Should trainer heat up?

[Kevin]

Just tried out my new Minoura Hyper-Mag trainer for first time and have a couple questions regarding
its operation. First, it seems that the resistance varies at different parts of the pedal stroke
(more resistance at top of down stroke, not smooth over the top), is this normal? Also, after about
20 min on various resistance levels (trying out all gearing combos with different resistance levels)
the steel roller and one side of the plastic casing containing the magnets was hot to the touch, hot
enough that you wouldn't want to leave your hand on there very long. Any comments?

 

[Harrow]

Originally posted by Kevin
Just tried out my new Minoura Hyper-Mag trainer for first time and have a couple questions regarding
its operation. First, it seems that the resistance varies at different parts of the pedal stroke
(more resistance at top of down stroke, not smooth over the top), is this normal? Also, after about
20 min on various resistance levels (trying out all gearing combos with different resistance levels)
the steel roller and one side of the plastic casing containing the magnets was hot to the touch, hot
enough that you wouldn't want to leave your hand on there very long. Any comments?

Kevin,

You wait to see how hot it is after an hour or more. When I am finished it is so hot that I burn my finger instantly if I touch the metal roller !! After all, where do you think all that energy goes that you are putting in ?

Regarding varying pedalling resistance, how fast are you pedalling. Are you pedalling too slow? Although this is characteristic of indoor trainers, once you get up to around 90 rpm I find this effect mostly disappears.

Maybe you have tightened the wheel against the tyre too much? Try loosening it, and also choosing a lower resistance setting, then choose a higher gear to compensate. This makes the unit spin faster so that the fly-wheel is more effective at creating a smooth pedalling action.

Let me know how you go,
Regards,
Harrow.

 

[Phil Holman]

"Kevin" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Just tried out my new Minoura Hyper-Mag trainer for first time and
have a
> couple questions regarding its operation. First, it seems that the resistance varies at different
> parts of the pedal stroke (more
resistance at
> top of down stroke, not smooth over the top), is this normal? Also,
after
> about 20 min on various resistance levels (trying out all gearing
combos
> with different resistance levels) the steel roller and one side of the plastic casing containing
> the magnets was hot to the touch, hot enough
that
> you wouldn't want to leave your hand on there very long. Any comments?

Sounds like your tire is slipping on the roller. It's gripping the tire over the top of the pedal
stroke when the pedal force is lowest and slipping on the down stroke, hence the varying resistance
and heated roller. For training workouts I always inflate the tire to rated pressure and ensure
there is just enough pressure on the roller so the tire doesn't slip but not too much that you trash
the tire. *Just enough* is not being able to make the tire slip by turning the wheel by hand while
holding the roller still.

Phil Holman

 

[John Hardt]

On 9/4/03 8:43 PM, in article [email protected], "Phil Holman"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
> "Kevin" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>> Just tried out my new Minoura Hyper-Mag trainer for first time and
> have a
>> couple questions regarding its operation. First, it seems that the resistance varies at different
>> parts of the pedal stroke (more
> resistance at
>> top of down stroke, not smooth over the top), is this normal? Also,
> after
>> about 20 min on various resistance levels (trying out all gearing
> combos
>> with different resistance levels) the steel roller and one side of the plastic casing containing
>> the magnets was hot to the touch, hot enough
> that
>> you wouldn't want to leave your hand on there very long. Any comments?
>
> Sounds like your tire is slipping on the roller. It's gripping the tire over the top of the pedal
> stroke when the pedal force is lowest and slipping on the down stroke, hence the varying
> resistance and heated roller. For training workouts I always inflate the tire to rated pressure
> and ensure there is just enough pressure on the roller so the tire doesn't slip but not too much
> that you trash the tire. *Just enough* is not being able to make the tire slip by turning the
> wheel by hand while holding the roller still.
>
> Phil Holman

Phil's right. But having said that - and all things being set up correctly
- yes, a trainer will still get hot. When you pedal, energy (hopefully a LOT) is being transferred
from your pedals, to your wheels, to the trainer roller. All that energy has to go somewhere -
physics dictates that it turns into heat.

Heat is perfectly normal although the varying resistance you describe isn't.

