Originally Posted by
Danhedonia
I have zero experience on a trainer - but thought that shifting action would matter more? I'm not racing; I intend to Zwift (alone, not against others) as part of an off-season exercise program.
$200 for a frameset sounds optimistic but again I have minimal experience buying them off eBay.
What I think I'm taking away is the overall tenor that when putting a bike on a trainer, it's easier to build up to what's effective.
Sure shifting action/speed matters, but old Tiagra 9sp or even Microshift road shofters are able to shift quickly.
My trainer bike is an old late 80s road frame with a 9sp drivetrain that is a mix of Tiagra and 105 with a crank from the 80s, and modern wheels.
The contact points are the same as all my other bikes.
Use something really nice or use something entry level- it doesnt much matter.
The only thing to care about is if there is friction in the drivetrain or wheel.
And when it comes to shifting, I use maybe half the cassette and I think i used the small chainring back in 2017. It just isnt vital to have an outdoor setup on a spin bike. They arent the same, no matter what some think. No wind, no gravity, no coasting = not the same and so the bike setup doesn't need to be the same.