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Using a trainer

Old 11-04-20, 09:49 AM
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marguette
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Using a trainer

Good morning all. I'm looking for advise. I was given a magturbo trainer and was told I might need an adapter for my bile. Contacted the bike distributer who said all bikes need a training skewer. Went to a bike shop who said I need a bolt skewer, not a quick release. Another bike shop said if I have bolts on my bike, I don't need a training skewer. I'm so confused! Which is it?
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Old 11-04-20, 10:31 AM
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Photos of what you have might help. What I've found is older skewers tend to fit in the older trainers that I have (Blackburn Mag for example) but the shape/size of newer skewers prevents them from fitting. I have a set of 90s skewers I use when I need to put a bike on the old trainer.
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Old 11-04-20, 10:57 AM
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Do you know what a skewer is/looks like? This is a skewer:


If you have one of those through your rear wheel (they go through a hole in the rear axle), then any trainer should work fine. OTOH, if you have hex nuts on either side of your rear wheel, then any trainer should also work fine. The talk of a "training skewer" might be what's confusing you. If one rides a bike with a skewer on a trainer a lot, the skewer's paint will be messed up. Hence some folks have a cheap separate skewer they put through the rear axle when they ride the trainer, and then put the fancy one back in when on the road. I never did that. I leave the same skewer in and don't care what it looks like.
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Old 11-04-20, 10:59 AM
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I seem to be unable to upload pictures, probably because I haven't been a member long enough. The bike can be found on line. It is a DCO City Class 2020. The trainer is a magturbo Minoura. Hope this helps otherwise I will have to wait until I have upload privileges. Thanks

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Originally Posted by CyclingFool95
Photos of what you have might help. What I've found is older skewers tend to fit in the older trainers that I have (Blackburn Mag for example) but the shape/size of newer skewers prevents them from fitting. I have a set of 90s skewers I use when I need to put a bike on the old trainer.
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Old 11-04-20, 11:08 AM
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skewer or hex nus

Thank you. Definately have hex nuts on the bike. Was told all bkes need a training skewer. From your explanation, that does not appear to be the case. Not as complicated as I was lead to believe. Much appreciated.

Originally Posted by Carbonfiberboy
Do you know what a skewer is/looks like? This is a skewer:


If you have one of those through your rear wheel (they go through a hole in the rear axle), then any trainer should work fine. OTOH, if you have hex nuts on either side of your rear wheel, then any trainer should also work fine. The talk of a "training skewer" might be what's confusing you. If one rides a bike with a skewer on a trainer a lot, the skewer's paint will be messed up. Hence some folks have a cheap separate skewer they put through the rear axle when they ride the trainer, and then put the fancy one back in when on the road. I never did that. I leave the same skewer in and don't care what it looks like.
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Old 11-04-20, 11:43 AM
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Originally Posted by marguette
Thank you. Definately have hex nuts on the bike. Was told all bkes need a training skewer. From your explanation, that does not appear to be the case. Not as complicated as I was lead to believe. Much appreciated.
ARRRGGHHH. It's more complicated with your particular device and bike. I looked at a couple of Minoura instruction manuals. Did you buy your trainer used, and if so, did you not get the manual? Here a couple which I found online for different models:
https://www.minoura.jp/data/trainer/s...lst9200-e3.pdf
https://www.minoura.jp/data/trainer/t...e/lr340-e2.pdf

They say you have to have special adapters to work with a bike with rear axle nuts.

The trainers I've used worked as I've described above. Yours seems to be different.
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Old 11-04-20, 11:54 AM
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Used trainer

The trainer is a used one given to me, no manual. I did download a manual but found no instructions for hex nuts. I sent an email to the manufacture for further clarification. I will also look at the l8nks you provided. Thank you again.

Originally Posted by Carbonfiberboy
ARRRGGHHH. It's more complicated with your particular device and bike. I looked at a couple of Minoura instruction manuals. Did you buy your trainer used, and if so, did you not get the manual? Here a couple which I found online for different models:
https://www.minoura.jp/data/trainer/s...lst9200-e3.pdf
https://www.minoura.jp/data/trainer/t...e/lr340-e2.pdf

They say you have to have special adapters to work with a bike with rear axle nuts.

