What’s the easiest way to destroy a bike tire? Run it over shards of glass? Puncture it with a thumb tack? Sure, those methods are quick and dirty, but they aren’t commonly encountered (unless you have a competitor out to sabotage your race). Riders are used to getting flats out on the road for lots of different reasons. It’s part of life on the bike. That’s why most riders carry stuff to fix a flat. When the weather forces you indoors, flat tires are usually the last thing you think about. However, it’s not uncommon to get flats on a bike trainer too. Huh?
That’s right. If you’ve ridden your bike for any period of time on an indoor trainer, you know they like to eat tires. The speed, pressure, and heat on the tire eventually rip through the rubber faster than asphalt or concrete. The tires start to wear and bulge. This process doesn’t take 2000 miles, rather it might just be a few hundred. With good road tires costing more than $50, riding indoors can quickly become expensive. How can you reduce tire wear and cost?
When on the indoor trainer, many riders either use cheaper tires or recycle older tires they’ve used outdoors. These methods are cost smart, but indoor trainers will still eventually ruin your tires. That’s why a few manufacturers have started making trainer-specific tires. Continental and Tacx both make trainer tires. I’ll review the Continental Ultra Sport Hometrainer tire, because that’s what I’ve used and it’s commonly available at most bike shops.
The Continental Hometrainer tire stands out because it’s bright orange. It’s a folding tire specifically made for indoor use. The manufacturer strongly recommends not riding it outdoors due to its construction. I’m not sure what they’ve done to minimize wear caused by trainers, but I imagine it has something to do with the rubber. According to Continental’s website, it has a special cold-running compound that reduces heat buildup. I trust these guys know a thing or two about rubber.
With a MSRP of $39.99, the Hometrainer is priced similar to your average outdoor road tire. However, you can often find it discounted for $30-$35. Considering how quickly you might through regular tires on the trainer, the Continental Hometrainer sounds pretty cost-effective.
I’ve only gone through one thius far, and it took me over 2700 miles on the Computrainer before I had to replace it. That’s the best I’ve ever experienced with a tire on the trainer. In fact, I only got 150 miles out of one of my old Hutchinson road tires before it died. The death of the Continental Hometrainer was pretty obvious by the photo below. I started getting pieces of rubber flaking off about 200 miles before it finally quit and a large chunk of rubber cracked open. Pretty cool, huh!
The one thing that sucks is having to replace the tire. Not because of the cost, but because of the pain of installation. Most tires are easy to remove and install with standard tire levers. The Continental Hometrainer is a different story. The first time I installed it I broke three plastic levers. I finally bought a pair of heavy duty Intense metal tires levers. Even with the additional leverage, installing this tire is a real pain. I highly recommend putting it on a spare wheel if you are going to bike both indoors and outdoors. Even spending $40 on a cheap old wheel just for this tire might be a smart idea. That way you can easily swap wheels when you go inside and outsides. I also recommend having your bike shop install it if you have trouble the first time. The last think you want to do is ruin the rim on a $1000 wheelset.
For the money, I think the Continental Ultra Sport Hometrainer is a great investment if you’re going to spend a lot of time on the trainer. If you bike indoors infrequently, you’re probably better off with a cheap, old tire. Whatever you do, don’t use your new $70 road tires for an extended period of time on the trainer. If you can afford to do that, you can easily afford the Continental Hometrainer and a spare wheel.
OK, time to go use some muscle and install my new Continental Hometrainer.
