Carbon Frame Bikes on Trainers?

I think this is an "old husband's tale." 

Think how much guys like Lance ride their hi-tech carbon frames on a trainer, warming up for time trials, road races, etc.  It's not uncommon for them to be on the trainer for an hour or more.  Good enough for them, good enough for me!  My carbon fork has seen 2 years of trainer use with no problems, and that's the part that's locked solidly into the trainer.  I think bike shop guy is either blowing smoke or has some weird friends (or both).

One word: Rollers

I ride on the trainer during the season, but for the winter I do everything on rollers. I'm not trying to peg my HR or anything then and they give more than enough resistance to get some good base time in.

For some reason, lots of people are terrified of rollers. I can't understand this. There's no reason that anyone who can ride a bike can't successfully ride rollers.

Tommy

 Edit:  My carbon bike has a lifetime warranty on the frame, so I would be the last person to be concerned as to whether it might damage the frame or not.  That said, I ride on rollers all winter because I like them.

Heh. Good point.

Thanks for the input...I trust you guys.

I agree breaking 6 frames seems odd.

I'd like to see actual proof and not just opinion that this is damaging to a frame.  Read all the warranty information from Felt regarding their frames, and also read their road frame care guide.  Nowhere in either does it warn against use on a trainer, not does it say that trainer riding voids the warranty.  I would think if it's an issue, they certainly would address it, seeing how common that trainer riding is to most road cyclists and triathletes.  Litigation attorneys eat this stuff for breakfast...I'm certain that Felt has their bases covered.

Here are some modulus of elasticity figures for several bike frame materials, based on Young's Modulus in GPa:

Aluminum:  69

Titanium:  105 - 120 

Carbon Fiber:  150

Carbon Steel:  190 - 210

It would appear that both aluminum and titanium would be even more susceptible to frame fatigue and breakage than carbon fiber.  But I have heard nothing from the industry nor from bike riders over the past 20 years relating tales of frame fracture from trainer usage.

Sure the manufacturers are not going to warranty their frames for damage caused by fatigue, but fatigue can also occur during road usage.  Modulus of elasticity values however would show that carbon fiber is more forgiving than aluminum in this respect.

How about a call to the manufacturer? It does seem like if that's such a big no-no, they would have covered it in the warranty.

Abnormal wear and tear on a bike usually refers to things like crashing, clamping a carbon tube in a repair stand or riding your road bike down stairs.