Hi
I’ve been using trainer road for a year now with Wahoo Kickr Snap 2. Thanks for the awesome software. I haven’t changed the rear wheel tyre in a year and recently I noticed the tyre skids when I do sprint intervals. Is that a sign I should change the tyre? Or am i doing something wrong? On other intervals it works fine. How often do you change your indoor tyre and how do you decide when to change it?
Regards
Prateek
I ride the same tyre indoors and outdoors, using a high resistance magnetic trainer. I change tyres 1-2 times a year. As long as it’s clean, 120 psi and high pressure on the roller, it never skids (never do 1000 watt sprints though).
Continental Ultra Sport II (cheap as well).
Really recommend the Conti Hometrainer tire on a separate cheap wheel. I’ve had the same one on my trainer wheel for years (though now using a direct drive trainer). No issues with wear, noise, or skip.
Home trainer tires help immensely. It’s even better if you have a spare wheel to mount it to. That makes it easier to swap for an outdoor ride.
After mounting the tire I put the bike into the trainer, but don’t tension the drum yet. Clean the tire surface thoroughly with an alcohol soaked rag and do the same with the drum. I’ve even gone as far as to take some very fine steel wool to the drum to remove any rubber build-up that has happened over time. If you do this make sure the alcohol wipe is always the last step of the process.
I’ve used the same trainer tire for over two years now with no slippage.
I have over 4,000 miles on a Vittoria Zaffiro Pro trainer tire (purchased in 2014) mounted on a cheap spare wheel that has been used on a Kurt Kinetic and now a Kickr Snap (for past 3 years). Tire inflated to 110psi and 2 full turns of the knob after the tire makes contact with the drum.
Occasionally I’ll wipe down the tire and the trainer drum with a Clorox wipe to get any dirt and grease off and I’ve never had an issue with slippage.
Of course, no slippage may speak more to my lack of explosive power than the quality of the tire.
I’ve had my Conti trainer tire with my KK road machine since 2012. 
Jealous. Got a Victoria zaffiro pro trainer tire who’s belt busted after 1 year. Granted, a lot of indoor miles this season but still.
Just put a bit more air in the tire, and give the roller knob a turn or two. I used my first tire…GP4000 that was worn out BEFORE I put it into trainer use, for about a year and a half, and hundreds of hours of use. No need for a dedicated trainer specific tire IMO. No special preparation or anything. just clean enough that it didnt track dirt and mud into the house lol.
I’ve got a spare rear wheel that I use on the trainer and it’s had the same 23mm Conti Ultra Sport II on it for over 2 years (this is the 3rd full season on it). $50 for a trainer tire is overrated lol.
I’ve been fine even with sprints in Zwift races. I think the highest I’ve gone is like 800-900W though.
Same. 800-1000 is about the max I can put out sitting. Usually way way less at the end of a zwift race. I’m a bit afraid to sprint flat out standing on a trainer.
Spending more money on a tire for rides to nowhere than a top of the line outdoor tire costs is just silly.
i picked up a Vittoria Zaffiro trainer tire (it’s red) because it was cheap; it stays on its own wheel (swap to one with an outdoor road tire if I use the bike outside). I keep a new tire in a drawer somewhere and change the tire if it blows. I ride 3-4 times per week and am only on the second tire in 5 years. Main wear/damage is lengthwise splitting/cracking, maybe due to heat.