Turbo Set up Advice

TRTR ✭✭✭

My Tack Sirius Turbo has arrived and I've set it up. I need to get a new chain on the bike (hoepfully arriving in post tomorrow) before I can adjust the rolling resistance though.

It says to remove the quick release mechanism from the bike wheel and fit the one that comes with the turbo every time you want to turbo. Do folks really do this ? It looks the same size as the bike one to me.

Comments

  • You must swap them.  The Taxc one fits snugly into the trainer and provides all the support - you don't want that coming loose as you are in the middle of a sprint on the trainer.  Equally, the Taxc ones aren't brilliant for use on the road as they seem to have a tendancy to work loose without the clamp pressing on them, and they are very heavy. 

    I have a separate tyre/wheel for the trainer so I admit it's not a proble, for me, but it's not exactly a huge problem is it?

  • TRTR ✭✭✭

    Fair enough, thank you.

    I didnt realise that they came right out, I thought it was part of the wheel !

  • I don't swop them and I've never had one come loose.
  • I think cos there is so many types of skewers the one provided is meant for the job, as Pops said you don't 'have' to but as Dunc said, if you have 30 secs its no big deal. However, if the weather stays the way it is, it;ll be rude to stay indoors image
  • Yes, if your existing skewer fits OK then it fits and there is no need to swop it.   It's just that with so many different shaped skewers nowadays they have to provide one that definitely fits and they are just recommending you use that rather than faff about saying you might be able to use your existing skewer and you might not.   Basically if it holds it solid with the existing one just use that.  

    From memory the tacx skewer also has a hole in one end so it can adapt to narrower spaced rear triangles - well the one that came with mine did but that's a few years old now.

  • Pops - Sorry to disagree, but the taxc ones are designed to fit into the lugs within the turbo frame, and the side with the lever is especially deep beyound the lever  to provide the support needed for when you are riding.  I can accept that using the tacx outside, assuming yours hold better than my (admittedly very old) one, but I would never want to advise anyone to try riding on a turbo with the incorrect  skewer.
  • TRTR ✭✭✭

    It does indeed have a hole in the end.

    I agree its only 30 secs, just wondered cos I only have one road bike. 

    I dont intend to be rude and do intend to get outdoors quite often, but  rather than tag the occasional hour onto my 20 Mins commute to work I'll do an hour on the turbo first. And do the odd hard hour here and there of an evening.

    I'm a cycling novice so am hopeful it'll help my improvement.

  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    Anyway, thanks for the help, I'll try it out tomorrow (when the chain arrives).
  • May be useful info, but the chain as sent will probably be a few links too long.  Compare it with the old one, but you normally need to take a few inches out before you fit it.  Only saying as you said you're a cycling newbie and may not realise.

  • TR wrote (see)

    My Tack Sirius Turbo has arrived and I've set it up. I need to get a new chain on the bike (hoepfully arriving in post tomorrow) before I can adjust the rolling resistance though.

    It says to remove the quick release mechanism from the bike wheel and fit the one that comes with the turbo every time you want to turbo. Do folks really do this ? It looks the same size as the bike one to me.


    Santa brought me a Sirius for Christmas, very happy with it.  I brought a cheaper version of the same make wheel (so can use it for backup), put their skewer and a turbo tyre on it.  I think it will get through normal tyres quite quick.

    Theirs is held in place in the lugs very well, giving a lot of confidence.  Good luck.

  • TRTR ✭✭✭

    D74 - thanks. All advice is most welcome - itching to get turbo-ing, I hope it arrives tomorrow.

    NE - thanks

    I actually received two of em, cos my adress was put on somebody elses turbo box too. I reckoned that once Mr Clough phones up to wondering where his Turbo is they'll check the despatch info and might twig that I've got it. So I contacted the shop and told em, they were most impressed by my honesty and so I asked em for a cheeky bit of "goodwill" as a reward - to which they agreed. Not sure what it is yet though, but I reckon I could have bagged a few quid for the turbo on E-bay. 

