I’ve been using TrainerRoad for 2 years now, just completed my first year of triathlon racing. Completed 2 sprints, 2 Olympic distances. I am signed up to race in my first 1/2 Ironman at Santa Cruz in September and bought a new 2019 Cervelo P-series time trial/triathlon bike to ride instead of my road bike. I’ve ridden the majority of my bike workouts on my Kinetic Smart Trainer with good results. This new bike does not appear to work with the skewer style connection so I will be looking for a new trainer. I’ve read DC Rainmaker’s reviews of the Wahoo Kickr Core, Elite Suito, or the Tacx Flux S and others but I wondered if anyone here has some recommendations based on their Trainer Road application for what worked for them.
Currently I’m using Trainer Road 1/2 IronMan (low volume) Base workouts. I am strictly following the Trainer Road rides on trainer with an occasional outdoor group ride thrown in for social fun. I’ve had a bike fit on my new TT bike but am only using it during the outdoor group rides, so I am still a bit awkward in my aero position. I want to get more work with it but won’t be able to unless I pull the trigger on a trainer which will be within the next 3 weeks. Black Friday sales maybe. Appreciate any thoughts or advice in this endevor. Love Trainer Road, I’ve dropped almost 87# over the last 2 years through biking these workouts and am a true example and believer that these plans will make you a better and faster rider.
Looking breifly, it uses a thru axle and you can get adapter thru-axles that have cups/cones on the ends that allow them to be used on a traditional wheel on trainer. That said, if you do decide to upgrade anyway to a direct drive, now isn’t a bad time. I just went through the upgrade and got a Saris H3, which I am super happy with. I had a Kinetic wheel on db trainer before and it worked fine, but the whole experience is much more pleasant with the H3.
Yeah, I saw the adapter for the thru-axle but my LBS, where I purchased my bike, indicated that this might not be the best for my bike. Don’t think they meant to sell me a new trainer but thought that Cervelo might not warranty the bike for this usage. I haven’t looked at the Saris H3 but will read up on it tonight! Thanks for the reply.
I’d personally call Cervelo. Seems odd. Why wouldn’t a thru-axle be ideal? I have a skewer Cervelo TT bike and a Giant thru-axle road bike. I put both of them on my trailer with no issues for the last 2 years now.
Theres a general fuss from some about using carbon bikes in trainers full stop. Arguably it’s old news and largely debunked, but there’s enough plausibility in the argument that it persists; that may be what your LBS are referring to. Personally unless you’re laying down 1000w+ standing sprints, I’d not worry.
Certainly using a different trainer will not make any difference. Wheel on or off, it’s all the same. Unless you want a new trainer, I’d just go with a decent converter.