Trainer durability question

My wife got me an inexpensive magnetic trainer for Christmas, and I
want to get as much use out of it as possible before it inevitably
gives up the ghost in a year or two.

This question assumes I would run a reasonably constant cadence, and
adjust the gearing to change the wheel speed to keep a constant power
output.

So my question is: should I expect longer life out of it by running
at a higher resistance setting at a lower wheel speed (and thus lower
trainer speed), or a lower resistance at a higher wheel speed. My
initial guess is that a lower speed at the trainer would help it last
longer by reducing the wear on the bearings, but am not sure if the
higher temperatures in the load unit (due to lower cooling air
flow) might over-ride the effects of the lower speed in giving me the
best overall life.

If it matters, it's a Graber with a 3-level resistance setting,
though I don't know the exact model.

--
Dave Kerber
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David Kerber wrote:

So my question is: should I expect longer life out of it by running
at a higher resistance setting at a lower wheel speed (and thus lower
trainer speed), or a lower resistance at a higher wheel speed. My
initial guess is that a lower speed at the trainer would help it last
longer by reducing the wear on the bearings, but am not sure if the
higher temperatures in the load unit (due to lower cooling air
flow) might over-ride the effects of the lower speed in giving me the
best overall life.

I don't know the answer to your question, but I have noticed that at
least with my Tacx trainer noise increases greatly at higher wheel
speeds. Because of this, I always use high resistance and low speed.

-as

"David Kerber" wrote in message
...
My wife got me an inexpensive magnetic trainer for Christmas, and I
want to get as much use out of it as possible before it inevitably
gives up the ghost in a year or two.

This question assumes I would run a reasonably constant cadence, and
adjust the gearing to change the wheel speed to keep a constant power
output.

So my question is: should I expect longer life out of it by running
at a higher resistance setting at a lower wheel speed (and thus lower
trainer speed), or a lower resistance at a higher wheel speed. My
initial guess is that a lower speed at the trainer would help it last
longer by reducing the wear on the bearings, but am not sure if the
higher temperatures in the load unit (due to lower cooling air
flow) might over-ride the effects of the lower speed in giving me the
best overall life.

If it matters, it's a Graber with a 3-level resistance setting,
though I don't know the exact model.

Given that your power output is the same in both cases, in my opinion
there will be no difference.

Phil Holman

In article . net,
says...

"David Kerber" wrote in message
...
My wife got me an inexpensive magnetic trainer for Christmas, and I
want to get as much use out of it as possible before it inevitably
gives up the ghost in a year or two.

This question assumes I would run a reasonably constant cadence, and
adjust the gearing to change the wheel speed to keep a constant power
output.

So my question is: should I expect longer life out of it by running
at a higher resistance setting at a lower wheel speed (and thus lower
trainer speed), or a lower resistance at a higher wheel speed. My
initial guess is that a lower speed at the trainer would help it last
longer by reducing the wear on the bearings, but am not sure if the
higher temperatures in the load unit (due to lower cooling air
flow) might over-ride the effects of the lower speed in giving me the
best overall life.

If it matters, it's a Graber with a 3-level resistance setting,
though I don't know the exact model.

Given that your power output is the same in both cases, in my opinion
there will be no difference.

Isn't bearing wear largely independent of load?


--
Dave Kerber
Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

David Kerber wrote:

My wife got me an inexpensive magnetic trainer for Christmas, and I
want to get as much use out of it as possible before it inevitably
gives up the ghost in a year or two.

This question assumes I would run a reasonably constant cadence, and
adjust the gearing to change the wheel speed to keep a constant power
output.

So my question is: should I expect longer life out of it by running
at a higher resistance setting at a lower wheel speed (and thus lower
trainer speed), or a lower resistance at a higher wheel speed. My
initial guess is that a lower speed at the trainer would help it last
longer by reducing the wear on the bearings, but am not sure if the
higher temperatures in the load unit (due to lower cooling air
flow) might over-ride the effects of the lower speed in giving me the
best overall life.

If it matters, it's a Graber with a 3-level resistance setting,
though I don't know the exact model.

I don't know.

But I do know the #1 complaint of trainer customers is rapid
tire wear caused by insufficient loading. Set the roller
against the tire so it deforms as much as or more than with
your weight on the road. And keep your tire pressure up to
the max rating, too. Setting the roller too lightly on the
tire makes a big pile of black tire shavings in no time.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

In article ,
says...
David Kerber wrote:

My wife got me an inexpensive magnetic trainer for Christmas, and I
want to get as much use out of it as possible before it inevitably
gives up the ghost in a year or two.

This question assumes I would run a reasonably constant cadence, and
adjust the gearing to change the wheel speed to keep a constant power
output.

So my question is: should I expect longer life out of it by running
at a higher resistance setting at a lower wheel speed (and thus lower
trainer speed), or a lower resistance at a higher wheel speed. My
initial guess is that a lower speed at the trainer would help it last
longer by reducing the wear on the bearings, but am not sure if the
higher temperatures in the load unit (due to lower cooling air
flow) might over-ride the effects of the lower speed in giving me the
best overall life.

