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Crumps Brother posted:The deal with the Kurt Kinetic is that their fluid trainers don't leak. Like ever, I guess. And I guess all the others will at some point because of some fundamental difference in the design. If you grabbed a used wind or magnetic trainer I think the brand you get will start to matter a lot less. And to be perfectly frank, my wife has a diamondback fluid trainer and it's going on four or five years now and is leak free still. CycleOps is another big brand and I spent a year on a magnetic one of those. Lots of others too, I'm sure. My knowledge isn't very wide on the whole range of availability. What are the relative advantages and disadvantages of fluid vs magnetic? Like, if most fluid trainers will eventually leak, is there some reason why they still might be preferable to magnetic?
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Oct 31, 2021 19:47
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Bold Robot posted:What are the relative advantages and disadvantages of fluid vs magnetic? Like, if most fluid trainers will eventually leak, is there some reason why they still might be preferable to magnetic? Fluid trainer speed:difficulty/"power" ramp is progressive (like outside w/ wind resistance) vs linear (mag style). PLEASE DON'T BUY ANY KURT KINETIC "SMART" TRAINER. Their quality control and software are both so so SO BAD. If you have one and it works, I'm not hating but I went through hell to try and get a working one. Customer support is also hit or miss. The little Bluetooth smart sensor you can mount to any of their old fluid trainers is okay, but still overpriced and finicky to connect. It will broadcast estimated power/cadence with some reliability. If you want real control spend the extra for something in the $700 range from Tacx, Wahoo, Elite, etc. amenenema fucked around with this message at 21:49 on Oct 31, 2021 |
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Oct 31, 2021 21:46
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I didn’t know it was that poo poo - figured for $250 it would be an upgrade . The sensor thing works in that it reports numbers . I don’t know to what accuracy but it operates ? I added a HR strap last season . Is there anything worth an upgrade between now and $700? Using a Kurt kinetic fluid from forever ago with the BT sensor.
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Oct 31, 2021 22:16
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Before smart trainers, fluid trainers were desirable because they had a progressive ramp in resistance at higher speeds. They also have a slightly less "mechanical" ride feel. Magnetic trainers with manual resistance control may have been better for actually simulating inclines vs flats. There are also fan trainers with big heavy flywheels like the old Lemond Revolution. Those may have been the best of all dumb trainers (minus the noise.) These days, all smart trainer resistance units use magnets. Kurt Kinetic, as far as I'm concerned, is a zombie company headed down the same path as CompuTrainer. They introduced the R1 a few years ago...it was bad. They haven't done anything since. I wouldn't buy anything new from them. Trainers under $700? Get a KICKR Snap. That's the easiest recommendation ever. Over $700 is tougher...that should mean you're taking indoor training seriously. I would probably look at the KICKR Core, Elite Direto XR, Saris H3. The Tacx offerings other than the Neo aren't great IMO.
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Oct 31, 2021 23:17
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Partycat posted:Is there anything worth an upgrade between now and $700? Using a Kurt kinetic fluid from forever ago with the BT sensor. https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2020/11/smart-cycle-trainer-recommendations-guide-winter.html/
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Nov 1, 2021 18:05
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So for whatever reason, now I'm seeing a bunch of trainers on local marketplace things but they're all Cycleops. Is $250 for the Magnus M2 decent? There's a bunch of other Cycleops in the $150 range, and one for $35(?). None of them are listing model numbers but I assume they're probably dummy versions. I figure I'll pick up one tomorrow, or if the $35 one isn't obviously broken I might just pick that one up to get a feel for trainers.
