Using a new bike indoors all winter

[scapewalker]

I really want to step up my game this winter doing a lot of trainerroad session on my Tacx Neo 2 but i’m unsure whether i want to use my new Venge indoor all winter.

I used to ride an old KTM Relevator on the indoor trainer but it’s 1 size too small and keeps me from following a strict plan indoors.

Would you guys say it’s unwise to use a new bike i recently purchased and just put 500km on outdoors all winter riding indoors?

What wear and tear issues could i experience other than chain and chainrings?

 

[Leinster]

No reply?

I can think of no reason why riding on a smart trainer would increase wear and tear on any part of your bike. I’m putting a lot of wear on my back tire on my Cycleops right now, but that obviously isn’t an issue on a Tacx Neo.

Your chain and cassette wear shouldn’t be any different than if you put similar mileage on the roads. Maybe slightly less as there’s not much freewheeling on the Tacx. The only possible issue I would see is excess sweat buildup on your bar tape and paintwork, but that shouldn’t be a problem if you get a sweat cover and/or wipe down after every workout.

 

[del1962]

You wont be picking up any muck from the road on your chain either

 

[macbindle]

Yes, there is a really good reason not to use your Venge on a trainer....

....it may invalidate your warranty.

 

[42x16ss]

Very true. A number of manufacturers won't honour their warranty on high end frames if you use them regularly on the trainer.

Another problem that can come up is sweat causing corrosion inside your shifters, and/or gunking them up with fat over time. I've seen it on other people's bikes where springs, pins etc have corroded and shifters have had to be rebuilt or replaced.

I went to some second hand shops and got an old steel bike (I think it's a Gitane) with a 7 speed groupset and friction shifters for my trainer. I then overhauled the bearings in the headset and bottom bracket, put on a 10 speed Tiagra chain, cassette and rear derailleur along with an unused set of Shimano RS10s that came with my wife's new commuter road bike. For $200 I've got a great trainer bike that's also used for commuting every now and then.

 

[King Boonen]

As others have said, it may invalidate your warranty, quite how they would know you have done it though I have no idea.

How much float does a direct drive turbo have? If you are doing out of the saddle efforts I wouldn't be surprised if you're putting a fair amount of torque through the rear dropouts that hasn't been designed for. I'd say if you're just doing seated efforts then the difference to road riding will be minimal, but if you're getting out of the saddle and sprinting, grinding up big hill simulations etc. that's where you may run into problems.

This is on top of the things 42x16ss has already mentioned. I usually cover my bike with towels to try and avoid those problems.