Cycling UK Forum

Hi,

Been advised to fit a turbo trainer tyre for indoor use but was wondering if there is any benefit to this as my road tyre is about 3/4 the way throgh it's life and can be replaced in the spring. Do a couple of 30 - 50 minute sessions a week over winter

This is the one I am looking at https://ebay.to/34REiWr

Any thoughts ?

Regards

J

You may find that a standard road tyre is too soft.It depends on the tyre.I found tiny bits of rubber stuck to the bedroom wall behind my turbo!I think the cheaper harder compound tyres are possibly ok.
If you’re going to be using regularly then a TT tyre is probably the way to go.

I've used both old tyres and turbo specific ones both worked fine.

I wouldn't use good condition tyres that I was then going to ride on the road again as the wear rate is really high. Also, the tyres can get really hot and if they have a layered compound might delaminate.

I just use a cheap tyre.

I noticed my rear tyre developed small tears on the treaded surface and bits of rubber sticking to the couch from a short (20 min) session on the turbo.
The turbos been in hibernation since.

I use old tyres and have had them fail mid-ride, which is inconvenient but also a nice excuse to stop.

If I had no old tyres, I’d probably buy a turbo tyre.

certainly use up any old road tyres on the turbo but you'll find that a dedicated turbo tyre will last forever.

mine does - mainly as i avoid the turbo as much as possible.

Turbo tyres are a harder compound so don't wear out in the same way that a normal tyre does. Turbo trainers do tend to square off normal tyres, and I have heard of flecks of rubber coming off the tyre.

I found when I fitted mine (vittoria zaffiro home trainer - mine's a 700x23c, but there is a 26" version here - https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Vittoria-Zaffi ... _43128.htm) that it was a lot quieter than the road tyre I was using before. That might be because there's no tread, or may just be because I got it set up better

I think it probably depends a bit on which turbo trainer you have as some seem to be harder on tyres than others. I have an old elite real tour and started off by using old tyres but quickly found that the tread delaminated from the rest of the tyre, sometimes within a few rides. I also had a few punctures as the tyres were getting very hot which is incredibly frustrating. I bought a Vittoria turbo tyre about 12 years ago and it's still in use.

My top tip would be to have a dedicated turbo bike, something old and cheap with a turbo tyre fitted, so that you don't have to faff around every time you want to turbo and something you're not too bothered about chucking large amounts of sweat over.