I bought a cheap tire ($10) to put on bike to use on trainer and it left rubber on the trainer? Has this happened to anyone else? Once the tire breaks-in will this stop or do I need to get a different tire?
Thanks
You are just pushing too many watts:) I have seen your bike splits! But yes, it has happened to me, and I certaintly don’t push too many watts.
I figured that was the problem! haha!
And yes I am at the library on slowtwitch when I should be re-reading Pennoyer v Neff and the fascinating topic of jurisdiction.
Better than Armory v. Delamari and the tale of the lost jewell. Ahh, to be back in school such that I could train 20 hours a week.
It could just be the cheap tire.
It could be your massive wattage output.
It could be that you didn’t put enough roller pressure into the tire. You have to have sufficient pressure of the roller against the tire so it doesn’t slip, otherwise any tire will shred in a trainer. I believe the standard test is to turn the tension knob until a good, sudden jerk spin of the wheel doesn’t allow the tire to slip against the roller. On my old CycleOps, that’s about four good wrist turns of the knob after initial contact of roller and tire is made.
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I did the exact same thing, bought a cheap tire for the trainer and yes, it leaves rubber EVERYWHERE!
The rubber flakes off in fine little chunks. For me there was a big spot on the ground behind the trainer and lots of flakes on the bike, under the bike, all over. They stick to everything too (static electricity?).
After about 20 hours it slows down because much of the tire is ground down. Now it has a big flat spot the entire circumference of the tire. Just waiting for a flat!
Please tell me you didn’t do a 20-hour ride! 
You might try cranking the roller up tighter to the wheel…this may reduce some of your tire wear.
I think it’s the newness rather than the cheapness… usually you’d leave that rubber on the road and not notice it. As long as the roller is good and tight against the tire, it should be fine.
my rear trainer tire is ancient and shows no sign of wear after an hour of sweating on the Tour de Nowhere. The front tire is new, and it leaves a little heap of black shreds around the 2x4 I use as a front wheel prop.
I used to have that problem. I bought a trainer tire and put it on an old rim. Works great!
I think it’s the newness rather than the cheapness…
Agree. I believe that there will be some rubber coming off any new tire. I use an old Conti SuperSport that I leave on a dedicated wheel for indoor training. I have been using the same tire for the limited amount of indoor riding that I do for 10 years! I have never had any problems with this tire using it on the trainer.
I’ve had the same experience, minus the massive wattage.
On my new Kurt Kinetic I tighten the tension knob 5 1/2 turns.
jaretj
The bigger issue is likely to be that it’s a natural rubber tyre rather than a synthetic one. Natural tires will bead and disintegrate with the heat of a trainer regardless of pressure, watts or cheapness whereas synthetic tyres are generally more durable.
the 2x4 I use as a front wheel prop.
Glad I’m not the only one with a ghetto front wheel prop. Mine is a bit worse- cardboard boxes…
I’d say its the newness- I use older tires for the trainer, and don’t experience shredding. The pressure does destroy the tire eventually, though- I had a trainer flat last winter. It seemed ridiculous at first!
Tires make no difference in this issues, the roller pressure into the tire does. Make sure you crank the roller into the tire so that there is plenty of contact.