raphec

So I really let myself go, after a series of good excuses, but had just gotten back into cycling to and from work over the past month, when all of a sudden, everyone is now work from home. I struggle greatly with motivation in the mornings, and it is hitting winter time here.

I do have a TacX Neo2 trainer and a steel bike mounted on it. It was great when i was between 138kg and 145kg. I am absolutely confident that the bikefram will handle my weight (Jamis Renegade Escapade) but not sure about the different stress on it on a trainer, plus the capability of the trainer to hold up.

I really do not want to lose the small amount of conditioning I have, but am terrified of falling through the trainer or snapping a bit of the bike, as to my knowledge the trainer is only rated to 125kg and my 170kg is a much larger impost on the parts. With the space the trainer is in, any breakage, aside from expense, would potentially lead to physical injury.

General thoughts would be much appreciated. Do you reckon things will hold up, or is it too great a risk (yes i know no matter what anyone recommends, its still me taking the chance and my own accountability)

Russ Roth

I would be concerned with if the trainer would hold if they saw fit to put a weight limit on it. Over by a little I wouldn't worry about but you exceed it by a 100lb and that isn't taking into account the bike. On a whim I looked up the cyclops and they don't specify, only that their trainers are tested up to 300. and I believe it would easily hold more while wahoo claims that the kickr is good to 250 out of fear the strain a trainer can put on a frame. Looking at their design and with a sturdy bike I'd suspect they'd be the best option as they look like the strongest design that integrates with a bike. If I was really worried about the weight, I'd buy one of them, cause while I know that the old fashioned trainers can easily hold your weight the new smart trainers are a game changer for getting on and riding.
Alternative is that I don't know what your winters are like but investing in cold weather gear or even a fat bike and ride through the winter.

raphec

The TacX weight limit is apparently also fort the sake of the bike frame. On the road, i have 100% confidence in this frame, its on the trainer I am concerned.

Darth Lefty 

It’s amazing how our commute times have disappeared into our daily routines at home. Maybe we’ll all finally realize what a waste of time it was to go all that way just to sit in front of a laptop

HIPCHIP

I would try and contact the manufacturer and explain to them your circumstances and see what they may recommend. They may have a different model rated for higher weight and may even have a trade-in or discount price. Never hurts to ask. With liability, I'm sure they have tested their equipment and know what limitations it may have. You may have to start out with some other type of exercise program until some of the weight drops off.

Have you tried the keto diet? No carbs helped me to lose a lot of weight after none of the other diets helped at all.

Most of all, keep with your physician about anything you want to do. Don't want to gain in one way only to lose in another.

Be safe.

raphec

This is less about losing weight and more about being back on the bike (indoors). As i said, i have high confidence in the bike in regular riding, its on the trainer I am concerned. Trainer manufacturer is unresponsive. I can try reaching out to Jamis and ask if theyve tested the bike at weight on a trainer, but i suspect its outside the realms of their testing.

base2 

Well...It has a 2 year warrantee.
I say that getting on & riding constitutes normal use.

I'd also be keen to be nice & gentle with it.

Remember, some of the worlds pro riders can put out 4-500 watts for hours...add in torquing of the handle bars & the ocassional standing sprint...That's one heck of a lot of abuse. You are (and the rest of mortal humans) are probably nowhere near that.

An easy steady state cruise would trade dynamic torque creating watts to moreorless static torque holding weight. I see little difference. Torque is torque.

Keep an ear out for anything weird, unusual, unexpected, out of the ordinary, etc...We don't know the limiting factor for the manufacturers rating. It could just be that the biggest guy they had in the building weighed 250 pounds, so thats the number on the spec sheet. It could be the skewer & how tight it grips the drop out...We just don't know.

It could be that not only do they design things for people to use "right." They also need to design things for the way people use them wrong & still have the lawyers ok on a maximum acceptable liability.

I see nothing wrong with a thorough reading of the user manual to ensure otherwise compliant use & a steady state gentle cruise.

Going one step further, you might buy a cheap, big box store bike, a trainer tire & use that for dedicated trainer use to further limit the risk to your perfectly good (& more expensive) Jamis should a mishap occur.

I also see nothing wrong with neoprene shoe covers & bar-mitts & getting fresh air as far away from others as is possible. (weather permitting)

Trainers have their place in a defined training plan, but at best, IMO, they are still only a substitute real cycling. Cycling outside when it's 37 degrees(2-3 celcius) & raining gets real old real quick. It is enough to deflate the aspirations of even the most motivated. Thank goodness for trainers. It would be a shame if you didn't get on it.

Good luck in whichever you decide.

raphec

Trainer is direct drive. My biggest concern is snapping the bike frame at the through axle or crashing through the trainer - both scenarios could cause significant injury.

zjrog

I started my weight loss journey at your weight. Actually a bit above. I used a steel framed bike on a magnetic wheel on trainer first. And that was a used trainer that not only clamped the rear of the frame, it also replaced the front wheel. One solid unit.


