in my mind I’ve stayed faithful. However I’ve had the opportunity to audition one for a week before buying and so picked up an Elite Direto this weekend.

I did a 3 hour session on Saturday, just riding a mix of zones in Zwift to get a feel for it and then a couple of erg workouts. First impressions were mixed. I quite liked the automatic resistance changes as the gradient altered in general riding, but the erg mode in workouts I’m struggling with.

It just feels like I’m riding through treacle with very little inertia and therefore feels much harder than my KK, but also not very realistic. Is this normal? And if so, is it at all beneficial to training stimulus?

If it is beneficial, then I could maybe learn to live with it. However, I think I’d struggle to do my long sessions on this machine.

I know @skinny, you went from a Lemond to a Neo. How was the transition for you? And was it worth the upgrade? Maybe I need to try a Neo.

but the erg mode in workouts I’m struggling with.

It just feels like I’m riding through treacle with very little inertia and therefore feels much harder than my KK

What gear do you have the bike in during erg mode? The smaller the chainring, the less inertia you'll have

What gear do you have the bike in during erg mode? The smaller the chainring, the less inertia you'll have

Was just about to say exactly that... If. You're riding at threshold for eg, in small ring /low gear, it will indeed feel somewhat treacle-like. A bit like the lack of inertia you'd expect when climbing

Aha. I was in small ring and mid cassette, as I thought I remembered reading that that was preferable. Obviously got it arse backwards.

I thought I remembered reading that that was preferable

It is preferable if you're training for climbing, or in my case off-road stuff. I could never fit a high enough gear* for the grindy feel on my KK :-)

Think I read about this on the TrainerRoad forum?

*now I just get the grinding spiral of doom to make up for it

Makes sense. Thanks for the advice

Improvisation on the (Trainer)road to recovery. Must be upright due to my broken neck so holding on to some dumbbell handles screwed into the side of the squat rack.

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It works both ways, I'm always amazed how much stronger do I feel in resistance mode. If the plan is doing intervals on erg do a test in your selected gear

Why swap if you like the kk and it works?

I like the neo, as I needed something quieter. But I didn't pay for it.

Look at tt forum, I remeber one of the elite DDs being labelled shit. Also the KK has the highest inertia, it's a great trainer.

I'd try a different trainer, but it could be just something you'd need to get used to.

I have had to adapt a bit, (not that much) to my Kickr Core going from a dumb fluid turbo...but it's well worth it for Erg mode.

PS if east welcome to try my Core.

That’s kind, thank you. I’ll see how I go, I have a few club mates with various smart trainers about I can try if needs be.

One question, what is it about erg more that makes it so worth it? One thing I like about the dumb trainer is that it helps you learn to hold a steady target power. Or is there a hidden training stimulus that erg provides?

The grass is always greener.

You’re right, but I wondered if there was something I was missing out on. I’m not sure there is though.

Less mental load means I find harder sessions 'easier'.

I don't race anymore or ride proper hills so holding power...I dunno if I need that skill. Eg at the weekend I did 2 x 30 whilst watching the final hour of last year's Omloop. 90% FTP intervals passed by uncomfortably but very quickly.

I'd say not.