Replacement roller for Elite Trainer

[Gary E]

Has anyone any experience with replacing the roller on a turbo? Specifically an Elite Qubo Digital Smart B Plus turbo?
Mine has developed a kind of rash on the surface of the roller. It's also started to skip (feels like a worn chain or faulty freewheel unit but I've checked both and they're fine) so it may be I need to replace the whole resistance unit?
If anyone has gone down this route I 'd appreciate any insights, thanks.

 

[fossyant]

It looks like you can only get a whole resistance unit.

Can you up the tyre to roller pressure - I assume the gel surface has started to perish ?

 

[Gary E]

The bike is fitted to the trainer on a swing arm that relies on the weight of the bike and rider for contact pressure (there's no lack of rider weight!).

It's a good system that has worked flawlessly until now.

To be honest I'm seriously concidering just buying a new trainer (and not an Elite). The trainer is great but the after sales service is non-existent. I contacted the online bike store (that I won't name here) that I bought the trainer from who told me to contact Madison (the UK distributor for Elite) who told me they don't sell that trainer (despite the online store telling me that 's where they get their stock from). I then contacted Elite themselves who told me they supply to Madison try them!

I wouldn't mind but, despite the trainer still being within the warranty period, I told them I didn't want to make a claim (as I use the trainer every day and don't want to wait for a repair) and that I simply wanted to buy a roller/resistance unit!

Maybe it's time to get the Tacx Neo that I've been ogling!

 

[Milkfloat]

Make a claim - your contract is with bike store not Madison. If they are a good store they should be able to turn around a warranty claim very quickly. Worst case you end up buying a new trainer because you cannot wait and sell the replacement one.

 

[Gary E]

The store told me they'd have to send the trainer back to Madison who, presumably, would then send it back to Elite. They told me it would take a few weeks

I'll put up with it for now but if I do decide to send it back I'll buy a replacement first and then keep the repaired one as a spare.

Who'd have thought it would be so hard to buy a replacement part for a turbo???

 

[Milkfloat]

Depending on the age of the turbo, the Consumer Rights Act allows to reject a repair if it causes you serious inconvenience or takes an unreasonably long time. Nothing defines serious inconvenience or unreasonably long time, but perhaps quoting this to the retailer may get you a loaner turbo or even a straight refund.

 

[Gary E]

To be honest I'm not that bothered about making a warranty claim. The turbo is 13 months into a 2 year warranty period. All I want to do is buy a replacement resistance unit (apparently the roller cannot be replaced individually) but it would appear that nobody wants my money

I guess it's a sign, it's clearly saying "go out and buy a Tacx Neo" Who am I to ague with fate?

 

[Paul99]

I guess it's a sign, it's clearly saying "go out and buy a Tacx Neo" Who am I to ague with fate?

I've just got the same turbo as you and it's pretty decent, but since I've got it I can't stop looking at the Neo! If you go ahead with the purchase, please report back and help me stop fighting the urge!!

 

[Gary E]

Trouble is, for the price of a Neo I can buy a whole new Ultegra Groupset and another Elite Turbo