I have a 2012 Transition that spends the majority of its life on a trainer (99%?) and it has no damage from the trainer that I know of. The wife has a 2013 Slice - Same story.

Do what you want, but fear of trainer damage is unfounded.

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"...the street finds its own uses for things"

I would lean toward training on the race bike. I enjoy my bike, even when standing still. Plus, it guarantees you will be maximally adjusted to the fit and position.

I'd say keep it on the trainer. Trying to sell a 10+ old tri bike is hard to just give away. Better make use of it and keep it on the trainer that way if you need to sneak a ride in the dark or on a rainy day, you can just hop on the trainer.

I've had a dedicated trainer bike for about 3 years now and wouldn't go back to not having one. About 6-7 years ago I bought a low end CX bike to use as a commuter. When I stopped commuting by bike (actually started run commuting because I moved closer to work), I considered selling it but realized I'd only be able to get about $400-$500 for it. I put it on the trainer and don't think I've taken it off at all since then. Yes, the geometry is different from my outside bikes but it doesn't bother me as I still ride outside 2-3 times per week.

If your position is the same on both bikes there's no advantage to using the new bike on the trainer. While the trainer does put some stress on the dropouts, there's usually no problem with most bikes but you do hear occasional anecdotes from time to time in which damage occurred on the trainer and the manufacturer wouldn't warranty it. The other potential issue is with sweat corroding the metal parts if you're not careful to keep sweat off or clean the bike afterwards. There's also a minor convenience factor with just keeping one bike on the trainer.

It's for you to decide if the money you'd get from selling your old bike is worth more to you than the factors I've outlined above.

I can't overstate the convenience of a dedicated trainer bike. Avoiding a couple of minutes of setup/breakdown makes a big difference for me mentally, by removing a perceived hurdle to a workout. It also lets the indoor-only bike stay VERY clean, which is nice.

You should be able to match your position on both bikes, or your fitter/LBS can. Consider getting identical saddles so your rear end gets accustomed. If you still ride outside on your race bike, especially in the weeks before a race, you won't be missing anything.

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<The Dew Abides>

I ended up getting a used Speed Concept frame and fork and built it up for the trainer specifically. No brakes, just drivetrain ands power meter. It is matched to the geometry and fit of the race Speed Concept so switching between the indoor ride and the outdoor bike is seamless.

One of the big benefits is the the trainer is always ready to go when I feel like riding. No setup or switching wheels.

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Owner of a few Speed Concepts since 2011.

Turn it into an aero fixie

my vote is dedicated trainer bike.

i placed an order for a wahoo bike because i want my bicycles sitting there waiting to be ridden outside, not tied down to a trainer.

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80/20 Endurance Ambassador

Good grief people....it’s a 15-second wheel swap....unless if you have a trainer with a cassette, in which case it’s about 8 seconds. Honestly, I sorta get this idea/convenience that people want.

But, I think the best question for OP is how much indoor/outdoor riding do you do?? I do 90-95% of rides indoors and still enjoy my “new” bike in the trainer. If I had a dedicated trainer bike, I would barely used the new bike. So how do you plan to use it??

Retire it to the trainer.

My road bike (2005? Fuji Team SL) spent most of last year on the trainer so when I picked up a new frame to build up, I figured I'd move any 'lesser' parts from the parts bin to the Fuji for trainer use, and put nicer stuff on the new build. Already had a cheapo rear wheel with a trainer tire and cassette on it, and I left the brakes/tape on it to keep it functional for outdoor riding in case someone ever needs to borrow it. Exact same saddle on both bikes for consistency.

Biggest pro is basically not having to remove it from the trainer and swap the rear wheel out etc for riding outside (not that it was a huge deal to do that, but still nicer not to have to).

My old Elite T-Class that I used to race with is now my dedicated trainer bike. I stopped doing tri's a while back and switched to a road bike, so the old tri bike serves a different purpose now.

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"You can never win or lose if you don't run the race." - Richard Butler

Thanks. Internet's all over the place w/frame damage from trainers. How much of a realistic concern should this be!?

I'd just leave it on the trainer. I don't have a dedicated trainer bike but my road bike is most frequently on there. I mostly train on my road bike, indoors and out, until I get closer to races then I switch over and make sure to do a lot of my longer outdoor rides on my tri bike

This^^^^^^^^

There's a lot to be said for just being able to hop on and ride....both indoors and out.

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ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

a
Thanks. Trainer really just snow days etc (the only thing that keeps me indoors). I'm in DC so I can still otherwise bike outdoors throughout the winter on my roadie w/trainer wheels. So, your question makes me think it's not worth taking up the space w/a third bike seeing that my new tri will spend all winter on the trainer.

Thanks again.

I have an ancient aluminum Felt F75 that Ive had on the trainer for years.

x2.

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

I'm a heavy sweater when i train inside, their is no way i put my race bike on the trainer.

That been say, i have the same saddle on both bike, and i did my best to replicate the position.

I was essentially unable to train outside before my last IM. i didn't have any issue going from one to the other (4:40:00 bike split)

This. I think most people tend to sweat more on the bike indoors. It is amazing how much damage sweat can do to your bike. The corrosion can be severe. I try to keep my trainer bike wiped down and clean, still I know the sweat is just soaking into various parts on the cockpit and steer tube. Ever seen bar tape pulled off a bike that has been on a trainer for a while? I have zero desire to have that happen to my main bike.

Also, I can just go hop on my trainer without having to do anything but plug in the trainer and turn on my Apple TV. So convenient. It is not too much trouble to set up my trainer, pull the bike off the wall, take off the wheel, put it on the trainer, wash the chain grease off my hands, and then ride. And then doing the reverse when I am done. Still, it is so much easier not having to do that.

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"Remember: a bicycle is an elegant and efficient tool designed for seeking out and defeating people who aren't as good as you."

--BikeSnobNYC

INDOOR sweat... got it! Makes sense.

1/10. How does giving us your bike split give us any indication you didn’t have any trouble going from one to to other????

Same

I have an old C-dale six13 CF/Aluminum mix frame with clip-on aero bars. It has its own dedicated Quarq power meter sitting on a Gen1 Kickr. I try to keep the bike clean and dry and yet even the aluminum components, like the shifters, have etching where sweat has run down them. Sweat has penetrated under the clear coat and is bubbling up in a few places where the frame is aluminum. I would not want my newish Felt IA to go through that and with this old road bike it simply does not matter.

It functions really well for daily indoor training. I have it set up to use the power meter control in the application and there is no need for a warm up and spin down. I just jump on and go at it and this is really important because I am very time crunched during the work week.

I have no issues training on this bike and the going to a more aggressive fit and different geometry on the Felt IA for outdoor training.

I’m a fairly heavy sweater although maybe not as heavy as some so others may have a different opinion. I just put a towel covering the handlebars, have a fan blasting, and wipe the sweat off occasionally. I’ve never had an issue with a trainer bike. But to be fair, I also will take the bike outside for a ride at minimum once a month and end up washing it at that point.