Wheel Sizes for turbo trainer

hi

first time post so apologies if posting in the wrong place etc etc..!

I've been cycling for only a few months and have decided i want a turbo trainer for keeping active thru the winter months - nothing new there!

been doing the eBay thing to pick one up and paid 46 quid for a Tacx Cycle Force One. got it home and couldnt get my Raleigh Urban to fit properly. The wheel was too big! had a mate come round and we have managed to confuse oursleves about wheel sizes.

My tyre says its a 37-622 700-35c. now i have found out that means its a 700mm diameter. i've measured it and its just about 28" from tread to tread - 700mm is 27.5" and the rim metal to metal was less than that.The trainer said it can take 700c wheels so i dont know why mine doesnt fit.

My Cateye velo8 was setup with a 217 wheel circumference but the manual said a 700 wheel could be anything from 207 to 218 so i dont understand what the 700 really relates to.

Can someone help me please??

What do i need to see on a turbo trainer description to know it will take my wheel? i'm wary of simply seeing a 700c spec cos i dont understand how those numbers all stack up.

I've trawled t'internet to find out more and found myself here!

I did try the search function here before posting a new thread but couldnt find a specific answer.

Again, hope someone can explain all this to me!

Thanks

Hmm, 35C is a thick tire by roadie standards. I think most trainers are made with skinny tires in mind, although there should be plenty of adjustment on the resistance roller to accommodate a 35C. Sorry I can't be of more help, but based on these photos I can't see why you're having these problems.

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i would agree - there was no reason to suspect it wouldnt fit but it didnt!! it doesnt look as tho the trainer is broken in any way but try as we might, it would fit... the wheel was jammed up against the roller and it was like that Simpsons episode where Bart had a dynamo fitted to it that he could get about half a pedal before stopping dead. the resistance was on the lowest setting too...

thanks for the input tho! Anyone else?

The 700 really doesn't relate to anything other than all rims labelled 700c have a diameter of 622mm. I'm guessing such a useless numbering system could only come from the French - but I could be wrong on that...

The second set of numbers you were asking about - 207 to 218 is the outside circumference of the tire (mounted and inflated on the rim) in cm. So a 700x20, which is a skinny tire has a circumference of ~208cm. A 700x35 is about 217. The part of the tire that 'hooks' onto the rim is the same for both tires but because the fatter tire is also 'taller' it has a larger outside circumference.

riiiiiight.. thanks for that!

I've had another good look at the turbo trainer i got and there is no way at all that my wheel fits. there isnt enough adjust in the roller assembly to take it.

sooo.. i'm now ebaying that one and looking for one the same as my mates whose does fit...

Perhaps Tacx has a support forum (I didn't check) or a number you could call. If they don't help you, at least you can tell them that their product sucks. I mean really, not being able to use a 35mm tire on a trainer?!

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i'm not sure how old it is... my mates Elite one looks like a newer design. My one is box section metal whereas his is curved tubes!

is it possible the type of tyre on a new urban hybrid wasnt thought of? or have 35c tyres been on loads of bikes for years|