Hey folks, I am just realizing that the Cannondale gravel bike I got this summer is not compatible with my Saris Fluid 2 indoor trainer. I’m going to go buy a thru axle adapter next, but do you have any other tips for happy riding indoors with this setup?

For instance, can I keep the stock tires or will they wear out quickly on the trainer? What does “quickly” even mean? Like, if I ride for 1 hour per week, will I wear out the tires this Winter?

Anything else I should worry about when switching to indoor riding?

Thanks for any tips!

And before anyone asks: I will still ride outdoors as much as I can, but where I live, that won’t be possible every weekend this Winter.

  • _bcron_@lemmy.worldEnglish
    8·
    5 days ago

    I’d def swap out for a trainer tire if only for the noise, if you have knobbie tires it’s gonna be obnoxious. I can’t tell you how much faster tires will wear but knobs tend to get chewed up.

    That and fans, I used to have 4-5 fans all hooked up to the same power strip, flip that thing on and BAM. Good airflow makes it go from grueling and miserable to tolerable. Putting down 200W in a 70 degree room without the 18mph breeze you normally generate, you feel it.

    Also, sweat, you’ll get that all over your bars and steerer and it can even drip on outers and wind up inside the frame. It quickly becomes highly-refined weapons-grade salt that has left many a mechanic throwing their hands up in defeat. Toss a garbage bag over the bars and then a towel to keep things from getting all corroded.

    If you’re on an upper floor it also helps to go buy some cheapo foam kitchen mats from Home Depot or whatever and put your bike on that so it’s not making a bunch of clunking sounds. Just a bit of padding, doesn’t have to be fancy.

    I’d basically have all that set up, bunch of fans, sweat proof the bike, table next to me with more water bottles than I thought I’d need