# Best ways to prolong life of indoor trainer tires



## WEG (Nov 6, 2005)

Hi all

I have a computrainer that gets alot of use - especially this time of year

I like to ride in the AM before heading to work and on the weekends 

I can log base miles and read (work or the internet) or sufferfest, ergvideo etc

I have used old road tires and trainer-specific indoor tires (continental, schwalbe)

They seem to last a couple of months and then become warped and eventually the inner tube will blow if the tire is not changed

Typically with the indoor-specific trainer tires there is not alot of obvious tread wear - just a warped tire

I know that there are alot of threads about this issue but I wanted to get some feedback on best practices to prolong tire life on the indoor trainer

Some things I have read that may help and I am planning to try but would like some feedback

1. Place fan near rear tire/drum to minimize heat buildup

2. Pump up tube/tire to maximum pressure (not sure why this would help)

3. Use a larger tube (25-28c vs 18-23c)

4. Use a less expensive but wider tire (28c)

5. Apply very light pressure between the drum and the tire (not sure why this would help)

Anyway - any suggestions are much appreciated 

Seems like most of these threads are focused on what brand of tire to use, or whether using old road tires or trainer-specific tires is best 

I tend to like the trainer-specific tires as I think they get longer life - but as it stands I seem to be wearing out the indoor trainer tires more quickly than the road tires 

Thanks in advance!!!!!

If I learn anything I will try to update the post


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## Jwiffle (Mar 18, 2005)

Weird....I've been using a conti trainer tire for several years w/o issue


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## nhluhr (Sep 9, 2010)

What the hell is a "warped" tire?

Do you mean the tread appears to have wiggles in it? If that's the case, the tire carcass itself has failed, which may be caused by running it with either too little pressure or too much preload on the trainer's adjustment knob.


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## WEG (Nov 6, 2005)

I have been through several continentals ans one schwalbe 

The problem with the continentals is they form little blisters and then warp

This is a known issue as others have reported it on forums etc

Used a fan tonight directed at the rear wheel and it didn't heat up as much


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## WEG (Nov 6, 2005)

Yes a warped tire is one where the outer tread delaminates from the inner casing

Maybe too little pressure - normally I will inflate to 120 psi but then might not inflate for a week or two - so it may drift down to 80 psi

Usually I try to adjust the preload to computrainer recommended spin down numbers


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## nhluhr (Sep 9, 2010)

WEG said:


> normally I will inflate to 120 psi but then might not inflate for a week or two - so it may drift *down to 80 psi*


Found your problem. You could go with a thorn resistant tube to keep the air from dropping so fast. At 80psi, the roller of a trainer is deforming the tire a huge amount, which is going to wear out the casing post-haste.


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

WEG said:


> Yes a warped tire is one where the outer tread delaminates from the inner casing
> 
> Maybe too little pressure - normally I will inflate to 120 psi
> ...


Actually Continental trainer tires are only rated at 100 psi. When I aired them to 120 psi most of last year, I went through several coming apart as you said.

Now I never go over 100 psi and haven't ruined one since.

I use mine on a Computrainer and usually end up with a calibration between 2.2 and 2.5 after I've warmed the tire up for 5 minutes or so.


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

WEG said:


> Maybe too little pressure - normally I will inflate to 120 psi but then might not inflate for a week or two - so it may drift down to 80 psi


I inflate mine before every trainer ride, just like I do before I ride my bike.


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## simonaway427 (Jul 12, 2010)

I'm on the same continental tire for the 4th year....120psi, just enough tension on the trainer so that the tire doesn't slip during sprints...no fan. I ride about 2000kms per year on the trainer.

Not sure what your issue is.


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## WEG (Nov 6, 2005)

@simonaway427: Not sure either why I am having this problem

I probably log 200+ hours/yr on the computrainer

I think I will go with another continental or schwalbe and use a fan - must be related to heat buildup

Some have recommended a bigger tube so will try that also


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## WEG (Nov 6, 2005)

@MerlinAma: What gear ratio do you run on the Computrainer?

I usually like to be in the 50-17

With a cadence of 100 that puts me at a speed of 25 MPH

That gives me the most realistic road feel - but I wonder if that contributes to killing the tires?


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

WEG said:


> @MerlinAma: What gear ratio do you run on the Computrainer?
> 
> I usually like to be in the 50-17
> 
> ...


That's exactly where I am 95% of the time. 

I still think over inflating the Continental Hometrainer tire causes the outer rubber to get just a little too tight on the casing (stretched) which in turn causes it so split, usually lengthwise.

Re: tube failures, many of mine have been at the valve stem and some because the rim strip finally deformed enough to allow the tube to fail. 

By the way, have you ever used the ErgVideos? They are really great for many reasons.


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## WEG (Nov 6, 2005)

@MerlinAma:

I have many ergvideos and 3 computrainers so I can ride with friends in the basement 

We did the Passo Stelvio North this AM - awesome!


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## Alex_Simmons/RST (Jan 12, 2008)

Use extra thick butyl tubes, they fail less often.

Also if the bike is ridden outside then clean the tyre before pressing up against roller and check for any shards of glass etc, else the roller will eventually force them into the tube. I wipte the tyre with some methylated spirits on a rag.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

I just use Continental Gator Skins. Before that I used old Grand Prix 4000 tires. Weather and work schedule force me to ride indoors a lot. I've never had issues with premature wear.


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## WEG (Nov 6, 2005)

Alex_Simmons/RST said:


> Use extra thick butyl tubes, they fail less often.
> 
> Also if the bike is ridden outside then clean the tyre before pressing up against roller and check for any shards of glass etc, else the roller will eventually force them into the tube. I wipte the tyre with some methylated spirits on a rag.


Great suggestions

Unfortunately, the weak link seems to be the tire not the tube

The tire will become warped and then ultimately the tube will flat 

The continental and schwalbe tires that have failed are trainer-specific - they have never been used outdoors


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## WEG (Nov 6, 2005)

spade2you said:


> I just use Continental Gator Skins. Before that I used old Grand Prix 4000 tires. Weather and work schedule force me to ride indoors a lot. I've never had issues with premature wear.


To be clear wear does not seem to be the issue - rather I think that the rubber heats up and the layers of casing become separated leading to warping of the tire 

I have been using a fan and this seems to help 

I have a new tire on order so I don't ruin the tires I use outside


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

With my tires, pressure, and contact with the trainer, I've never noticed excessive heat back there. Sometimes after a hard workout, the resistance unit gets nice and hot.


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## Jwiffle (Mar 18, 2005)

MerlinAma said:


> Actually Continental trainer tires are only rated at 100 psi.


My Conti trainer tire states max 120 psi on the side. I always pump it to 120. I'm using it on a KK Rock'n'roll, before that I had a Cyclops Mag trainer. I'm not even sure how many years I've been using the same tire without issue. I don't put tons of time on the trainer, as I'll often just bundle up and go out, but certainly it's added up to quite a bit over the years. Let's see, since Jan 2009 according to my records (that's where my records start, but I've actually had the tire on the trainer a year or two longer than that), I've put over 109 hours and 1800 miles on the trainer. I expect the tire will go double that or more (I see no need to replace a trainer tire unless it actually were to wear right through).


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