jadocs

Or you can adjust trainer difficulty setting to replicate a different gear range. Power required to get up the mountain remains the same, it just get's spread out differently.

Thomas15

Thanks so much but hard to believe not everyone that uses a trainer and program is looking for the easy way to train.

Thomas15

Watts per kilogram are watts per kilogram

aclinjury

unless your current road bike is something real special, use your damn current bike!
people act like they can actually train enough to break their bike on the trainer

unterhausen

Moved from General to Indoor Cycling, wherever that is.

j/k, it's here

If you are using a kickr, make sure your trainer bike has vertical dropouts

jadocs

Yep

Danhedonia

I think I can explain: no did what you say they did. Not one. Please point to the post that worried about 'breaking a bike.' But you can't, because that didn't happen. Let me know if you're OK with this.

Now, why would someone want a different bike for their trainer? Many reasons - most of which are implied or referred to explicitly. Here's one: convenience. Some folks want the convenience of not moving a bike back and forth from the trainer. Usually these are people with very limited time; maybe you are lucky and enjoy a plethora of free time.

Or, there is the idea of wanting to acquire knowledge of whether a different frame type might be more suitable to riding a trainer. Because, you know: not everyone has only one bike. And some people even like having multiple bikes for different types of riding. (No, I don't mean MTB vs. road - I mean endurance rides vs. aggressive climbs, but I'm super concerned that if I continue I'll be eating into your copious free time, so I'll stop here).

Thanks, though, for stopping by.

Danhedonia

Thanks.

Current bikes:
Giant TCR-1 / Ultegra 6800 (being upgraded to Ultegra 8k) 2x9, will become 2x11
Specialized Roubaix Elite (105) 3x9

Looking at acquiring a Trek Emonda SL6 or similar 2x11/Shimano Ultegra/DA bike.

My idea was to have everything on Shimano 2x11's, but I found I really enjoy the Roubaix as a 3x9 for really hilly rides. I could throw a 9speed cassette on the Kickr and be good, or go 11speed with the others.

Why straight dropouts?

jadocs

Not sure I know what you mean.

unterhausen

I assume you are addressing my comment about not using horizontal dropouts, like would be found on a vintage frame. I have a vintage frame with horizontal chromed dropouts on my kickr. But to keep it on there, I have to crank up the quick release too much. Before I did that I rode the bike off the trainer twice, which is pretty exciting. I was very lucky I didn't break the trainer, bike or myself. The kickr has a spacer that is intended to fail if the qr is too tight. And mine did

It is nice to have a dedicated trainer bike. I'm putting together a different frame that was unused, but has vertical dropouts.

Danhedonia

Thanks unterhausen . Yes, I was referring to your post - I should have posted a bit more carefully. "Exciting" indeed.

At the moment, the trainer is likely to host a Giant TCR-1 and/or Specialized Roubaix. The Roubaix is my comfort bike, and given that I am working towards fitness, not competitive gains, I think that's the most likely frame.

I'm excited!

AdkMtnMonster

I can put my bike on my Kickr in less than 30 seconds, and that includes putting the shim in between the rear brake pads after I remove the wheel. Same thing going in reverse: it takes very little time to unscrew a through-axle, pull it, lift up while gently rolling the rear derailleur back off the cassette, and then seating the rear wheel back on the bike. It's not like some huge inconvenience, unless you, perhaps, ride in your basement and it's a pain to get the bike in and out of the house, down the stairs to the Pain Cave, and then the reverse when it's time to ride outside again. If that (or similar) is the case, then I hear the complaint. I just ride the Kickr in our garage until it gets too cold, at which point my bike gets moved indoors, down cellar, on the Kickr til Spring. This time of year, though, back and forth on/off the Kickr a few times/week (weather dependent) is no big deal at all. In fact, I use those "changeover" days to clean my chain quickly with my Park cleaner, and lube it again, about, ohhh... every two weeks, maybe.

Danhedonia

Thank you for the helpful info that it is relatively easy to put a bike on and off the Kickr Core.