The trainers I've used worked as I've described above. Yours seems to be different.
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Old 11-04-20, 12:25 PM
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Keep asking around other bike shops. My old "dumb trainer" will not accept a standard skewer because of the typical cam lever -- which does not fit into the trainer's mounting axle. I have a "trainer skewer" that has a simple rounded end with the actuator cam simply a lever coming out the side of the skewer. Search the web for 'trainer skewer' and you'll see what it looks like. lots of them for sale on the web.
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Old 11-04-20, 12:43 PM
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Originally Posted by blacknbluebikes
Keep asking around other bike shops. My old "dumb trainer" will not accept a standard skewer because of the typical cam lever -- which does not fit into the trainer's mounting axle. I have a "trainer skewer" that has a simple rounded end with the actuator cam simply a lever coming out the side of the skewer. Search the web for 'trainer skewer' and you'll see what it looks like. lots of them for sale on the web.
That would work if he had a quick release rear wheel, but he has a nutted (and I assume, solid axle) rear wheel.
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Old 11-04-20, 02:36 PM
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It doesn’t sound like this skewer would work as it’s a quick release but note the rounded ends.


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Old 11-04-20, 03:55 PM
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Forget the whole skewer thing because the bike in question does not have QR hubs and should have a solid axle.


So the question is will the bike mount to the trainer with nutted rear wheels? Probably the easiest way to find out is to try mounting the bike. There should be some kind of adjustment wheel screw that lowers the roller that the wheel touches, lower the roller and try to mount the bike on the trainer. There should be cups on the threaded axle of the trainer mount see if they will fit over the bike axle/nut assembly. The bike fit on the trainer should be solid as a rock, if not you will need to try plan B.
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Old 11-04-20, 08:47 PM
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The issue is with the fit of the axle into the trainer cups that hold the wheel off the ground. My Cycleops trainer came with a skewer that was a lot beefier than my classic Campy skewers, which are also cone shaped at the ends. If the axle bolts are too big they won't fit into the cups. If they are too small it may fit too loosely or it may just be OK if you can tighten the cups onto the axle. Your QR may be an odd shape and won't fit. The other thing is the lever needs to fit through the cutout on the cup, again if the lever is too big it won't fit, but this I guess won't be an issue with bolt on axles since they don't have a lever. With thru-axle hubs my guess is a lot of trainers need some sort of retrofit to make it work.

If things don't fit right you can risk injury or death, at least according to the manual. Reality though is that it mostly matters for stability, If they don't fit right standing to mash up a virtual hill could be unstable. That's really what you are up against.
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Old 11-05-20, 05:29 AM
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The Kurt Kinetic trainer makes what they call traxles that can be used on older trainers. They cost about $35 dollars and are specific to the bike brand. They do work on trainer brands other than KK.
https://smile.amazon.com/Kinetic-Tra...s%2C180&sr=8-1
Looks like price has gone up. Check KK website for bike brand to thread size.
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Old 11-05-20, 07:00 AM
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Originally Posted by pinsonp2
The Kurt Kinetic trainer makes what they call traxles that can be used on older trainers. They cost about $35 dollars and are specific to the bike brand. They do work on trainer brands other than KK.
https://smile.amazon.com/Kinetic-Tra...s%2C180&sr=8-1
Looks like price has gone up. Check KK website for bike brand to thread size.
I think it would be far easier and a more useful upgrade for the OP to convert his (apparently) existing nutted rear hub to a QR hub.

I didn't mention this in my response upthread but.... I have a Kinetic trainer and I use a mid 80s Asian steel frame bike on it. The bike has QR hubs, I think they are Suntour skewers. Anyway, the cone shaped end (on the drive side) and the lever end (on the non-drive) side are the same design as the trainer skewer that Kinetic provides with their trainers (or you can buy one for about $15). While the stock skewer on my bike looks exactly like the Kinetic skewer, it would not fit into the cups on the trainer mount, they were just a hair too big. I could get it tight enough for it to hold the bike in an upright position but it wasn't tight enough to actually ride over the long run. As mentioned by myself and others in this thread, the bike needs to be mounted rock solid on the trainer which means the fit of the cups on the trainer mount have to mate up very well with the bicycle axle (or QR assembly).
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Old 11-05-20, 09:52 AM
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Originally Posted by Thomas15
I think it would be far easier and a more useful upgrade for the OP to convert his (apparently) existing nutted rear hub to a QR hub.

