Rear tyre damage from Indoor trainer

[NordicElf]

I'm trying to establish if my indoor trainer did this or I got a dud tyre. I was running Conti Ultra Sport did more than 5000km's on them including indoor trainer time, couple of hours a week. Only changed the tyres because I was doing a 1800km tour and wanted new tyres. I put gatorskins on, did my tour and did a few hours of indoor trainer work on them and the Gatorskins have developed bumps.

 

I can feel them on very smooth surfaces and on the indoor trainer. There are 2 that I've found, only on the rear tyre. It's weird to describe them but they are like protrusions on the road contact surface, not the side walls. 

 

It seems likely to me that it's caused by the indoor trainer. Is this usually the type of damage an IDT does? And why did I have nothing like that with the Ultra Sports?

 

I know I should buy a different wheel for the trainer... 

[JA-Q001]

I'm trying to establish if my indoor trainer did this or I got a dud tyre. I was running Conti Ultra Sport did more than 5000km's on them including indoor trainer time, couple of hours a week. Only changed the tyres because I was doing a 1800km tour and wanted new tyres. I put gatorskins on, did my tour and did a few hours of indoor trainer work on them and the Gatorskins have developed bumps.

 

I can feel them on very smooth surfaces and on the indoor trainer. There are 2 that I've found, only on the rear tyre. It's weird to describe them but they are like protrusions on the road contact surface, not the side walls. 

 

It seems likely to me that it's caused by the indoor trainer. Is this usually the type of damage an IDT does? And why did I have nothing like that with the Ultra Sports?

 

I know I should buy a different wheel for the trainer... 

Well, you answered your own question...

 

I may add that the gatorskin does have a harder carcass and this could be the cause for it bubbling easier. This is one of the reasons why all tyre  manufacturers are making trainer specific tyres. 

 

Maybe build / buy a cheap rear wheel and put a trainer tyre on this.

[Martin PJ]

I find the tire gets shredded when the resistance is not dialled in enough. On my giant trainer I would dial in the metal ring until it just touched the tire around the whole revolution, then dial it in two and a half more turns. So then the tire was pressing against the tire very tightly. This way the tire does not slip when you are putting in big efforts.

[lechatnoir]

the recommendation is to use an IDT-specific tyre on a trainer. They run cooler and deal with the friction better. The trainer has a very focused point of contact with the tyre and with decent resistance, it can affect the surface of the tyre. Seems that's what's happened.

[NordicElf]

Well, you answered your own question...

 

I may add that the gatorskin does have a harder carcass and this could be the cause for it bubbling easier. This is one of the reasons why all tyre  manufacturers are making trainer specific tyres. 

 

Maybe build / buy a cheap rear wheel and put a trainer tyre on this.

 

 

I was kind of hoping it wasn't the indoor trainer... because if it is I'm going to have to do something about it. Maybe for now I'll stick with the Ultra Sports, but maybe I got lucky with no damage on them. If I spend money on wheels I want to buy something really nice... it feels like a grudge purchase for the IDT.

[Butterbean]

I use electrical tape on the outside of the tyre before I use it on the IDT. Two layers and super cheap. Works great and no changing of wheels/tyres/anything. Put tape on, pull off before i go for a proper ride

[BaGearA]

I use electrical tape on the outside of the tyre before I use it on the IDT. Two layers and super cheap. Works great and no changing of wheels/tyres/anything. Put tape on, pull off before i go for a proper ride

This sounds like a good although cumbersome solution

[NordicElf]

I use electrical tape on the outside of the tyre before I use it on the IDT. Two layers and super cheap. Works great and no changing of wheels/tyres/anything. Put tape on, pull off before i go for a proper ride

 

 

oooh I like this idea...

 

My next question is: should I change out these bumpy tyres? the bumps are hard. So far it's just annoying on the trainer.

[Veebee]

also had this happen on a Gatorskin on my Cycleops Fluid2. I asked the question before hand but was told the Cycleops trainers don't destroy tyres.

 

Best solution is to find a cheap rear wheel and just mount the tyre on there for trainer use. That's what my plan is but having difficulty finding a cheap 11spd wheel at the moment.

[Morwa]

Jip...... I had the same issue.  Got about 1000km on a new Gatorskin....  The sidewalls are done.....  Looks like carbon black on the ground, and on the trainer after a session.  Paid the school fees.....  sometimes it's quite expensive.

 

I got myself a cheap Kenda indoor trainer tyre....  Problem sorted!

[HOEKVLAG]

the recommendation is to use an IDT-specific tyre on a trainer. They run cooler and deal with the friction better. The trainer has a very focused point of contact with the tyre and with decent resistance, it can affect the surface of the tyre. Seems that's what's happened.

This is exactly my experience. Generally the normal road tyres  can't take the heat generated on the trainer and funny things happen - I've had the rubber come completely of the casing. therefore I use a trainer tyre.