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Trainer Popping Tubes?
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 2013-12-15 6:33 PM |
Member  166   Delco, PA |  Subject: Trainer Popping Tubes?I bought a Sunlite Forza F2 Mag Trainer a year ago and have used it 3x a week from December-April and November-now. I've gone through the same routine every time when using it: mount the bike, turn the resistance to 4 turns, do the workout, then release the resistance so it's not in contact with the tire. Recently, my tube got a hole in it. I couldn't understand why because it was only on the trainer, but didn't think too much into it and bought a new tube. I inspected the tire all around to make sure nothing was in there and there wasn't. Replaced the tube, blew it up to the usual PSI, then left it overnight. No air lost. Mounted the bike back onto the trainer and did my workout, then right when I get off I realized air was lost, then blew it back up and lost air again. Hole in tube again. I checked the trainer's magnetic wheel to make sure there's no odd ridges or defects in it and there aren't. How is this happening?? Is there something I'm missing? |
| 2013-12-15 8:44 PM in reply to: C_Hassard |
Veteran 572 Hudson Valley | Subject: RE: Trainer Popping Tubes? Trainers that make contact with tires have a lot of heat build-up, leading to "melted" inner tubes. One solution has been to use a tire specifically designed for trainers. These tires dissipate heat better. The downside is yet another expense. I use a Lemond trainer. It has a direct drive, so there are no tires. I remove the rear wheel and place the Lemond trainer in the rear dropouts and ride. The sound from the fan is loud when on the trainer; however, it's a whisper when in the next room of the house. If absolute quiet is more your thing, CycleOps has a new magnetic direct drive trainer that costs the same ($650) as a Lemond trainer. |
| 2013-12-15 9:22 PM in reply to: C_Hassard |
| 26 | Subject: RE: Trainer Popping Tubes? I have used a cheap rear tire on my Kinetic trainer for well over 1,000 miles. No issues. No popped tubes. I don't buy this "tube melting" theory, sorry. Are you sure the issue is not mechanical, like bad rim tape, or something stuck in the tire? |
| 2013-12-15 9:24 PM in reply to: C_Hassard |
| 26 | Subject: RE: Trainer Popping Tubes? I have used a cheap rear tire on my Kinetic trainer for well over 1,000 miles. No issues. No popped tubes. I don't buy this "tube melting" theory, sorry. Are you sure the issue is not mechanical, like bad rim tape, or something stuck in the tire? Can you describe the type of hole you're getting? Either way I would invest in a $2 patch kit. |
| 2013-12-16 12:13 AM in reply to: sentient.couch |
Expert 1484 | Subject: RE: Trainer Popping Tubes? I've done thousands of trainer miles. Have had a tire come apart, but never a tube pop. Check for rim tape issues, a sharp hidden in the tire, the rim coming apart at the seam (you'll feel a slight edge on the inside) or other means of tube damage. |
| 2013-12-16 6:13 AM in reply to: C_Hassard |
Pro 5892 , New Hampshire | Subject: RE: Trainer Popping Tubes? I agree with others, there's something else going on… Take the tire and tube out and run a cotton swab along the rim. If it catches on anything, then you know where the problem stems from. Do the same on the inside of the tire, nothing should catch. Trainer specific tires do make a big difference though… much less heat (although I don't buy the melting of the tube… that would require significant more heat that the friction would generate) and most important no slip leading a higher quality work outs. |
| 2013-12-16 5:19 PM in reply to: audiojan |
Member 166 Delco, PA | Subject: RE: Trainer Popping Tubes? To answer some questions, I thoroughly inspected the rim (didn't think to do that until reading these suggestions) and tire but still didn't find anything, even after aligning where the hole on the tube was. It's a very small hole about an inch away from the valve and on the top (opposite side of the rim) of the tube. I couldn't even see the hole, just found it by running my finger along it and felt the air. It's leaking very, very slowly as well. Definitely nothing on the tire or rim. Also I know it happened during the trainer ride because I left it pumped up the night before and didn't lose any air. I'm going to buy a patch kit like sentient.couch suggested instead of continuously buying new $8 Bontrager tubes (only ones my LBS carries) only to see them pop everytime I use the trainer. Neither a rim nor tire issue, and I don't think it's overheating simply because I've used the same trainer for hundreds of workouts before. Anything else it could possibly be?
All help is appreciated guys
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| 2013-12-16 6:32 PM in reply to: C_Hassard |
Veteran 572 Hudson Valley | Subject: RE: Trainer Popping Tubes? Maybe the tire is making too much contact with the trainer's rollor. The tire should make just enough contact with the trainer to avoid slipping. If you can see the tire spread against the trainer BEFORE you get on the bike, then there is too much contact. |
| 2013-12-16 6:56 PM in reply to: Six000MileYear |
Member 166 Delco, PA | Subject: RE: Trainer Popping Tubes? Originally posted by Six000MileYear Maybe the tire is making too much contact with the trainer's rollor. The tire should make just enough contact with the trainer to avoid slipping. If you can see the tire spread against the trainer BEFORE you get on the bike, then there is too much contact.
That may very well be it. I turn the knob four times after making contact. However, this is only because I'll barely get any resistance if it's just touching the wheel, even in the hardest gearing. Also, I've used that resistance a lot almost every time I've used the trainer beforehand. |
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