Fredo_Adagio

Many direct-drive trainers are incompatible with many disc brake bikes.

The rear brake caliper on many disc brake bikes fouls the body shell of many direct-drive trainers.

You have my apologies if this has already been discussed in other threads.

As a Christmas present, my wife acquiesced to my purchase of a 2021 Trek Emonda. The gentleman in the Trek store alerted me that the direct-drive Saris trainers they sell cannot be used with the 2021 Emonda.

I subsequently learned that the TACX direct drive trainers have the same problem. TACX has a workaround that involves installing a spacer that forces the rear dropouts to have a wider spacing, which doesn't seem like a very good idea.

The Wahoo Kickr direct-drive trainers also have the same problem. The Wahoo website has the following alert.

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The obvious solution is to get a wheel-on trainer. This brings another complication. Newer bikes have thru axles that don't offer anything for the jaws of a wheel-on trainer to engage with on the drive side. Saris sells an adaptor that replaces the thru axle. The adaptor has different threads on either end to provide compatibility with different thru axle standards. There are other brands that offer similar adaptors. I bought one of the adaptors and found that the jaws of my old dumb trainer don't open wide enough to accommodate it. My guess is the newer smart trainers wouldn't have this problem.




My solution for the time being is to revert to riding rollers. Rollers can accommodate any bike.

ScottRiqui

The Emonda/Domane/Madone issue with Wahoo trainers isn't a brake caliper issue, and at least it's an easy fix (if you even need a fix at all in your particular instance).

With the KICKR v5, there's an axle spacer marked with "142" and "148," and when you have it in the "142" orientation, the wide part of the spacer can possibly hit the painted bodywork surrounding the dropout. On our KICKRs and 2021 Domanes, there's a sliver of daylight between the axle spacer and the body, but I took the spacers to a machine shop and had the wide part of the spacer machined back 2mm just to be safe. It cost me $25, and that's only because the shop has a 1/2-hour minimum charge; I probably could have had four or six done for the same price.

jadocs

If you haven't already...look into smart rollers and get the best of both worlds.

jaxgtr

If you go with a wheel on trainer and have a thru axle, check out the Robert Axle Project for Trainer Thru Axle replacements. They work on or off the Trainer.

https://robertaxleproject.com/wind-trainer/

jaxgtr

replacement thru axle adapters if you are interested.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133605622551

USA based ebay, looks to be the same person, but will ship to US.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fix-Wahoo-c...kAAOSwoJBf3O-0

unterhausen

for $40, I should make some

blakcloud

I never knew this so thanks for posting. I have a 2020 Domane and it appears to work with my Tacx Neo 2T so I guess I am lucky. I never thought to even check for compatibility when I was looking for a trainer.

unterhausen

I don't know why trainer manufacturers dont' follow wheel standards, there just aren't any problems putting wheels in bikes. Okay, specialized did their own thing for a little while, but aside from that there aren't any problems

Apparently, Wahoo agrees with me
https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2021/01/...bIEuOLRKdxIhi4

jaxgtr

I know right....I have a buddy with a lathe, I am going to have a chat with him.

jaxgtr

Thanks for the post...