Today’s questions are about how to place your rear tire on rollers and stationary trainers…

Need to know whats the distance or how the back wheel should be placed on a roller? Because the way I have now it’s wearing my back tire, thanks

Hi I have a roller but it uses up my rear wheel pretty much, could it be the the two back rollers are too far apart? Is there a way to place the to back rollers for a better ride? please help
thanks.

Well I would assume these guys mean the roller of a stationary trainer…

But, if we’re talking about rollers:

Tire Placement on Rollers

If you’re talking about rollers, you can’t really change the back wheel position. On all the rollers I know of, the back two drums are set in place.

You can’t change the back drums, and there is no need to mess with them unless your rollers are defective. Your wheel is a circle and will naturally center itself between the two drums.

While we’re on the topic, about a stationary trainer:

Tire Placement on a Stationary Trainer

Stationary trainers are known for eating away at rear tires because of the pressure used to press it against the drum. Since the bike doesn’t move or lean like it would outdoors, all this pressure is concentrated on a very small portion of the tire’s tread, leading to a worn out tire.

You can’t completely avoid this, but setting up the trainer properly will help maximize tire life and riding comfort.

First, make sure things are clean. Wipe down the tire and roller surface using isopropyl alcohol.

Second, inflate the tire to its maximum pressure. This should be about 110-130psi.

Third, tighten down the roller.

Typically you tighten things down until the roller is just tight enough on the tire that it doesn’t skip when you ride. It should be no tighter than is necessary.

Start out by tightening it down some, just until the drum touches the tire. Then give the tire a quick tug and see if it slips. You should pull in the direction of rotation, i.e. up and back when pulling from behind. If the tire slips, tighten a bit more.

Once the wheel no longer slips when yanked by hand, get on the bike and ride. If the wheel skips, tighten the knob a bit more. Repeat as necessary.

Like I said, you’ll still get tire wear, though. That’s the nature of the beast known as the indoor trainer.

Your best defense is good tire selection. You could use cheap, heavy tires or invest in a Continental Trainer Tire that is made specifically to last long on an indoor trainer.

If you’re using a nice, expensive tire on your indoor trainer, that’s a bad idea! You’ll waste a lot of money!

Lastly, after your workout, loosen the drum so it’s not pressed against the tire. If you leave it tightened down when not in use, the tire will develop a flat spot and will ride terribly.

Put these tips into action each time you set up your indoor trainer and you should have less hassle, more comfort, and increased tire life.

As we approach that time of year when the cold, wet weather typically sets in, it is time to look into indoor riding options. You can choose between rollers and trainers, but the stationary trainer is the standard tool of the trade for most riders looking to train indoors.

Here are five indoor trainers including popular models that have been getting rave reviews for years as well as a couple new, high-tech offerings:

1. CycleOps Jet Fluid Pro

CycleOps has always had a nice flagship trainer option. Cyclists have been buying this for years, and many shops even use a CycleOps Fluid 2 unit for bike fits. This Jet Fluid Pro is simply the latest upgrade to CycleOps’ stable of fluid trainers.

The JetFluid Pro uses PowerTuned technology for a smooth fluid feel, which makes for realistic feeling accelerations when riding. In layman’s terms, this trainer makes it feel like you’re actually out on the open road. It is also “the quietest Fluid trainer ever made.”

Website: www.Saris.com

2. 1UpUSA

One trainer that’s very popular around the online cycling communities, yet I rarely see in person, is the 1Up USA trainer. How popular? It has been voted “Best Trainer” seven years in a row by MountainBikeReview.com and RoadBikeReview.com!

You’ll have to check the site to read all the details that set this trainer apart from the rest, but the number one reason is the Centrifugal Pressure Resistance, which I can’t explain other than the fact it is supposed to provide a more realistic ride than any fluid or magnetic trainer!

For just $299 shipped, the 1UpUSA trainer is definitely worth a look.

Website: www.1upusa.com

3. Kurt Kinetic Road Machine

The other extremely popular fluid trainer is the Road Machine from Kurt. This is a fluid trainer with smooth resistance and good road feel.

Website: www.kurtkinetic.com

4. Blackburn Tech Fluid Trainer

Blackburn has come out with an updated fluid trainer to expand your options. It is supposed to be as good as the others, but it’s $100 or so less, so it’s definitely worth considering. It also comes with a lifetime warranty.

Website: www.blackburn.com

5. Tacx Fortius

This is a serious trainer, with a serious price – well over $1000. Not only is it a solid trainer, it incorporates Virtual Reality and turns your slog on the trainer into a lifelike racing experience!

If you plan to log a lot of miles indoors and you have lots of extra cash, definitely take a look at the Virtual Reality trainers from Tacx.

Website: www.tacxvr.com

When stuck inside, most riders will look for a good trainer so they can ride indoors. Typically they are looking for a good resistance unit with realistic road feel that’s fairly quiet. And maybe they’ll look for add-ons like virtual reality racing.

