Trainer for fixed-gear bike
#1
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Trainer for fixed-gear bike
My wife has a fixed-speed, coaster-brake bike that fits her. But my trainer is designed for a bike with a cassette and quick-release skewered axles. The axle on her bike is short (6" long with no cassette) and held in by bolts on either side (no quick-release). Is there a trainer or a trick that would let her use the bike indoors during our snowy weather? Many thanks!
#2
Clark W. Griswold
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You cannot have a fixed gear with a coaster brake however you can have a freewheel with a coaster brake and that could be a single speed. You can use rollers quite easily but any trainer that isn't direct drive could potentially work, Saris/Cycleops, Tacx, Kinetic...all make some fine trainers.
#3
Full Member
Rollers are easier to use than you might think. Modern ones have "waisted" rollers which draw the wheels back towards the centre. Riding on rollers requires a certain amount of concentration and is therefore not completely boring. Rollers can be adjusted to fit any bike.
#4
Senior Member
Regarding riding a fixie on rollers, I do it all the time. I also sometimes ride my fixie on a wheel-on trainer. The difference is that the rollers require concentration to avoid crashing. On the trainer, I can zone out and watch TV while I ride.
Regarding rollers, there are several varieties. Most brands have straight cylindrical rollers - Minoura, Inside Ride, TruTrainer, Kreitler, CycleOps, Masvis, Rock Bros, & Saris. The TruTrainer and Inside Ride rollers are available with small wheels on a vertical axis that serve as bumpers to keep the front wheel of the bike from going off the roller. Some brands have rollers that are straight cylinders with a flare at either end to catch the wheels before they go off - Elite, Tengma, & Souzier. One brand has rollers that taper down in diameter toward the middle - TACX. Another brand has rollers that taper up in diameter toward the middle - Crown.
That TACX and Crown have adopted opposite solutions for keeping the wheels on the rollers is perplexing. I have TACX rollers and can attest that I can easily ride off the ends of the rollers; however, TACX rollers do seem to be popular with YouTubers who do bike roller stunts. I'd like to try the Crown rollers, but they are pricey.
Regarding rollers, there are several varieties. Most brands have straight cylindrical rollers - Minoura, Inside Ride, TruTrainer, Kreitler, CycleOps, Masvis, Rock Bros, & Saris. The TruTrainer and Inside Ride rollers are available with small wheels on a vertical axis that serve as bumpers to keep the front wheel of the bike from going off the roller. Some brands have rollers that are straight cylinders with a flare at either end to catch the wheels before they go off - Elite, Tengma, & Souzier. One brand has rollers that taper down in diameter toward the middle - TACX. Another brand has rollers that taper up in diameter toward the middle - Crown.
That TACX and Crown have adopted opposite solutions for keeping the wheels on the rollers is perplexing. I have TACX rollers and can attest that I can easily ride off the ends of the rollers; however, TACX rollers do seem to be popular with YouTubers who do bike roller stunts. I'd like to try the Crown rollers, but they are pricey.
#5
Senior Member
I have been riding my fixed gear on the trainer for the last 3 weeks as I am recovering from pacemaker surgery. With any luck I can ride outdoors next week.
Fixed gear on trainer
Riding indoors as I am recovering from pacemaker installation
Fixed gear on trainer
Riding indoors as I am recovering from pacemaker installation
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#6
Clark W. Griswold
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Good luck with recovery...I like the new training duds from Rapha!
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#8
Clark W. Griswold
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Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
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#9
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You cannot have a fixed gear with a coaster brake however you can have a freewheel with a coaster brake and that could be a single speed. You can use rollers quite easily but any trainer that isn't direct drive could potentially work, Saris/Cycleops, Tacx, Kinetic...all make some fine trainers.
Her bike is not truly a 'fixed gear' bike. It's a simple one-speed, with coaster brakes. Bolts on either side hold the 6" axle in place. The sockets on my trainer (into which the quick-release mechanism on my road bikes slide) don't come together close enough to grab the short axle on her bike, and I'm pretty sure she wouldn't be comfortable with rollers.
Thanks again for recommendations/solutions!
#10
Thank you, Veganbikes, and others for clarifying my use of words.
Her bike is not truly a 'fixed gear' bike. It's a simple one-speed, with coaster brakes. Bolts on either side hold the 6" axle in place. The sockets on my trainer (into which the quick-release mechanism on my road bikes slide) don't come together close enough to grab the short axle on her bike, and I'm pretty sure she wouldn't be comfortable with rollers.
Thanks again for recommendations/solutions!
Her bike is not truly a 'fixed gear' bike. It's a simple one-speed, with coaster brakes. Bolts on either side hold the 6" axle in place. The sockets on my trainer (into which the quick-release mechanism on my road bikes slide) don't come together close enough to grab the short axle on her bike, and I'm pretty sure she wouldn't be comfortable with rollers.
Thanks again for recommendations/solutions!
Otto
#11
Just got a saris m2, currently using with 120mm rear track wheel. The trainer cups fit fine without qr scewer, using 15mm track nuts on the wheel. I would guess they use the same cups for all their trainers and checking on line they fit 120mm wheels for most of the trainers.
#12
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 14,654
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Liked 4,566 Times
in
3,057 Posts
Thank you, Veganbikes, and others for clarifying my use of words.
Her bike is not truly a 'fixed gear' bike. It's a simple one-speed, with coaster brakes. Bolts on either side hold the 6" axle in place. The sockets on my trainer (into which the quick-release mechanism on my road bikes slide) don't come together close enough to grab the short axle on her bike, and I'm pretty sure she wouldn't be comfortable with rollers.
Thanks again for recommendations/solutions!
Her bike is not truly a 'fixed gear' bike. It's a simple one-speed, with coaster brakes. Bolts on either side hold the 6" axle in place. The sockets on my trainer (into which the quick-release mechanism on my road bikes slide) don't come together close enough to grab the short axle on her bike, and I'm pretty sure she wouldn't be comfortable with rollers.
Thanks again for recommendations/solutions!