feejer

Well this was an unexpected surprise. In January I got a Kickr Core, and have been using the bike I've been riding for the last 6-7 years on it. Since putting it on the trainer, I've been getting tendon/muscle pain at and just outside of my elbows. I've never had that issue in all the actual riding I've done on this bike. What's more, I put the wife's main bike on it and she experienced the same thing. Has anyone ever experienced anything like this, or know what may be the cause? The bikes are level, and I haven't changed a thing in the fit on either bike. I'm stumped. All I can think up is that the dynamics of actual riding put less weight on the arms than the stationary trainer?

Toespeas

usually trainers dont allow natural motion , basically micro movements that allow you to flow and absorb the forces you generate , and while riding outdoors the bike is mostly free and can achieve these movements naturally , but on the trainer everything is locked down and stiff and your still creating forces but the bike is just like punching a brick wall , where as outdoors is like hitting a pillow , i would level the bike and add a rocker plate if you NEED to train indoors , but i dont recommend intensity on a stationary trainer because your are just going to wear your body , and you might not think about it until its too late and you have a repetitive stress injury , just use you wife as motivation to go outside and suffer in the cold and wind

feejer

I did have to back way down to let the arm pain recover, and I'm convinced if I kept up what I was doing it would've caused a semi permanent problem. The rocker plate idea is interesting, I will look into some options there. Living in SE Wisconsin, indoor training is the only biking option for half the year. The cold and wind is just a touch too cold and windy.

Carbonfiberboy 

Interesting. Never heard of that before. You're using clipless pedals, right?

feejer

Yes, and the same shoes.

Iride01 

Same bike on and off the trainer? Maybe you change up hand positions more when actually out riding, if it's the same bike.

If not, then maybe there is a difference in handle bar width.

Carbonfiberboy 

Try doing some trainer drills which I've been doing for years, though on my rollers, so it's not the same yet sorta is. The thing about rollers is that you really notice the tiniest things that you do on the bike.

Anyway, 2 drills:
1) In a very low gear, maybe a very, very low gear, spin the pedals up to a cadence well over 100, with almost no load on them. You'd like to hit 120 rpm without bouncing on the saddle, but in any case, don't pedal faster than your bouncing point. Keep your hands light on the bar tops. While doing this, wiggle your toes and try to feel that there's a layer of air between the bottom of your foot and the shoe insole, so that you're really pedaling with the shoe uppers all the way around the stroke. Hold your top cadence for as long as you can. With practice, one can hold it for 30'-40'.

2) Do the opposite, in a way. Put the bike in a huge gear, so large that 50-55 cadence is difficult. Pedal at that cadence without exerting any force on the bars and keeping your upper body still, pedaling only with the legs. Try to do that for 15' or so.

The object of these 2 drills is to train yourself to eliminate your arm force on the bars, no matter if you're on the road or on the trainer. No arm force, no strain, no pain. The idea is to go after the root cause, no palliatives. I do one of these drills once a week until I'm tired.

When you can do those things well, try doing at hour on the trainer at a steady moderate effort, about 90 cadence, moderate being defined by being able to breathe through your nose but at about the upper limit of that. Concentrate on being able to slightly feel your shoe upper on the backstroke, no lifting the pedal, just lifting your leg. Push the pedal forward at the top and pull back at the bottom.

The idea is much as has been explained above. Outdoors, you move your body from side to side to some extent, but the bike moves with you, so you don't really notice it. On the trainer, you're still moving your body but the bike is held still, so your arms are resisting that motion. Stopping the motion fixes it and will eventually make riding more comfortable and efficient both indoors and out.

feejer

Ok so work on technique, core strength and keep the arms light. Possibly use some kind of tilting base. Double check the bikes are level, though I know they are. Also will revisit my fit, see if there’s any existing issues. Hopefully this issue will improve. Thanks guys.

Carbonfiberboy 

I was setting up my wife's bike on her trainer for her today. Her legs are much shorter than mine, so her saddle is lower, plus her cranks are shorter. I was fiddling with her gears and power meter, warming up her tire and so forth and noticed that I was rocking her bike quite a bit and there was nothing I could do to stop it from rocking. OTOH my bike on my rollers seems to run perfectly still, no motion at all. So maybe fit has a lot more to do with it than I thought at first.

feejer

I’m starting to think this might be a fit issue as well. I’m building another bike right now and was able to test ride it yesterday for the first time. I have the fit set up as close to my other bike as possible, and it’s very close. I noticed I was feeling the same pressure in my arm even in a short test ride session. I’ve also been reading a lot about proper fit, and especially about balance and seat position. Being tall with a long torso and most of my weight in my upper half, I think I’m too forward heavy, and not balanced, putting too much weight on my arms. I may have not noticed this riding the trails last year, as once I got the trainer I rode much longer on it without stops than we ever did out riding for real. I may need the saddle back more. Time to experiment and hopefully find a solution.

feejer

Will do. I left enough fork tube for making adjustments and a little extra length in the cabling, and have shorter stems to try. Gotta find a really offset seat tube though, I've got my seat already as far back in the rails as it can, on a VO 30mm setback post even. I do have a post that should be more than enough offset on the way to try out. The bike frame is a Trek 920 size 61, and I wouldn't want it any bigger. My disproportionate upper half is something I'll have to work on to figure out a good fit. Regardless, it's a fun process working through these kind of issues, and it'll be worth it once I can do comfortable long rides. Appreciate the input guys.

nomadmax 

One big difference between riding the rollers/trainer vs outside is there's no wind to help support your torso weight.