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Nov 2, 2021 05:10
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Like other posters, my wife is thinking about a Peloton. But she's not dead set on a Peloton if there's another good option. With the price of these things it'd be great it if worked for both of us. My only indoor trainer/spin bike experience is with a Kurt Kinetic wheel-on dumb trainer that I used with Zwift several years ago. I actually still have it, but without the smart connectivity for variable resistance and power readings it feels ancient and boring -- even by indoor trainer standards. I'm scoping out the current crop of smart trainers as alternatives, but the tricky bit is that our bikes are different drive trains. Mine is 11spd but hers is 9spd, so direct drive would be an enormous hassle. But my experience with wheel-on trainers is that they murder tires so a spare wheel with a cheapo slick or trainer tire is the way to go. And swapping wheels between trainer mode and "real bike" mode is also a hassle but much less so. But I do have some spare wheels lying around... My gut is that my wife is more drawn to the spin class style of a Peloton, whereas I'm more drawn to the virtual ride style of Zwift. But I've never tried Peloton so  Is a full-on smart bike like the Stages SB20 or Kickr Bike the only things that would tick all the boxes? Getting pretty freakin' pricey looking at those. What do, goons? Guinness fucked around with this message at 07:09 on Nov 3, 2021 |
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Nov 3, 2021 07:02
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I love my SB20
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Nov 3, 2021 08:05
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The issue is going to come down to the app. You can get a smart bike like a SB20 which is great and you guys can both have your own adjustments for it and can easily change those on the fly depending on who uses it. I would strongly recommend against buying just one bike trainer (direct drive or wheel on) for just one of you because gently caress changing that every time. Peloton bikes have the adjustability that the SB20 does (not as much, but enough to get a dialed in fit for a ride), but I don’t think they’ll work with any app other than Peloton (maybe thru hacking, but I haven’t looked into it). It’s really the apps you want to use. There are two versions of the peloton app. The one that comes when you buy a bike and the standalone version. The standalone version doesn’t offer as many metrics, but you can pair an Hr monitor to it. So it will take that as your output to compare you on the leaderboard, but you won’t have any on screen indicator of your resistance, cadence, or wattage output. I used to use Zwift exclusively with my smart trainer and I tried the stand alone peloton app with my iPad…I didn’t care for it. However my wife got a peloton and I use that more now with the integrated app…but I also only do 30-45 minute rides now because that’s what time allows. If you have a trainer, or even if you don’t, maybe download the standalone peloton app and look at some classes to see if you like it and would want full integration or if she could use that with a smart bike and then you could use Zwift…that’s really the only happy compromise I can think of. Also take note the peloton bike uses the integrated app at $39 a month. The standalone app is like $12 if you go with a smart bike but then you’re also paying $15 a month for Zwift…still saving a bit with the two apps. I like using the peloton bike and it gives me a ton of other classes to use. However, I also don’t have 1-2 hours to spend on the trainer anymore like I did when I was heavily into Zwift.
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Nov 3, 2021 10:44
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If you’re even considering a peloton you have a huge budget to play with, and can easily do better. Not to mention the subscription costs you can budget for other solutions too. For me it’d be an easy choice to get the Stages and find the most “spin class” style training app for your wife.
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Nov 3, 2021 11:37
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I've been using zwift on a kickr core -> apple tv 4k -> HDMI -> dumb tv. I'm getting bored of zwift and would like to try something else for a while. The new Wahoo Systm looks interesting... how can I get it on the tv? Do I need a cheap laptop with HDMI out and some sort of BT dongle? Would I need two dongles, one for my HR monitor and one for the kickr? Or am I better off on a tablet with a little stand in front of the bike ignoring the tv?
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Nov 4, 2021 04:02
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spf3million posted:I've been using zwift on a kickr core -> apple tv 4k -> HDMI -> dumb tv. I'm getting bored of zwift and would like to try something else for a while. The new Wahoo Systm looks interesting... how can I get it on the tv? Do I need a cheap laptop with HDMI out and some sort of BT dongle? Would I need two dongles, one for my HR monitor and one for the kickr? Or am I better off on a tablet with a little stand in front of the bike ignoring the tv? Run SYSTM on your phone and screen share it? e.g. iPhone to Apple TV via AirPlay.
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Nov 4, 2021 05:31
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Zwift does have straight up timed training sessions. They take place in the virtual world, but it's just wallpaper compared to the resistance and pace settings. Of course, the text on the screen isn't as encouraging as a hot babe urging you on like Pelaton does.
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Nov 4, 2021 05:48
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LRADIKAL posted:the text on the screen isn't as encouraging as a hot babe urging you on like Pelaton does. 
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Nov 4, 2021 07:11
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Mods please rename me to Unnecessary Workout Boner.
BeastPussy fucked around with this message at 19:30 on Nov 4, 2021 |
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Nov 4, 2021 17:37
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TobinHatesYou posted:Run SYSTM on your phone and screen share it? e.g. iPhone to Apple TV via AirPlay.
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Nov 5, 2021 00:32
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spf3million posted:Or course I have an Android phone. Maybe buying a cheap iphone or ipad is the way to go. Much cheaper is to buy a chromecast dongle, assuming you can't chromecast to an apple tv
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Nov 5, 2021 11:30
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I ended up with a old tacx dumb trainer tossed in for cheap when I bought my bike. The #1 thing that has drastically changed my workout is buying the wahoo cadence and speed sensors for it. I still sit and watch a movie or TV show and not to the rigorous training apps or group rides or anything, but the ability to say "ok, I'll keep going until I hit 10km" or "lets see if I can get up to 15k before the episode ends" or just aiming for average speeds makes my workouts way, way better. Also, switching back to the bike from the trainer always makes me feel really fast. Just the fact that the trainer keeps the consistent resistance up the whole time makes you realize how much energy you conserve once you actually get moving on the bike compared to speeding up.
