Tires for rollers vs tires for fluid trainer

[teleguy57]

I know that a trainer-specific tire makes sense for fluid trainers, but I thought I read somewhere that riding rollers doesn't put the same wear on the tires, and that it was even OK to ride tubular tires on rollers without risk of premature wear or damage. What say the experts here?

[Too Tall]

Rollers are gentle on all tyres. Tubulars are fine.

[davids]

Trainer-specific tires make sense for one thing: Selling more tires.

[jdp211]

I always save a few tires after I'm done with them for use on the trainer/rollers.

[TMB]

I ride my regular tires (Tubulars) on the rollers.

[dhoff]

Trainer-specific tires make sense for one thing: Selling more tires.

dont agree. they are cheap and durable for riding on a trainer. I dont ride good tires on the trainer. It wears them out fast

[drietz]

Trainers do wear tires out faster, mostly because the compression on the tire and the increased amount of localized rolling friction add some definite heat to the equation, causing premature tire wear.

Specific tires for rollers though? Please, that's just a marketing scheme.

[Matthew Strongin]

Specific tires for rollers though? Please, that's just a marketing scheme.

I once disintegrated a veloflex clincher in two 20 minute sessions on my trainer. And by disintegrated, I literally mean black rubber shavings all over the wall behind my trainer. I had broken my collarbone a week before and physically couldn't change the tire...but would have called in a favor from a friend if I had any idea it would have fallen apart so quickly. A semi-worn conti 4season developed a hard, slick coating once relegated to trainer duty. Not something I'd want to ride on the road. The cheapo vittoria hometrainer tire that's on there now has over 50 hours of use and shows no signs of wearing out any time soon. It's more than just marketing.

[campylvr]

Trainer tires are made of a rubber compound that resists the heat built up from friction of the trainer.

[bigbill]

I've got a yellow trainer tire that's made it through two PNW winters on the computrainer. The only issue I ever had on rollers with regular tires was with some really soft compound Specialized tires. I had to use a scrub pad to get the rubber off the roller.

[drietz]

I once disintegrated a veloflex clincher in two 20 minute sessions on my trainer. And by disintegrated, I literally mean black rubber shavings all over the wall behind my trainer. I had broken my collarbone a week before and physically couldn't change the tire...but would have called in a favor from a friend if I had any idea it would have fallen apart so quickly. A semi-worn conti 4season developed a hard, slick coating once relegated to trainer duty. Not something I'd want to ride on the road. The cheapo vittoria hometrainer tire that's on there now has over 50 hours of use and shows no signs of wearing out any time soon. It's more than just marketing.

Did you read the first part of my post? Or did you just automatically go to the portion where I said using a trainer-specific tire on rollers is not worth the cost of the tire? Completely negating that whole first part of my post which completely corroborates your statement...

[Matthew Strongin]

Did you read the first part of my post? Or did you just automatically go to the portion where I said using a trainer-specific tire on rollers is not worth the cost of the tire? Completely negating that whole first part of my post which completely corroborates your statement...

Wow. Lighten up. This is an internet forum thread about tires. Pretty low ranking in the list of things to get worked up about. The part I misread was where you said rollers in the second part of your post. I read it as "trainer" by mistake. If I could edit my post, I would go back and just say, "yeah, regular tires on rollers are ok by me."

[drietz]

Wow. Lighten up. This is an internet forum thread about tires. Pretty low ranking in the list of things to get worked up about. The part I misread was where you said rollers in the second part of your post. I read it as "trainer" by mistake. If I could edit my post, I would go back and just say, "yeah, regular tires on rollers are ok by me."

Matthew, not nearly as wound up as I was being satirical. Sorry champ, but this is what I pretend I look like when wound up:

[drietz]

OK, OK, you caught me. More accurately this: