brad0383

I am wondering what other clydes have had for experience with using a carbon fiber frame bike on an indoor trainer. I have been using my aluminum hybrid on the trainer but I want to trade that bike in. That leaves my carbon road bike for the trainer. There a numerous threads about this and nobody seems to have problems, but I haven't heard from fellow clydes on the matter.

Thanks

Willbird

When I was bike shopping I asked a mechanic/salesman about trainers and if they would damage anything, and he said "aluminum or carbon frame?"...when I said aluminum he said no issues as long as you "do it right".

I did not dig into it deeper because there is no carbon frame in my immediate future :-).

IBOHUNT

While I'm not a Clyde I put 57 1/2 hours on the trainer last winter on my carbon frame. No damage.

Black wallnut 

No worries your carbon frame is up to the task.

Marcus_Ti

It has been changing of late, but for a while some frame makers had clauses in the warranty agreements stating that trainer use would void the warranty on their CF frames.

Black wallnut 

If you are that worried use rollers. Where are all the threads "my carbon frame just asploded from using my trainer"? Seriously a trainer is not going to hurt your bike. If your bike's manufacturer recommends against trainers or has an exclusion statement buy a different brand.

Marcus_Ti

I wasn't saying it necessarily would hurt the frame.

My point was simply that there are frame makers who ask on CF warranty returns "did you use the bike on a stationary trainer?"...and if you say "yes" then your (probably) unrelated warranty work will be on your dime instead of covered....and indeed your whole warranty is void.

PhotoJoe 

So, if it were a problem to use a carbon bike on a trainer, what exactly would the problem be? Where does the trainer add stresses not found on the road?

1loosemoose

I purchased a Trek Domane 4.5 a couple if months ago and my bike guy said no problem using it in the trainer.
My bike is in the trainer until spring.

sstorkel

On the road, when you put a lot of weight on one pedal the bike will tend to tilt in that direction (unless you do something to counter-balance it). When locked into a stationary trainer, the bike can't tilt which may mean that you're putting more stress on the rear triangle. If you were going to see problems, I would expect that they might happen in the chain stays or seat stays.

Pakiwi

100 hours plus on the trainer last year with 2008 CF frame.
No issues. Much less vibration on the CF vs the Aluminium.
Allan

Up North

220# on my trainer all winter with $4,000.00+ carbon frame, never an issue yet.

brawlo

This would be the reason why ^^^^

Most of the training I do on a trainer is track focussed and involves big gear standing start style strength stuff. Because a bike is not designed to take those kinds of stresses around the rear dropout area, and the amplified nature due to the bike being fixed at the skewer, I think it is a bad idea. If you are just riding along and not doing much or any standing work and putting side loads on the frame, then I think there shouldn't be much of an issue.

brad0383

Thanks for the replies. I will give it go as soon as it's too cold to ride outside here in MN.

bmthom.gis

My philosophy....if a CF frame and wheelset can withstand this, then there is nothing I can throw at it with normal riding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhabgvIIXik

Oldbmxguy

I just bought a carbon bike, and I asked the bike shop owner, he said it was no problem using a trainer. 70% of my riding is on a trainer.

1loosemoose

This is amazing!