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Anyone use an MTB on rollers?
Are they a PITA to use with knobby tyres?
What you using
Wife is. Makes a racket so I have just swapped out a barzo/canis combo for a ralph/thunder burt to see if it's quieter tomorrow am.
My wife uses a hybrid. Works, but it's got slicks on it. I would definitely do something about the tyres.
Beware the length of the bike. None of my MTBs fit on my Tacx rollers. OHs MTB just fits.
Beware the length of the bike
Mmm this may be a problem.
Even my shortest bike is rather long.
Which Tacx and what kind of wheelbase are you talking?
I can have a measure tomorrow, from memory the bikes I tried were a large Horst link Turner 5 Spot, 19" Kona Steely and didn't even bother with the Bird Aeris.
Tacx Antares T1000
Thanks james.
I sometimes do, but even with Thunderburts on it's very noisy, i wouldn't do it without headphones.
No problem, just found the manual, it's adjustable for wheelbases between 980mm and 1100mm.
Re: length, I just extended them past their usual limit and ran a drill through the frame on either side, then passed a bolt through the hole to hold everything in place, allowed me to use my size large 29er (although it's a Superfly so pre-long and low geo).
Not got experience of this, but I would imagine the resistance would be pretty high. My 23mm-tyred road bike feels like I'm on the road with the tyres at 100 psi, but if they're at 80 it feels like I'm riding in treacle.
I suppose it s just a matter of gear selection though.
Good hack, I guess it's only a small amount or the belt would fail?
Knobblies on rollers is very hard work Indeed.
It was still very noisy. But that might have been because she was going faster too. Dunno. Have spoken to my neighbour to sort a good time for this as she is a midwife on nights. We have an agreed noisy slot so good to go.
Good hack, I guess it’s only a small amount or the belt would fail?
Was this in response to my hack?
Yes it was only a couple of inches, and I think the front wheel was probably still slightly in front of the roller (e.g. I didn't extend as much as I really should have to position roller directly under front wheel). Honestly didn't really think much about the belt, just lazily assumed Tacx would have over-specified it.
Just in general terms, my Antares were improved about a gillion percent (give or take) by dismantling and red loctiting the bearings into the rollers. It made them so much quieter and I would swear made them smoother as well (in the same way a bike always seems to ride better once you've eradicated that annoying creak).