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Nov 5, 2021 12:40
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If you're swapping between biking outside and a trainer, does the bike fling road grime at your walls?
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Nov 10, 2021 23:23
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Baronash posted:If you're swapping between biking outside and a trainer, does the bike fling road grime at your walls? You should be wiping down the rear tire at least before putting the bike on the trainer. This keeps grit from wearing the drum down. As long as you don't have wet mud on the rear wheel you'll be fine.
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Nov 11, 2021 06:52
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Mrs. spf wants to try out my kickr core. The kickr has an 11 speed cassette but she only has access to a 9 speed bike. Anything wrong with putting the 9 speed on there in the small ring/biggest gear and running it on ERG mode? My thinking is the extra width of the 9 speed chain wouldn't be an issue in the biggest gear.
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Nov 11, 2021 14:18
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spf3million posted:Mrs. spf wants to try out my kickr core. The kickr has an 11 speed cassette but she only has access to a 9 speed bike. Anything wrong with putting the 9 speed on there in the small ring/biggest gear and running it on ERG mode? My thinking is the extra width of the 9 speed chain wouldn't be an issue in the biggest gear. The chains are different widths, you will damage the cassette, or at least wear in prematurely. Can’t she sit on yours for a bit with some crazy clamp on handlebar extender? Think TT bars but reversed to make a 2nd reachable bar. Ultimately this is why the gym style all-in-one kickr, stages etc bikes exist, you can adjust them infinitely without tools. Edit: would an adjustable stem work? Double edit: Sheldon brown provides: a quill stem inside an ahead stem, and double handlebars! 
wooger fucked around with this message at 20:02 on Nov 11, 2021 |
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Nov 11, 2021 19:55
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wooger posted:The chains are different widths, you will damage the cassette, or at least wear in prematurely.
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Nov 11, 2021 23:35
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spf3million posted:That's why I was considering putting it in the biggest rear cog and running ERG mode, i.e. never shifting so the wider chain wouldn't rub on the adjacent cogs when in a higher gear. I actually think you will be ok with this, I had a almost new 9speed chain I tried on a tenspeed cassette, it worked but the lovely missing link I had would catch. Perhaps you could fit a ten speed chain which should work with 9 and 11?
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Nov 12, 2021 11:11
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It's really just for an initial trial run. I'll give it a whirl with the current 9-s chain.
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Nov 12, 2021 18:35
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I’m considering purchasing a Wahoo Kickr Core to replace my ancient magnetic wheel-on trainer. I have a few questions to make sure it’s what I’m looking for: 1. I never use my wheel-on trainer because it feels too different from actual riding. But the one I have is a cheapo no-name one from at least a decade ago. Is it worth giving a newer/more expensive wheel-on trainer a shot? I don’t mind going all the way to direct drive wheel-off if that’s necessarily going to be better. 2. I don’t really care about smart features, I just want something that will provide resistance, feel decently like normal riding, and maybe give me wattage/distance info somehow. Do I absolutely need to pay for an app to use this thing or does it have some kind of “dumb” mode? Are there non-smart wheel-off trainers that I should consider? I don’t want to get something that isn’t going to work well if I’m not paying $15/mo for an app. 3. The bike that I would be using on this thing has a Shimano Deore 10-speed 11-42t cassette. Could I install any 10-speed 11-42t cassette on the trainer or are there different kinds/dimensions?
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Nov 13, 2021 21:13
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Bold Robot posted:I’m considering purchasing a Wahoo Kickr Core to replace my ancient magnetic wheel-on trainer. I have a few questions to make sure it’s what I’m looking for: If you want something that will feel more like actual riding, I recommend buying either fenders or rollers.
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Nov 14, 2021 07:51
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So I'm a couple days into owning a cycleops wheel on dumb trainer, and I'm looking for a few things to improve my experience. I'm thinking I'll probably graduate to a direct drive smart trainer next year when people start selling them in the spring. Anyone have recommendations for desks I can set up above my handle bars so I can do productive things/watch youtube/waste electrons? There's a bunch on Amazon but I don't think there ought to be workable solutions under $100. Is there any reason a tall Walmart table wouldn't work? Maybe I do actually want e-connectivity stuff. I understand there's some adapters that let you turn your dumb trainer into a pseudos-smart trainer; are they worth hassling with? I don't see how they can figure out wattage without having some way to measure load but maybe they're more clever than I am.