  • You aren't really disagreeing Dunc - if the standard skewer fits the turbo then it's fine - if it doesn't then not fine which is what you are saying too - at one time everyone just used a traditional type skewer in the turbo and thought nothing of it.
  • "I'm a cycling novice so am hopeful it'll help my improvement."

    Hey, if its good enough for the pros its good enough for us. And yes there is a definate place for turbo sets against getting all kitted up for an hour on the roads.

  • Iron Rose wrote (see)
    "I'm a cycling novice so am hopeful it'll help my improvement." 

    Hey, if its good enough for the pros its good enough for us. And yes there is a definate place for turbo sets against getting all kitted up for an hour on the roads.

    I'd say I'm a realative (racing) novice, and turbo novice.  I'm sure many people will say getting  out on the road is what you need.  But workouts on my turbo with Spinerval training dvds have been excellent. 
  • TRTR ✭✭✭

    Chain on - had to remove 3 links (good for spares on long rides !), and turbo set up. I found it better with a lower turbo resisatnce and used the bike gears (similar to the ones I would use on the road) - otherwise it was slipping a bit.

    Banged out 60 mins. Thats opened the door to a whole new world of aerobic abuse.

  • TR... if you want to carry a spare link, I would recomend that you get a speed link.  Screw out the broken pin, whack the speed link in and connect the two ends of the chain and ride off.  I've got one on the chain all the time so that I can take it off the bike for cleaning.  I blagged a couple of them for free from the LBS when I was getting a load of other stuff.  One on the chain and one in my saddle bag as my emergency kit.
  • TRTR ✭✭✭

    Good idea on the speed link. I was thinking of carrying the 3 spare links.

    been using the turbo for a couple of weeks and its great stuff - but flipping hard work. I've been struggling to get my HR up due to my numpty cycling legs, but have started pedalling bigger gears and am getting used to it a bit.

    I noticed a bit of tyre wear after a recent session and the wheel was coming to a stop quite quickly after stopping pedalling. I had the resistance set to level 2 (of 10). So I backed the adjustment off a bit and used it on level 4 today and then used the bike gears to adjust the cadence.

    How do others folks adjust the level and resistance ? How do you know when it is properly adjusted ?

  • You should so a roll down test.  The roller should be pressed so that it just slips when you accelerate hard from standstill, but then doesn't slip when in use.  A turbo tyre will make the whole experience a lot better.
  • Check which way the resistance goes.  For some reason mine has 1 as the hardest and 10 as the easiest.
  • D74 wrote (see)
    The roller should be pressed so that it just slips when you accelerate hard from standstill, but then doesn't slip when in use. 
    Is this potential to slip not a bit dangerous?  I would feel a lot safer knowing it wouldn't slip no matter what I done to it...
  • Nope, why would it be dangerous? image
  • not that sort of slip Neil ... its only be and Barlos that fall off trubos!
  • Pink wrote (see)
    Nope, why would it be dangerous? image
    One of the spinnervals DVD's I use, repeatly do intervals standing up at high cadence.  I need to be confident when going up on the peddles that their is no slip between the wheel and roller.
  • But the roller is smooth metal.  If you wang the pressure up to the point there is no chance of slip then that's going to cause a lot of deformation of the tube / tyre and strain on the rim and won't make for a smooth pedalling motion.  I'm only talking about slight slips, and I've never had a real problem with any intervals I've done.
  • D74 What you says makes sense.  I've only had mty turbo since christmas, I think its the same as taking corners at speed, you gain confidence with experience.
  • Pink wrote (see)
    Nope, why would it be dangerous? image


    One of the spinnervals DVD's I use, repeatly do intervals standing up at high cadence.  I need to be confident when going up on the peddles that their is no slip between the wheel and roller.

    Sorry repeated message (just don't ask me why), I just work on computers all day.......

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