John

 

[James Goddard]

"John Hardt" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:BB7D55CC.21AE%[email protected]...
> Heat is perfectly normal although the varying resistance you describe
isn't.

Must...resist...temptation...to..say...how...much...better...rollers...are.. ..

 

[Dr. Know]

Then do resist that temptation, because rollers and trainers are used for different purposes. You
should know that since you are the almighty FAQ keeper. No wonder the FAQ is in lousy shape.

Dr. Know

"James Goddard" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> "John Hardt" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:BB7D55CC.21AE%[email protected]...
> > Heat is perfectly normal although the varying resistance you describe
> isn't.
>
> Must...resist...temptation...to..say...how...much...better...rollers...are.. ..

 

[Phil Holman]

"John Hardt" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:BB7D55CC.21AE%[email protected]...
On 9/4/03 8:43 PM, in article [email protected], "Phil Holman"
[email protected]> wrote:

"Kevin" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>>>Just tried out my new Minoura Hyper-Mag trainer for first time and
have a couple questions regarding its operation. First, it seems that the resistance varies at
different parts of the pedal stroke (more resistance at top of down stroke, not smooth over the
top), is this normal? Also, after about 20 min on various resistance levels (trying out all gearing
combos with different resistance levels) the steel roller and one side of the plastic casing
containing the magnets was hot to the touch, hot enough that you wouldn't want to leave your hand on
there very long. Any comments?

>> Sounds like your tire is slipping on the roller. It's gripping the
tire over the top of the pedal stroke when the pedal force is lowest and slipping on the down
stroke, hence the varying resistance and heated roller. For training workouts I always inflate the
tire to rated pressure and ensure there is just enough pressure on the roller so the tire doesn't
slip but not too much that you trash the tire. *Just enough* is not being able to make the tire slip
by turning the wheel by hand while holding the roller still.

Phil Holman

>Phil's right. But having said that - and all things being set up
correctly yes, a trainer will still get hot. When you pedal, energy (hopefully a LOT) is being
transferred from your pedals, to your wheels, to the trainer roller. All that energy has to go
somewhere - physics dictates that it turns into heat. Heat is perfectly normal although the varying
resistance you describe isn't.

John

The resistance is probably a magnetic brake where eddy currents are induced into a rotating copper
or aluminum disc. The heat generated will be dissipated into the air which moves over the disc. The
roller of my trainer doesn't get appreciably hot to the touch at 300watts.

Phil Holman

 

[Tom Henderson]

[email protected] (Dr. Know) wrote in news:[email protected]:

> Then do resist that temptation, because rollers and trainers are used for different purposes. You
> should know that since you are the almighty FAQ keeper. No wonder the FAQ is in lousy shape.
>
> Dr. Know
>
>

Do you have a problem with James, since this is your second insulting reply to him? Or perhaps you
just keep your glutes on your shoulders all the time?

Tom

 

[Tom Henderson]

Tom Henderson <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> [email protected] (Dr. Know) wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
>> Then do resist that temptation, because rollers and trainers are used for different purposes. You
>> should know that since you are the almighty FAQ keeper. No wonder the FAQ is in lousy shape.
>>
>> Dr. Know
>>
>>
>
> Do you have a problem with James, since this is your second insulting reply to him? Or perhaps you
> just keep your glutes on your shoulders all the time?
>
> Tom
>

Never mind, I just looked up some of your other posts. Question answered. C, all of the above.

 

[James Goddard]

Stephen,

The rock is getting lonely, go crawl back under it. Do you honestly belive anyone thinks you are
anything other than a joke and takes you the least bit seriously? My god you are pathetic, I bet you
make your mother proud....

"Dr. Know" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Then do resist that temptation, because rollers and trainers are used for different purposes. You
> should know that since you are the almighty FAQ keeper. No wonder the FAQ is in lousy shape.
>
> Dr. Know
>
>
> "James Goddard" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > "John Hardt" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:BB7D55CC.21AE%[email protected]...
> > > Heat is perfectly normal although the varying resistance you describe
> > isn't.
> >
> >
Must...resist...temptation...to..say...how...much...better...rollers...are..
> > ..