Training stand question

only reason i could see that they would be bad are because they lock the back of the bike vertical, and it is possible to torque the front half of the bike.... but i cant immagine it's much worse than a ride on a rough road. Trainers just wouldnt be as popular as they are if they killed your frame. i've never had any trouble with my bike, and i spend some time on a trainer. i'd say to just make sure that your rear skewer has metal ends, not plastic, because the trainer may squish/break it if it does not fit correctly/ it is plastic

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Jon Packard
Question about trainers.

I hear they're bad for the frame - I just got a new bike and don't want to damage it. Are trainers really bad for a bike? I've got a Blackburn wind trainer.

I just had to reply to your question. I used a trainer a lot ever since I got off the saddle for a long time and I did not have time to ride outside. When cleaning my bike one time I noticed a hair line crack on my downtube. The scary thing is it has the same crack on the other side like a mirror image. It is an aluminum frame and I am concerend that it was probably due to riding the bike a lot on my trainer. I am not completely sure it is the frame and not just the paint that cracked. I still have to show it to someone credible to tell me that the frame is damaged. But you can tell that when you ride your bike on a trainer, there is more torsional stress on the bottom bracket as you pedal becuase the rear of the bike is held in place unlike when you are on the road. Please do not mistake my comment as saying that a trainer can damage your frame ...