But rarely does anyone take the trainer’s clamping mechanism into account. That mechanism is arguably the most important part because that’s what clamps your frame.

So if the trainer will be connecting to your $5000 carbon bike, you do not want to skimp in this area!

See, cheap trainers come with cheap clamps, and cheap clamps have poor designs that damage your bike. By design, the force required to keep your bike in place also happens to be enough force to chip the paint off your frame.

Here’s a picture of my frame’s dropouts after being clamped into a cheap magnetic trainer:

(And yes, I was using the supplied steel QR skewer, and only clamping as hard as necessary.)

The chipped paint was only aesthetic, and it’s barely noticeable, but given the choice – I’d prefer no damage. And who knows what kind of structural damage you could do to a fragile, superlight dropout.

It’s kind of like getting a bike with incorrect cable routing that ends up gouging your fork crown and paint job. Structurally, everything is fine. But the damage is still there and definitely hurts resale value.

To sum things up: Either stick with rollers or buy an expensive trainer, even if you won’t use it often. It only takes one ride on a cheap trainer to damage your frame.

Like the stability and resistance of a stationary trainer but the feel of rollers? Then this new trainer from Kurt Kinetic might be just what you’re looking for!

This is called the Rock & Roll Trainer because instead of being a solid frame, it incorporates a floating pivot, allowing the trainer frame to move around, which means you can sway the bike side-to-side as you ride.

It should feel more realistic, at least when standing and sprinting, and be easier on your bike.

There are just two potential problems I see.

First, the pivot better be strong and durable. Wouldn’t want to ruin a perfectly good trainer with one weak part. Second, the $600 price tag is almost double the cost of the regular Kurt Kinetic Road Machine (which is basically the same trainer but without the pivot.)

Does it look like a good idea? Yes, a more natural road feel from a trainer would be great.

Would I pay an extra $250 for it? Only if I was rich! For now, let me stick with my $110 rollers.

Read more about the Rock N Roll Trainer: at KurtKinetic.com

Buy online: at Jenson USA

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All “Product Previews” are simply products I have found that look really cool or interesting. The product has not yet been reviewed, so I’m not advising you to buy or not to buy the product.

When most cyclists think about indoor training, they immediately equate it with boredom. I can’t blame them – riding indoors is nothing like being out on the open road.

So the first thing they do is think of distractions – big screen TVs, training DVDs, movies, virtual reality bike races, or at least an MP3 player.

That can be a lot of fun, but it can cost a ton of money. If you want to train indoors but lack the budget for a high-tech setup, do what I did when I was in college.

I call it:

The College Dorm Room Indoor Trainer Setup

Being on a college student budget, all I had in my room was a $55 magnetic stationary trainer. I only had the trainer – no fancy doo-dads, not even a TV.

So I made the most of my posters (obligatory for college students) and simple household items, like the mirror (provided free with room & board.)

Step 1: Put the mirror on the wall or door at your riding eye level. (The full-length mirrors that go on doors are perfect.)

Step 2: Set up the trainer in the middle of the room, so you are facing the mirror.

Step 3: Place an action-packed cycling poster on the wall behind the trainer.

See, the mirror functions as a rear view mirror. That way, you ride on the trainer and see yourself in the mirror, along with pro cyclists chasing you down! It’s exciting. Really, it is!

My setup had a large poster of Mario Cippolini (sporting a world champion rainbow jersey) sprinting to the finish line. I spent so many hours watching him chase me that the image is ingrained in my mind!

Hours of fun, I must say!

An Indoor Training Cost Comparison

Just to show you the price difference in a couple indoor training setups, here is a quick comparison:

My dorm room setup:

Elite Mag Elastogel Trainer: $157*
Door Mirror: $20**
Cycling Poster: $0***

* I actually had a cheap house brand magnetic trainer that I got on sale for $55, but I wore it out in less than a month, so I’d stick with a good brand for $120-160 minimum, or check eBay.

** Free if you already have a mirror in the house.

*** Check with a local bike shop for any promo posters from last year that they might be throwing out.

So, if you can improvise, you could get a good setup for under $100. But, even if you are buying everything new, the whole setup is just about $200.

The high-tech setup:

Tacx I-Magic Fortius Virtreality Trainer: $1395
Extra Software (more courses, online subscriptions, etc.): $300
New LCD display: $1100

You’re looking at well over $2000 for this setup, even if you have a good computer already!

So I’m going to keep kickin’ it old school on a budget! (Sure, I spice things up with my MP3 player, but I’m not much for watching TV or following training DVDs like Cyclo-Zen and Spinervals while riding.)

If you are interested in indoor training, but have yet to purchase a trainer, you may like my advice on, What Is a Good Stationary Trainer?

Photo credit: pinkpucca