Need a rear wheel for turbo trainer

[wemorgan]

I'm after a new wheel for my turbo trainer.

I was surprised how expensive a new wheel is (~£100), plus cost of cassette, and how few second-hand wheels compatible with 11sp cassette are available on Ebay, local to my area (Banbury). Yet it looks as if I can buy a whole second-hand bike off Ebay for £100-150.

So my question: Is that what people do - just buy an old bike for their turbo trainer? or have I missed something obvious?

Many thanks.

[Dannbodge]

Depends. Some people buy wheels, other people buy bikes.

I have a second bike that was bought for winter/turbo training, all I did is make sure the geometry could be set to the same as my "good" bike.
Luckily the older Allezs match the geometry Tarmacs quite well.

[mikees]

wemorgan said:

I'm after a new wheel for my turbo trainer.

I was surprised how expensive a new wheel is (~£100), plus cost of cassette, and how few second-hand wheels compatible with 11sp cassette are available on Ebay, local to my area (Banbury). Yet it looks as if I can buy a whole second-hand bike off Ebay for £100-150.

So my question: Is that what people do - just buy an old bike for their turbo trainer? or have I missed something obvious?

Many thanks.

That a good wheel tho!

I have a duplicate wheel for the turbo Mavic Askium with 11-28 Ultegra cassette and that was 100 quid all in.

M

[was8v]

You are doing this all wrong.

Use this as an opportunity to buy some posh new wheels.

Then use your current wheels on the turbo and as spares.

[wemorgan]

was8v said:

You are doing this all wrong.

Use this as an opportunity to buy some posh new wheels.

Then use your current wheels on the turbo and as spares.

Ah yes, silly me

Only fault in that plan is that my bike is just an entry level 2015 Giant Defy 1 (aluminium) with 105 group set, so not good enough to mount £500+ wheels on. If I were to go down that route I think I'd rather buy a whole new bike with better frame and components. Maybe next year's budget.......

[J886ATV]

wemorgan said:

Ah yes, silly me

Only fault in that plan is that my bike is just an entry level 2015 Giant Defy 1 (aluminium) with 105 group set, so not good enough to mount £500+ wheels on. If I were to go down that route I think I'd rather buy a whole new bike with better frame and components. Maybe next year's budget.......

Wasn't the 2015 Defy a 10 speed? Or have you upgraded already

[wemorgan]

J886ATV said:

Wasn't the 2015 Defy a 10 speed? Or have you upgraded already

Maybe 2015 was a transition year. I've definitive got a 11sp

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/defy-1-2015

Quite a decent bike for £720 I thought.

[bakerstreet]

I bought a rear wheel from decathlon for £35 and cheap cassette for £20. Job done. Just used an old spare tyre. Never had an issue with it melting which is what the turbo trainer companies will claim if you don't use a specific turbo trainer tyre.

[wemorgan]

bakerstreet said:

I bought a rear wheel from decathlon for £35 and cheap cassette for £20. Job done. Just used an old spare tyre. Never had an issue with it melting which is what the turbo trainer companies will claim if you don't use a specific turbo trainer tyre.

Thanks. Hadn't thought of Decathlon.
They're not so good at saying what cassettes are compatible. The cheap wheels look to be only 7/8/9/10 sp compatible

[was8v]

wemorgan said:

Ah yes, silly me

Only fault in that plan is that my bike is just an entry level 2015 Giant Defy 1 (aluminium) with 105 group set, so not good enough to mount £500+ wheels on. If I were to go down that route I think I'd rather buy a whole new bike with better frame and components. Maybe next year's budget.......

That is a great frame and theres little to notice between groupsets.

A first upgrade for any road bike is the wheels - makes a massive noticeable difference.

You don't have to spend £500 something like this will be a great upgrade:

https://www.huntbikewheels.com/collections/road-wh...

You've already saved £100 from not buying your cheap trainer wheel, so there are merely £200

[wemorgan]

Thanks all for the help.
I think I've found a solution:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WS104B2RH-700C-ROAD-BLA...f:0

or direct from

http://riderrepublic.com/product/700c-road-11-spee...

£35 sounds more sensible for a turbo trainer wheel. Let's now see........

[wemorgan]

The wheel arrived today. For the money it's hard to fault.
On reflection, a direct drive trainer would have been better, but was keen to avoid budget creep.