How tight should I make my turbo trainer?

[livpoksoc]

I'm going to put my carbon frame into the TT for the first time and want to be sure I don't over tighten.

It's a wheel in Cycle Ops (2?). Never sure how tight to put the spindle locks as I leave my winter metal bike in there, but somwtimes I look down and I can see the soindles moving around slightly. Not sure if that is normal or not, but don't wamt to make a mistake with my carbon bike.

Similarly - how tight should the flywheel be against the tyre?

 

[cougie uk]

You clamp the wheel. Not the frame ? Doesn't matter what the material is.

As to tyres - tighten enough so it doesn't slip.

 

[livpoksoc]

You clamp the wheel. Not the frame ? Doesn't matter what the material is.

As to tyres - tighten enough so it doesn't slip.

Sorry - yes I clamp the wheels, but had read that carbon frames aren't great in turbo trainers? Or is it more to do with the BB area where power goes through the pedals?

So how tight should the bit on the skewers be? SHould there be 0 play at all, or is a little bit of play acceptable?

 

[si_c]

Watch what happens when you clamp the trainer to the bike - you'll likely see the arms of the trainer flex away from the bike as you tighten the clamp. This is because there is space for the trainer to flex in this direction - it's hard for the bike to compress a comparable amount.

Tighten it enough that there is no slippage side to side when you rock the bike and it will be fine - you don't want any play at the skewers, ideally I'd say tighten it up a little bit beyond that point.

As for how tight the wheel needs to be - follow the instructions for calibration of the trainer - it needs to be sufficiently tight so that the wheel doesn't slip when you are riding as hard as you can, if you feel the rear wheel slipping tighten it up a tiny amount and try again.