If it matters, it's a Graber with a 3-level resistance setting,
though I don't know the exact model.

I don't know.

But I do know the #1 complaint of trainer customers is rapid
tire wear caused by insufficient loading. Set the roller
against the tire so it deforms as much as or more than with
your weight on the road. And keep your tire pressure up to
the max rating, too. Setting the roller too lightly on the
tire makes a big pile of black tire shavings in no time.

I didn't realize that; thanks for the suggestion.

--
Dave Kerber
Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

A Muzi wrote:

But I do know the #1 complaint of trainer customers is rapid tire wear
caused by insufficient loading. Set the roller against the tire so it
deforms as much as or more than with your weight on the road. And keep
your tire pressure up to the max rating, too. Setting the roller too
lightly on the tire makes a big pile of black tire shavings in no time.

[OT] but I once set up the trainer on a newish polypropylene rug to try
and damp the sound in the house I had at the time, which had a suspended
timber ground floor. Anyway, 40 minutes and a strange burning smell
later, I realised that the trainer had sunk into the pile of the rug
sufficiently for the tyre to make contact. The result was a shiny black
stripe of rubber about 4" x 1". Incredibly it cleaned off with soap and
water and the rug was perfect again. Polypropylene is tough stuff.

David Kerber wrote in message ...
In article ,
says...
David Kerber wrote:

My wife got me an inexpensive magnetic trainer for Christmas, and I
want to get as much use out of it as possible before it inevitably
gives up the ghost in a year or two.

This question assumes I would run a reasonably constant cadence, and
adjust the gearing to change the wheel speed to keep a constant power
output.

So my question is: should I expect longer life out of it by running
at a higher resistance setting at a lower wheel speed (and thus lower
trainer speed), or a lower resistance at a higher wheel speed. My
initial guess is that a lower speed at the trainer would help it last
longer by reducing the wear on the bearings, but am not sure if the
higher temperatures in the load unit (due to lower cooling air
flow) might over-ride the effects of the lower speed in giving me the
best overall life.

If it matters, it's a Graber with a 3-level resistance setting,
though I don't know the exact model.

I don't know.

But I do know the #1 complaint of trainer customers is rapid
tire wear caused by insufficient loading. Set the roller
against the tire so it deforms as much as or more than with
your weight on the road. And keep your tire pressure up to
the max rating, too. Setting the roller too lightly on the
tire makes a big pile of black tire shavings in no time.

I didn't realize that; thanks for the suggestion.

Dear David and Andrew,

Last month, John Forrest Tomlinson suggested
roughly the same thing about the dangers of
too-light rear-tire loading on trainers in
" trainers tough on wheels?"

John's phrase was "toast," possibly suggesting
heat problems, while Andrew uses "shavings."

Do badly adjusted trainers actually leave piles
of shavings? Or is the debris more like rubbed-off
grindings or (dare I say it?) crumbs?

I have no trainer beyond the wretched 30-40 mph
wind today, so I'm just curious about the details
of these contraptions.

(I ask clean-shaven friends similar questions
about electric razors, citing Samuel Marchbanks,
who asked his brother at Christmas if there was
no tendency for the skin of the jowls to loosen
under the influence of the electricity and to
hang in folds.)

Seriously, what's the actual mode of failure
when tires are too lightly loaded in trainers?
Abrasion, peeling, or what?

Carl Fogel

"David Kerber" wrote in message
...
In article . net,
says...

"David Kerber" wrote in message
...
My wife got me an inexpensive magnetic trainer for Christmas, and
I
want to get as much use out of it as possible before it inevitably
gives up the ghost in a year or two.

This question assumes I would run a reasonably constant cadence,
and
adjust the gearing to change the wheel speed to keep a constant
power
output.

So my question is: should I expect longer life out of it by
running
at a higher resistance setting at a lower wheel speed (and thus
lower
trainer speed), or a lower resistance at a higher wheel speed. My
initial guess is that a lower speed at the trainer would help it
last
longer by reducing the wear on the bearings, but am not sure if
the
higher temperatures in the load unit (due to lower cooling air
flow) might over-ride the effects of the lower speed in giving me
the
best overall life.

If it matters, it's a Graber with a 3-level resistance setting,
though I don't know the exact model.

Given that your power output is the same in both cases, in my
opinion
there will be no difference.

Isn't bearing wear largely independent of load?

Did you mean dependent?

In your case, the increase in load is offset by fewer revolutions. I put
serious miles on my trainer and have yet to see any sign of wear in the
bearings.

Phil Holman

"Carl Fogel" wrote in message
om...
Do badly adjusted trainers actually leave piles
of shavings? Or is the debris more like rubbed-off
grindings or (dare I say it?) crumbs?

Seriously, what's the actual mode of failure
when tires are too lightly loaded in trainers?
Abrasion, peeling, or what?


I would guess it's abrasion. All I know is I end up with this lovely band
of melted rubber around the middle of my trainer's roller every so often. I
suspect it's just premature wear, the normal wear mode being abrasion I
would imagine. I often wonder how much rubber dust goes into the air along
your average interstate...those tires have to go somewhere!! ;-)

Cheers,

Scott..