Anyone Use Roller Specific Tyres?

[Hergest]

I've just started using rollers and am using my 2001 Lemond which rarely gets an outing these days. It's set up for road use so has Continental 4000S II on the same as my Lynskey. On the rollers they generate a lot of heat and a definite rubber smell which makes me think they will wear quick. I see Continental does a specific tyre for rollers which are cheaper and appear to be made for purpose. I'm just wondering if anyone uses similar and if they are in fact better than sticking with the road tyres or is there not really much in it?

Thanks

[andrewjcw]

As with many things, there are many advocates for using or not using a trainer tyre. The Zwift Facebook group is full of both arguments. Tyres do wear out on trainers, but wheel slip and deterioration are common problems as well. Keep in mind a trainer tyre cannot be used outside at all, so it's really only for people with a permanent setup. For anyone else, personally I recommend any half decent training tyre. I think most problems people have with trainer tyres is just using super old or cheap ones that aren't much good for anything anyway.

[g-boaf]

I've just started using rollers and am using my 2001 Lemond which rarely gets an outing these days. It's set up for road use so has Continental 4000S II on the same as my Lynskey. On the rollers they generate a lot of heat and a definite rubber smell which makes me think they will wear quick. I see Continental does a specific tyre for rollers which are cheaper and appear to be made for purpose. I'm just wondering if anyone uses similar and if they are in fact better than sticking with the road tyres or is there not really much in it?

Thanks

From experience, Gatorskin will be longer lasting, funnily enough. The Continental home-trainer tyre doesn't seem to last as long.

If you could afford it, the better bet might just be getting a smart trainer that has a cassette on it and that does away with all the problems of tyres, slipping wheels, etc.

[Discodan]

I use a trainer specific tyre, can't remember which brand as it's at least 5 years old and going strong. I got a cheap cassette and have a spare wheel for it so it becomes a 30s job to put the bike on the trainer

[trailgumby]

I use a Vittoria trainer tyre on an old wheelset where the braking track is too worn for safe road use. Easy to swap in and out.

[Hergest]

Thanks for the information so far, gives me something to think about.

[find_bruce]

What pressure are you running & do you intend to go tubeless ?

[Hergest]

What pressure are you running & do you intend to go tubeless ?

100 psi as it's set up for the road and no to tubeless as the wheels won't take them. I'm leaning towards the Conti Home Trainer II as it's only around $35 so might be worth a punt.

[10speedsemiracer]

Same as others. Spare wheel, trainer or soft-compound, slick tyre.

Apparently, anything with puncture-protection (like Schwalbe greenguard etc) develops too much heat due to increased roller-resistance.

I've heard these are good, but haven't tried one myself yet.

https://www.pushys.com.au/schwalbe-insi ... -tyre.html

[andrewjcw]

What pressure are you running & do you intend to go tubeless ?

100 psi as it's set up for the road and no to tubeless as the wheels won't take them. I'm leaning towards the Conti Home Trainer II as it's only around $35 so might be worth a punt.

I mean yeah, but a brand new gatorskin is normally only around $45 off wiggle anyway. My money would be on the gatorskin far outlasting the trainer tyre on the trainer and being a fine tyre for the road too. Up to you though.

[Hergest]

I mean yeah, but a brand new gatorskin is normally only around $45 off wiggle anyway. My money would be on the gatorskin far outlasting the trainer tyre on the trainer and being a fine tyre for the road too. Up to you though.

Fair point but the heat and rubber smell is not particularly pleasant and the post from 10speedsemiracer mentions about heat being generated by the puncture protection. My experience with Gatorskins when I used to commute was that they have a noticeable puncture protection so heat build up and consequent rubber smell might be worse than with the 4000s. I wouldn't use a Gatorskin for normal quick riding anyway as they were so poor when there was any damp on the road.