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Nov 14, 2021 17:41
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rollers are lovely for everything but zwift racing and sustained efforts over 350-400w or so
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Nov 14, 2021 18:42
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e.pilot posted:rollers are lovely for everything but zwift racing and sustained efforts over 350-400w or so I know this was your experience but it's not universally true. Rollers are fine for zwift racing and sustained efforts over 400w for me.
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Nov 14, 2021 20:22
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bicievino posted:I know this was your experience but it's not universally true. I think in the hardest league races, rollers would put you at a major, MAJOR disadvantage. On a trainer, when you're hypoxic at the 4min mark on Box Hill, you can roll your eyes back in their sockets and just hunker down while pedaling squares. No risk of a mishap / crashing your bike off the rollers. Also which rollers can provide, say, 1200W of resistance?
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Nov 14, 2021 22:12
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EvenWorseOpinions posted:So I'm a couple days into owning a cycleops wheel on dumb trainer, and I'm looking for a few things to improve my experience. I'm thinking I'll probably graduate to a direct drive smart trainer next year when people start selling them in the spring. I have a bike work stand that I clamp a small piece of plywood into for my laptop to sit on. Killing two birds with one stone.
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Nov 15, 2021 09:12
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Some trainers on sale. https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2021/11/big-sports-tech-sales-start-garmin-fenix-6-series-200-off-plus-tons-more-big-deals.html
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Nov 15, 2021 12:58
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Any opinion on kickr core vs taco neo 2t? I’m probably looking used, though I think dcrainmaker recommends not buying a used kickr for some reason. Standard QR road bike.
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Nov 15, 2021 16:49
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wooger posted:Any opinion on kickr core vs taco neo 2t? I’m probably looking used, though I think dcrainmaker recommends not buying a used kickr for some reason. Wahoo has a history of poor QC, so there are a lot bad older KICKRs in circulation with busted bearings, wobbly pulleys, loose woodruff keys, messed up legs, etc. I bought a KICKR in January and after 2 months, was already on my second replacement unit (three KICKRs total.) Even if you buy a new KICKR [CORE] there's a very good chance you'll get a lemon. Wahoo's customer support is, however, excellent. The Neo series has its fair share of issues. The Neo has a reputation for overheating in certain situations. The Neo also has a small electrical sounding whine to it and since it's clad in plastic, it's more likely to have clearance issues with certain bikes (probably not a problem for a normalish QR bike). The KICKR CORE has better overall road feel and is of course less expensive at retail. The Neo doesn't require calibration and can be run without a power cord. IMO, I'd probably get a Saris H3 over either, but I would choose a Wahoo KICKRv5 and probably a CORE over a Neo 2T as well.
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Nov 15, 2021 22:08
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TobinHatesYou posted:Wahoo has a history of poor QC, so there are a lot bad older KICKRs in circulation with busted bearings, wobbly pulleys, loose woodruff keys, messed up legs, etc. I bought a KICKR in January and after 2 months, was already on my second replacement unit (three KICKRs total.) Even if you buy a new KICKR [CORE] there's a very good chance you'll get a lemon. Wahoo's customer support is, however, excellent. Thanks, that Saris seems a little cheaper on the used market and the dcrainmaker review saying “the best for trainerroad” sells it rather well on its own. We’ll see.
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Nov 15, 2021 23:23
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I need a solution for someone who is currently having a difficult time reaching drop bars on a trainer. I was imagining something like this - https://www.amazon.com/Yizhet-Handlebar-Extension-Lightweight-Speedometer/dp/B093K2C61H Does anyone have experience with this? Is there an actual product somewhere for this, bonus points for not-amazon?
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Nov 22, 2021 19:19
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Sorry, what are you trying to do? These types of extensions are typically used to mount lights, bike computers, etc on handlebars with limited room. Are you trying to reduce the reach to the levers or something else?
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Nov 22, 2021 19:21
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Literally Lewis Hamilton posted:Sorry, what are you trying to do? These types of extensions are typically used to mount lights, bike computers, etc on handlebars with limited room. Are you trying to reduce the reach to the levers or something else? Yes - trying to temporarily reduce reach to bars while on the indoor trainer. I was imagining some sort of bar that'll clamp to the handlebars like that, and that's as close as my googling could find. I was being vague, the issue is my wife is getting very pregnant, and it's getting hard to lean over that far.
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Nov 22, 2021 19:42
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Dutymode posted:Yes - trying to temporarily reduce reach to bars while on the indoor trainer. I was imagining some sort of bar that'll clamp to the handlebars like that, and that's as close as my googling could find. I was being vague, the issue is my wife is getting very pregnant, and it's getting hard to lean over that far. Shorter stem with a larger positive angle
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Nov 22, 2021 20:23
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