I have an aluminum frame on a Kurt Kinetic fluid trainer now, in the 240s. I've never really worried about my weight on a bike. Or on the trainer. I didn't ride for a while due to injuries and then a while, I felt I was too top heavy and I was unstable. Which is why I got the solid trainer.

As mentioned above, power output is what the trainers are designed for. I had a bike fit recently with my bike on a Tacx Neo 2 trainer. At 245 pounds, the fitter never asked my weight or the bike bike, and he asked me to pound out some watts. I hit 450 on it for a minute and I was never uncomfortable on that trainer. Granted. I was on and off the bike a few times in that 45 minutes. I'm an average 200 watt guy. But I can push it hard now and again.

raphec

I have the TacX Neo 2 as well, it is what I am worried about crashing through. 245 pounds is around 130 pounds less than my current weight, i probably put out between 150 and 200 watts on a normal flat ride. The bike frame under normal riding conditions, i back 100%. It is the unusual stress due to being on a trainer, and the trainer itself i am worried about.

zjrog

I'm going to go out on a thin limb here. I understand your concern. I'm an engineering tech by trade. As I used to weigh as you do currently, I joked about stress testing everything I sat or stood on. Truth is, I had concerns you do. Am I going to break this? Will this support me? What if it doesn't? How bad am I going to get hurt?

Let me throw this thinking out here. Trainers are designed to be used hard. I don't know the max watts your unit is designed to, nor how long it was designed to sustain such a maximum effort. I know at my current weight and fitness, I won't stress this area of design. At my strongest, 30 years ago, I was at about 230 average. I doubt I could have damaged your trainer then.

My point, get on and ride. Listen for strange noises while riding. Visually inspect bike and trainer after every ride. I seriously doubt professional riders with serious torque output, can damage your trainer. Your weight, is just a different torque applied. Having said this, Until you feel more comfortable, maybe don't stand on the pedals as you would outside.

Trust me. I understand your reticence. I've lived with that same concern. Fear. Almost 9 years ago I crashed my bike bad at 300+ pounds. Broke my back and had a lot of other problems. Took 3 years to get back on a bike. Because of fear. I don't remember my crash. But I can't descend with any speed. I'm on my brakes. Yet on flats I easily sprint at speeds I won't let myself descend at. Fear sucks. I hate being afraid. So I ride and avoid hills where I can.

Good luck with your riding.

Tom L

wouldn't it be possible for you to jack up the bike, put a block of wood or something like a jack stand under the bike frame to take all the weight off the trainer ??

if you could shim it just right, you wouldn't have any weight on the trainer, then run the heck out of it

raphec

Ive given that a fair amount of thought, not quite sure where i would prop it up - theres not really a lot of space on the frame where it wouldnt get in the way of pedaling. I am not overly handy, my BIL could probably macgyver something, but because my wife is immunocompromised and he is working a in a job where he gets around a lot so we are keeping him away.

MAK

I'm not your weight but nevertheless I was uncomfortable putting all my weight on one pedal while I swung my leg over the saddle. I bought a small folding single step that I put near the pedal and stood on that until I had my butt on the saddle. Once on the saddle the bike and trainer had no trouble with my weight. I just reversed the process to get off. You could probably use a cinder block or other sturdy item for the step.

cyclist2000

Just a couple of my thoughts,

1. with a single wheel trainer that holds the bike by the rear wheel, only a portion of your weight is on the trainer. If you were to put a scale on beneath each wheel you would fine that your total weight is distributed between the two wheels. So you may not have the your full weight on the one wheel unless you are doing a wheelie on the trainer.

2. looking at the Tacx trainer, it doesn't look as stout as some of the other trainer, this is just from an observation and has no basis of reality, it may be able to handle higher loading than other trainers.

3. I agree with your fears on the loading damaging the frame, I don't think the rear stays see the torque under normal riding that it is exposed to when fixed in a trainer. I have used a trainer with various bikes over the last few years and haven't had a problem, I weighed 245 at my heaviest while using the trainer.

What I would do if I were worried about damaging the bike frame, get a cheap heavy used bike and ride it. If I were worried about breaking the trainer, get a different trainer because that one is worthless unless you use it. Get a cheaper trainer that is stouter and ride the cheap bike on the cheap trainer. I use some of my older bikes on my trainer just to ride the older vintage bike.

So thats what I would do.

bpmunroe 

I am around your weight and I have a KICKR snap trainer with an older Trek FX bike on it. It is a wheel on trainer. Never had any concern about either the bike or the trainer holding my weight. Perhaps a wheel on trainer would be a better option for your size. If you do go that route, get a trainer tire. makes a world of difference especially in the noise level

sdmc530

I don't know about Trax but I was 336 when I got my Kurt Kinetic trainer. I too was concerned about it being dangerous, I called Kurt they said if your bike can take you our trainer will take it just fine. I haven't stopped going now over 4 years.

Your bike is good so I vote ride it!