Benjamin Weiner said:I haven't ever ridden a trainer enough to damage a frame, and maybe few people ever will.
Somewhere on rec.bicycles.*, Andrew Coggan reported breaking a lightweight steel frame at the
chainstay, on the trainer, but he rides the trainer a lot.
That brings to mind a serious and so-far intractable problem I've been having, I hope somebody can
help. Here's the deal:
Old fashioned trainers held the bike by the front fork and the chainstays just behind the bottom
bracket. I didn't like these because I had to remove my kickstand to mount the bike on the trainer,
and it felt funny to have the handlebars immobilized by the fork clamp--I like to pretend I'm riding
my favorite trials course when I use my trainer, and the inability to steer ruins the illusion.
Modern trainers generally grip the ends of the rear axle, steadying the bike, while allowing you to
tun the handlebars. This also has the added benefit that it raises the rear while leaving the front
wheel on the floor. Thus, not only can you steer as much as you want, but, unlike most road rides,
it's downhill all the way!
The big problem with this type of trainer (I'm sure I can't be the only one to have run into this
difficult) is that the trainer attachment makes it impossible to attach my B.O.B. trailer! I like to
schlep a couple of cinder blocks in the B.O.B. for extra resistance, so I get a better workout, but
there just doesn't seem to be any modern-style trainer that will permit the attachment of the B.O.B.
I've tried complaining to B.O.B. about this, but they've been no help. They act as if I'm some kind
of nut, and put me on hold whenever I call.
Surely there must be some sort of adaptor to make this work, but I'm stumped!
Carapace Completed Umber Haines Junction, Yukon, Canada
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| There are strange things done in the midnight sun, | by the men who moil for gold, | The Arctic
| trails have their secret tales, | That would make your blood run cold... | --Robert Service |
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