I didn't mention this in my response upthread but.... I have a Kinetic trainer and I use a mid 80s Asian steel frame bike on it. The bike has QR hubs, I think they are Suntour skewers. Anyway, the cone shaped end (on the drive side) and the lever end (on the non-drive) side are the same design as the trainer skewer that Kinetic provides with their trainers (or you can buy one for about $15). While the stock skewer on my bike looks exactly like the Kinetic skewer, it would not fit into the cups on the trainer mount, they were just a hair too big. I could get it tight enough for it to hold the bike in an upright position but it wasn't tight enough to actually ride over the long run. As mentioned by myself and others in this thread, the bike needs to be mounted rock solid on the trainer which means the fit of the cups on the trainer mount have to mate up very well with the bicycle axle (or QR assembly).
I wouldn't convert the hub, just get another wheel. Find a used but decent wheel with the same number of gears already on it, whether freewheel or cassette that is QR and put the proper skewer in it.

Hmmm, I just looked up the bike and it is a new bike, not an old one. I wonder why they spec'ed a QR for the front but a nutted hub for the rear? I guess putting another hub on wouldn't be a terrible idea then, but as with everything, it'll cost'ya. Do you plan on using the trainer with some training software like Zwift? It isn't necessary but it does fight off the boredom.

I see you're in Ottawa. My daughter went to school in Potsdam on the other side of the St. Lawrence, about an hour and a half away, and we went there for an overnight on the way home. A very nice small city that also happens to be a world capital.

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Old 11-05-20, 11:17 AM
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Originally Posted by zacster
I wouldn't convert the hub, just get another wheel. Find a used but decent wheel with the same number of gears already on it, whether freewheel or cassette that is QR and put the proper skewer in it.

Hmmm, I just looked up the bike and it is a new bike, not an old one. I wonder why they spec'ed a QR for the front but a nutted hub for the rear? I guess putting another hub on wouldn't be a terrible idea then, but as with everything, it'll cost'ya. Do you plan on using the trainer with some training software like Zwift? It isn't necessary but it does fight off the boredom.

I see you're in Ottawa. My daughter went to school in Potsdam on the other side of the St. Lawrence, about an hour and a half away, and we went there for an overnight on the way home. A very nice small city that also happens to be a world capital.
I agree with everything you say however I'm not the OP
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Old 11-05-20, 12:49 PM
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no QR skewer

Thank you for your response. You confirmed what one distributor told me. More significant, I contacted the trainer manufacturer. They basically recommend the same as you. Standard 15 mm hex nuts should fit in the trainer without the need for the skewer or modification to the bike. Yay!

Originally Posted by Thomas15
Forget the whole skewer thing because the bike in question does not have QR hubs and should have a solid axle.


So the question is will the bike mount to the trainer with nutted rear wheels? Probably the easiest way to find out is to try mounting the bike. There should be some kind of adjustment wheel screw that lowers the roller that the wheel touches, lower the roller and try to mount the bike on the trainer. There should be cups on the threaded axle of the trainer mount see if they will fit over the bike axle/nut assembly. The bike fit on the trainer should be solid as a rock, if not you will need to try plan B.
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Old 11-05-20, 02:45 PM
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Originally Posted by marguette
Thank you for your response. You confirmed what one distributor told me. More significant, I contacted the trainer manufacturer. They basically recommend the same as you. Standard 15 mm hex nuts should fit in the trainer without the need for the skewer or modification to the bike. Yay!
OK good. Hopefully you are now on the way to indoor trainer bliss!

There is a sub forum on trainers here in the Road Bike forum. This might be helpful once you get your bike and trainer working.

Indoor trainers and how you use them can be simple or complex or something in between. In it's basic form and on a fairly simple set up like what I believe you have, you set the resistance to what suits you and start pedaling. The problem it can be boring. Some riders are content to listen to music or watch TV and then maybe set a timer then proceed to spin for the pre-determined time. But most of us go way beyond that and use our trainers as a viable substitute for outside riding when either time or weather will not allow easy outside riding. There are tons of youtubes on just about every aspect of indoor trainers if you are interested.
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