Author Topic: Stand for front wheel when on trainer  (Read 2906 times)

Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« on: 11 May, 2022, 07:39:33 pm »
It struck me today when stretching to reach the tablet (mounted on an adapted light workstand) that if the front wheel wasn't in the way I could move the stand much closer.

Is there such a thing as a front stand that attaches to the fork?  Nothing shows up on a ubiquitous online search.
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Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #1 on: 11 May, 2022, 07:48:41 pm »
This came up recently in a tadpole-trikes-on-turbo-trainers context (wanting something more secure than plonking the front wheels on something and bouncing around against the tyres/brakes).  I couldn't find a commercial product.

I reckoned modifying a car axle stand to do the job wouldn't be beyond the wit of someone with access to a lathe and welding equipment.

Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #2 on: 11 May, 2022, 07:52:35 pm »
Thanks Kim.  Yes - the search only showed DIY solutions.  Not having the necessary tools (or skills) that's beyond me!

Strange though - I would have thought there'd be a market for such a thing, and it shouldn't be too complicated or expensive to manufacture.
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Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #3 on: 11 May, 2022, 07:59:14 pm »
You can get holders for iPads etc that mount on the handlebars for such stuff when on trainer.

Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #4 on: 11 May, 2022, 08:09:11 pm »
You can get holders for iPads etc that mount on the handlebars for such stuff when on trainer.

No space on the bars - already crowded with tri-bars, computer & light mounts, etc.  I use the same bike on the trainer and for audax and have spent years perfecting the handlebar layout - not a centimeter to spare  ;D
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citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #5 on: 11 May, 2022, 08:21:53 pm »
Probably a sledgehammer to crack a walnut but I think the Wahoo Kickr Climb would do the job you’re after.

https://uk.wahoofitness.com/devices/indoor-cycling/accessories/kickr-climb-buy
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #6 on: 11 May, 2022, 08:24:07 pm »
Probably a sledgehammer to crack a walnut but I think the Wahoo Kickr Climb would do the job you’re after.

https://uk.wahoofitness.com/devices/indoor-cycling/accessories/kickr-climb-buy

Yes, what I need is something similar but without a motor or technology (and cheaper)  ;)
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Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #7 on: 11 May, 2022, 08:25:37 pm »
Block of wood with a front hub in it?

Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #8 on: 11 May, 2022, 08:27:30 pm »
Block of wood with a front hub in it?

Now there's an idea!  Even I could probably bodge that up.
The sound of one pannier flapping

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #9 on: 11 May, 2022, 08:31:32 pm »
Probably a sledgehammer to crack a walnut but I think the Wahoo Kickr Climb would do the job you’re after.

https://uk.wahoofitness.com/devices/indoor-cycling/accessories/kickr-climb-buy

Yes, what I need is something similar but without a motor or technology (and cheaper)  ;)

Yes, it would be a tad over the top, especially at that price! Good bit of kit though.

It is slightly surprising that no one makes a low tech version. You’d think there would be enough demand for such a thing.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #10 on: 11 May, 2022, 09:07:01 pm »
Can you use something like this screwed to a suitable block of wood?



Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #11 on: 11 May, 2022, 09:08:42 pm »
Can you use something like this screwed to a suitable block of wood?


Looks as though it would be a lot easier than a hub.  Where could I find such a thing?
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Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #12 on: 11 May, 2022, 09:09:59 pm »
Can you use something like this screwed to a suitable block of wood?


Looks as though it would be a lot easier than a hub.  Where could I find such a thing?

If you click the word 'this' all will be revealed.

Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #13 on: 11 May, 2022, 09:11:09 pm »
 ;D  Just the job!
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BFC

  • ACME Wheelwright and Bike Fettler
Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #14 on: 11 May, 2022, 09:29:14 pm »
Be careful, the stress that a turbo trainer puts through a frame/forks are different to normal road riding. All depends on the stiffness/fexibility of the turbo trainer and it's attachment to the bike. Many bikes on turbos move a lot!

Any stand needs to be tolerant of or control the movement at the forks - fore/aft, left/right and rotation/steering. Some forks (ally fork ends into carbon, epoxied in for example) may not like forces in the wrong direction, remember the problems with fork clamped roof rack systems facing the wrong way on the roof?

It is common for turbo trainers to wander across the floor a bit, some designs wander a lot.

May be safer to re engineer the support for the 'puter....

Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #15 on: 11 May, 2022, 09:32:39 pm »
Good point.  Presumably the Kickr Climb allows for these forces but a fixed mount wouldn't.
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Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #16 on: 11 May, 2022, 09:35:21 pm »
Presumably the Kickr Climb allows for these forces

Possibly by application of some small print to the destructions....

BFC

  • ACME Wheelwright and Bike Fettler
Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #17 on: 11 May, 2022, 09:57:39 pm »
Presumably the Kickr Climb allows for these forces

Possibly by application of some small print to the detstructions....

The Kickr climb probably specifies only to be used with its matching turbo - a bit academic since it's all software controlled and would only work as part of a "system".

I have had a few turbos - some were designed to flex a lot, others were rigid - all Tacx models, tyre drive!

Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #18 on: 13 May, 2022, 09:21:22 am »
Be careful, the stress that a turbo trainer puts through a frame/forks are different to normal road riding. All depends on the stiffness/fexibility of the turbo trainer and it's attachment to the bike. Many bikes on turbos move a lot!

If you think about what the wheel is doing in a turbo, because it's stationary only the axle and the bit of tyre contacting the ground are doing anything. In theory, if you followed Kim's block-of-wood suggestion using a length of timber with, say, a rubber foot on the end then it should transfer loads to the fork in exactly the same way as a wheel.  You'd want to be sure that your turbo isn't going to drift forwards or backwards in use, though, and even then psychologically it would probably not feel secure.  Maybe extend it upwards into the forks with lateral pegs that are clear of the fork legs in normal use but will make contact if the prop starts to move and prevent it from collapsing? 


ETA:

Something like this:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17LxLdoxbcLorBayI-OY29G62Cf9qFbm5/view?usp=sharing
Life is too important to be taken seriously.

Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #19 on: 13 May, 2022, 09:44:07 am »
I think the wheel is doing rather more than that. 

You move around on a turbo and your weight distribution changes.  As well as holding you up, the wheel is giving you stability vs small forwards and backwards movements.  Wheel + tyre are also giving your frame a bit of suspension so that all the forces from your movement are not directed into your forks. 

I would be very wary of replacing my front wheel with a wooden block, in case it either collapsed backwards or forwards, or my forks snapped from having to take all the forces from my movement.

As attempts to reinvent the wheel go, I'm not sure this is a great idea!

Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #20 on: 13 May, 2022, 10:29:32 am »
Yeah, if you want to know the difference your wheel and tyre is making, try riding with the front tyre at 100psi and then at 20psi. I bet you can notice a significant difference when moving around on the bike. I don't really like the idea of applying significant forward/backward loads on a fork when stationary (might be OK with it if the bike was just a trainer bike and didn't go outside, or if it was a MTB or something a bit more robust).
It might be different if you were on a rocker plate or something that allows the whole bike to move around relative to the floor and kinda binds the front and rear axles in the plane.

Maybe it's worth looking at the tablet holding device? I built a mini table out of mdf shelving I had lying around that is basically the height and width of the bars and goes either side of the front wheel. It would be nice if the wheel didn't get in the way of the fan so much, but that's solvable with a different fan.

Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #21 on: 13 May, 2022, 10:46:31 am »

I would be very wary of replacing my front wheel with a wooden block, in case it either collapsed backwards or forwards,

Hence the pegs to prevent over-articulation and collapse.

Quote
or my forks snapped from having to take all the forces from my movement.

Hence the gaps allowing limited free movement before the pegs contact the fork legs.

There are other issues, of course, such as providing sufficient rigidity between the axle and the prop around a longitudinal axis. But overall it's not that different from the 'Kickr' device referenced earlier in the thread, without the vertically moving spindle. Having said all that, it wasn't an entirely serious suggestion...  :P

In my own setup, I've got around the problem by removing the whole front of the bike, but I only use it for gentle spinning while at the (standing height) desk; no high-intensity stuff.
Life is too important to be taken seriously.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #22 on: 13 May, 2022, 11:28:57 am »
This thread is beginning to feel like it needs a contribution from Jobst Brandt... is the fork standing on the block of wood or hanging from it?
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #23 on: 13 May, 2022, 01:22:07 pm »
Hospital bed-table. You can get tilting ones.  Maybe add a non-slip mat or put a fence on the top to stop things sliding off.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: Stand for front wheel when on trainer
« Reply #24 on: 13 May, 2022, 01:39:20 pm »
What about a sheet music stand?