My trainer tire is splitting on both on both sides where the tire meets the rim. Is there a reason for this? to much tension?
Do you mean that the tread is starting to separate from the casing?
It could be because the tension against the roller is too tight. Some tires just seem more prone to problems. I find that those with stiff casings (which do poorly on the rolling resistance tests) hold up quite well. I’m running a Kenda Caliente right now.
I’ve got like 8,000 miles (5,000 trainer miles) on my bontranger tire that came stock on my $800 Trek roadbike and it still looks like it’s going to be good to go for a while. I’m never buying a tire that’s made specifically for the trainer. At this rate I’ll be over 20,000 miles before I burn through the front tire from that bike.
I run a Computrainer MultiRider Center, so I see this a bit. The reason is too much heat buildup from the trainer. Try messing with the tension on your tire–too much or too little can be the culprit. Also ensure you’re always riding wtih about 100psi on the tire. Too little pressure can also cause this. Lastly, ensure it’s a good quality tire. This isn’t a fool-proof fix as I’ve seen high priced tires get eaten up, but it happens much more with cheap tires.
If you’re on the trainer most the winter, get a trainer-specific tire.
Brian,
What tire do you find is the best value/ quality for trainer use?
Personally, I have had problems with the Continental home trainers…they eventually form a bubble then pop.
I set the pressure to about 110 psi and tension on the CT to 2.25 give or take
Maybe I am expecting too much…they do last ~2000 miles
Paul
2k miles on a trainer is good!
I recommend Michelin PRO4 Endurance for a quality trainer/road tire. I’ve seen fewer issues with those than anything, and they are soft enough the trainer “glassing” goes away quickly once on the road and the tire doesn’t harden from the trainer.
I’m surprised you don’t find good results from trainer tires. Hmm.
Do release the tension on the tire after each ride.
I release tension every time. I have a dedicated trainer wheel, so I don’t need a tire that is suitable for road use.
I’m not really sure about the 2K miles, just a guess, figuring 100 miles a week on the trainer and replace maybe every 6 months.
I guess the thing that bothers me is how they fail. They look like the tread is brand new.They develop a lump which expands and eventually causes the tube to pop.The first time it happened, I figured I just got a defective one. But then it’s happened a couple of other times. I just feel like the tires should not fail that way unless they are defective, or I am doing something wrong.
Brian,
What tire do you find is the best value/ quality for trainer use?
Personally, I have had problems with the Continental home trainers…they eventually form a bubble then pop.
I set the pressure to about 110 psi and tension on the CT to 2.25 give or take
Maybe I am expecting too much…they do last ~2000 miles
Paul
I have Continental home trainers that do the same. I normally get 12-13 months (maybe close to 2000 miles) of use before noticing issues and then replacement is needed.
That’s standard for heat buildup. It’s a separation of the tread layers or belts. Glue heats and comes apart. You won’t find that failure method on the road.
I release tension every time. I have a dedicated trainer wheel, so I don’t need a tire that is suitable for road use.
I’m not really sure about the 2K miles, just a guess, figuring 100 miles a week on the trainer and replace maybe every 6 months.
I guess the thing that bothers me is how they fail. They look like the tread is brand new.They develop a lump which expands and eventually causes the tube to pop.The first time it happened, I figured I just got a defective one. But then it’s happened a couple of other times. I just feel like the tires should not fail that way unless they are defective, or I am doing something wrong.Possibly you’re using a little too much pressure. I’ve had a few tires go at 110, never had a problem at 100. Where do you store your bike? Got to the point where I started to suspect that the damage may have been happening when I was off the bike, with the tires building too much pressure when sitting in sunlight.