Track bike on smart trainer?
 

Getting back into track racing after many years off (grad school, baby, expat life, etc.). I would like to give masters pursuit a go and need to do a fair bit of my training indoors for various reasons. Several of my friends have set up nice indoor setups with Tacx Evos and the like, even in their offices, and this seems ideal, along with some good supplementation on the rollers and track time when I can make the journey.

My question is whether a single gear behaves well on any of the high end smart trainers like the Tacx or Wahoo. Most seem designed for cassettes. Anyone doing this with spacers? I could set up a similar pursuit position on a time trial bike, but I'm starting back from scratch and don't really want to put together two bikes right now.

Thanks for the help and advice. Outstanding forum. Always was and it is nice to see it is still going.

Best,
R

I've used a track bike on a turbo before but just for position analysis and not for training as it's easier than using rollers especially for pursuiting. We'll be using a turbo for warm up this weekend at our national champs though so we'll see how it goes. Lots of other people do it so it should be fine. We've got a Tacx turbo and use their special nuts on the axle so that it fits into the clamp mechanism, works fine. https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/...CABEgKnhfD_BwE

i use mine on my computrainer all the time. Of course that's a wheel based system. I've never seen anyone space out a direct drive and run it... It might come down to a spacing issue...not sure.

I know Lemond made an adapter for their Revolution to run fixed, but now that they are defunkt not sure about that setup. Sorry can't be much more help.

Hi, Maurerre. Welcome to the forum and welcome back to the sport!

In generaly, yes, if you can fit the track bike on to the trainer (however things are affixed for that particular trainer) then it will work. But, yes, most of these trainers are not designed with track bikes in mind, so it's not uncommon to have to hack together a solution.

The devil is in the details. When you get a short list of trainer options, then maybe ask if anyone here has made it work. Or see if you can take your track bike to your local bike shop and hook it up and try before you buy.

You could probably get a track bike to work on something like a Wahoo Snap, but probably not on a direct drive one (i.e. one with a cassette and no rear wheel.)

Or, you could look at something like Inside Ride rollers, which have a smart adapter option.

I don't see why direct-drive wouldn't work if you have a 3/32" chainring and chain, just choose the cog in the rear that gives you the straightest chainline. Obviously 1/8" chain/chainring wouldn't work.

Most direct drive trainers are designed around 130mm+ rear spacing and therefore wouldn't be compatible with 120mm track spacing.

I've seen people use a track bike with the Wahoo Kickr and really like it. I'm not sure how they got it to work, though. But, it's possible with the version of the Kickr that was around in 2014. I think they have a newer model now, though.

Wahoo is based here in Atlanta...I really need to know more about their stuff :D

I've used some of their smaller bike bits. It's well made and I've only heard good thing. But, yeah, they could throw us trackies a bone. I've traded emails with some of their product developers asking for such.

Sent a message to KICKR
 

I sent a message to KICKR about compatibility with 120mm spacing. We'll see what they say.

Really interested in the reply you get, I don’t believe it’s possible but hope I’m wrong.

There's definitely a way to put a track bike on a direct drive trainer, because that's what they've hooked their BTs upto in these photos, but I don't think it's mainstream, or the teams are playing it close to the chest because I sent Anette Edmondson a message about it and she never replied.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BIT2WPpg...-by=nettieedmo

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHCA92dg...-by=nettieedmo

Most of these trainers have endcaps that can be swapped for changing to 135mm spacing or thru axle so it may be possible to use custom machined pieces to get 120mm spacing. It doesn't matter which side the 10mm comes from since it doesn't really matter if its centered anyways. On my Direto there's no available space on the NDS so I would have to machine a second FHB and drive side cap to get to 120mm.

Yup.

It's probably something a decent machinist can do. But, not anything that a company feels like doing and supporting for the small track market.

neat. If a cheapo kickr comes up some time it might be a fun project

I think it would be interesting to mimic the set-up of the BT's ATS trainer to work with a smart trainer instead of their fan drive. I think that would give one the most versatility when it comes to dialing in your training.

Kickr is a great trainer. Well built and awesome feel, lots of flywheel. The non-drive side end cap gets flipped to adjust axle spacing. I’m guessing a custom sized one would be an inexpensive machining job since no great precision would be required. There are a number of inexpensive kits out there to convert a cassette to single speed with chain line adjustment. That would allow 1/8” chain. You could dial in the resistance in erg for steady state stuff so gear selection would not be a big deal. Power tracks pretty close to my SRM. It would not be fixed, the only down side. Would let you train on your track or Pursuit bike.

I’ll have to measure up the end cap & see if there is enough room to machine the 130 side back 10mm, replacement adapter is $20. Might be fun.

Edit: Measured and there is only 5mm available to machine the 130mm spacer flush with the frame. Not quite enough.

Heard back from Wahoo
 

I heard back from Wahoo. They said it wasn't possible on the KICKR due to the horizontal dropouts, which I take to mean the 120mm dropout spacing constraint. I'll email TacX about the EVO.

Of course they will say that. The solution is a hack that is not officially supported.

Tacx will say the same due to liability reasons.

It's the spacing, although I could see why there might be a concern for dropout stress on a direct drive. When set up for 130mm spacing the clearance between the inside of the non-drive dropout and the frame is 5mm. Revising spacing from the drive side would require a replacement for the Cassette as well as the "axle". You would end up with something like the LeMond Revolution kit mentioned above (looked that up & it was a very cool idea).

https://www.bikerumor.com/2015/11/03...compatibility/

I bought a Lemond Revolution yesterday and since I only have fixed gear bikes :love:, I plan on making a fixed gear adapter for it. (I couldn't pass it up since it has the rare 'wattbox' power meter add on).

I reached out to Lemond requesting a drawing of the adapter they used to sell, and they expectedly declined stating that it was proprietary. Even without a drawing, I don't think it'll be hard to draw one up and turn one since I have access to a lathe at our engineering offices.

I'll let you guys know how it goes.

sweet, good luck! It doesn't look like too complex of piece fortunately

https://photos.app.goo.gl/SzD5IzUJ5zeihO113

Turns out the feed on our lathe is broken, so I wouldn't be able to thread this. so I just sent this to our local CNC machine shop and should have it next week.

If the prototype turns out well, I'll have more made.

(edited: photo link fixed)

No reply from this gal still? I'd love to get my track bikes on my Kickr.

No reply from this gal still? I'd love to get my track bikes on my Kickr.

To me, it looks like Lemond trainer with track adapter.
It's really hard to find this adapter in US.
However, my friend in Korea said he can find the adapter in Korea.
https://www.bikerumor.com/2015/11/03...compatibility/
I saw Aussie team pursuit racers using for their training and workup