Regarding your apparent comfort with second guessing my decision making on purchases - do you do this a lot? Tell people when you 'hear their complaint?' Because invalidation is usually the first, impulsive reaction of those who have massive ego and control issues.

Wait - I wonder - is it a poor idea to try to tell other people on the internet that you know exactly who they are, and how to make decisions? Re-read paragraph 2, and let me know your answer.

AdkMtnMonster

Sorry if I angered you. Not my intention. I was specifically referring to the Kickr, not the Core, Snap or Bike. I think putting the bike on the Kickr and taking it off every other day would get tiresome, but it’s not hard or time consuming if it’s in an easy location, like in your garage or on a first floor of a residence, for example. Taking the bike in/out of the house every other day gets to be annoying, so yeah- “I hear ya!” I’m not second guessing your decision making, nor am I recommending anything. I’m just pointing out how quick & easy it is to mount/dismount a bike on a Wahoo Kickr.

You said you had “zero experience on a trainer” so I thought I’d offer a little encouragement to try it out with your normal bike and see how it goes. I think I learned my lesson. Good day.

Danhedonia

I don't want to try anything. i don't want to be encouraged. I want answers to politely issued questions, like "does the frame make much of a difference?" So, excellent communicator that I am, I ask for the information that I want.

This website has a preposterously high number of people who think they ought to tell others what to do. It's outlandish, it's so prominent.

I have disposable income. I have a life that leaves me beyond tired, and it's nobody's damn business why that is. Because I know myself, I want a trainer sitting in my garage that will require absolutely zero effort in order to start using it.

I'm not worried about breaking a bike. I'm not concerned about the level of difficulty of putting a bike on a trainer and taking it off (though it is kind to offer that info, thank you). But to be honest, people around here might want to take a step back and realize that they know absolutely nothing about the reality of others who are posting, have not arrived at The Only True And Genuine Right Ways Of Living, and have some humility and extract their heads from their squeaky-clean tailpipes.

Is that YOUR fault? No, not really, and I note that you are quite gracious about this. But the last time I saw such collective unfounded arrogance it was at a party for law school graduates. That's not good.

It seems that contact points are important, and drive train matters, albeit less than outside on the road. Apparently frames are not as crucial, although there is a difference of opinion.

AdkMtnMonster

I have ridden two rather different bikes on my trainer over hundreds of hours in total. Both are set up very nearly the same in terms of fit, almost identical. They do feel different after an hour, and VERY different after 2 hours. One is a climber, the other is an endurance bike. Both are carbon, for what it’s worth. I hope you find a great solution in your quest. Ride on!

Danhedonia

So - what's the difference between the frames from hour 1 to 2? I'm assuming the endurance bike is more comfortable?

clasher

I rode my roubaix on a kickr in the winter/spring this year and it was comfortable. I got a giant tcr with some chainstay damage that I built into a trainer bike, put on a drivetrain and have been riding that a bit. I haven't noticed a difference in comfort yet, but the longest session on the giant has been 2h, I did some 5-6h rides on the roubaix in the spring. I've yet to experience any real discomfort that I can trace back to being on the trainer. I have my kickr on 2" thick rubber playground tiles, it does seem to have a gentle bob to it as I ride so it works kind of like a rocker plate.

AdkMtnMonster

Yes, in my opinion. My climbing bike is pretty stiff, stiff seatpost, not very compliant. (The endurance bike is actually faster on the real outside world roads, and climbs better for me. Go figure.) The endurance bike is just a bit more supple, flexy... I notice it after longer indoor sessions, which is why I no longer ride it on those days. Just my experience and my opinion, which is worth what you paid for it.

Danhedonia

The playground tiles are a great idea - I'm going to find some.

Thanks AdkMtnMonster ... I'm thinking now that the Roubaix needs to go on the trainer, sponge that it is.

Seems like a lot of people have Roubaixs and TCR-1s. Huh.

caloso

This.