Overkill for a winter bike?
wastelander
Posts: 557
As a former MTB rider I've never previously understood the concept of a winter bike to keep you best bike clean. After all, when your best bike was designed to be covered in muck what was the point of winter mountain bike?
Since I've moved onto the roads I've started to see the wisdom behind a dedicated winter bike...mudguards, less bling to try and keep crud free, bigger tyres to cope with the night-time pothole strikes etc and recently signed up for a cycle-to-work scheme to fund the winter beastie tax-free.
However, due to a bit of a mess up by the retailer involved not actually having the bike they'd put away for me I found myself walking away from them not with my intended 'cheap 'n' cheerful' winter hack but with a lovely 2008 Ultegra-SL groupset for my 'best' bike and a set of Shimano 105 wheels which adorne a winter Columbus Zonal tubed Borghini frame from my usual bike store Race Scene along the Ultegra/105 mix groupset from my Somec Titano
My original brief was for a winter/bad weather bike with lower-end (Tiagra) components that could almost be treated as 'disposable' but that seems to have somehow gone out of the window! So, I may have spent more than planned but there are some huge positives...thanks to my previous fitting on the Race Scene Basso jig my new bike has exactly the same geometry as my main bike, sports Ultegra mechs, an R700 crankset, 105 shifters and Deda Quattro/Big Piega stem/bars.
Even the g/f was relatively happy until she asked if the total price included replacing the bars/stem/stea pin/saddle/pedals off of the summer ride - "I'm glad that you asked me that ..." I replied, heading out of the door!!!
Since I've moved onto the roads I've started to see the wisdom behind a dedicated winter bike...mudguards, less bling to try and keep crud free, bigger tyres to cope with the night-time pothole strikes etc and recently signed up for a cycle-to-work scheme to fund the winter beastie tax-free.
However, due to a bit of a mess up by the retailer involved not actually having the bike they'd put away for me I found myself walking away from them not with my intended 'cheap 'n' cheerful' winter hack but with a lovely 2008 Ultegra-SL groupset for my 'best' bike and a set of Shimano 105 wheels which adorne a winter Columbus Zonal tubed Borghini frame from my usual bike store Race Scene along the Ultegra/105 mix groupset from my Somec Titano
My original brief was for a winter/bad weather bike with lower-end (Tiagra) components that could almost be treated as 'disposable' but that seems to have somehow gone out of the window! So, I may have spent more than planned but there are some huge positives...thanks to my previous fitting on the Race Scene Basso jig my new bike has exactly the same geometry as my main bike, sports Ultegra mechs, an R700 crankset, 105 shifters and Deda Quattro/Big Piega stem/bars.
Even the g/f was relatively happy until she asked if the total price included replacing the bars/stem/stea pin/saddle/pedals off of the summer ride - "I'm glad that you asked me that ..." I replied, heading out of the door!!!
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Comments
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nope! not overkill at all!
I'd just enjoy it... if it makes you get out more in winter then all good! just take a bit more care with it!
ps. (my winter bike is going to end up being a carbon/alu mix with ultagra/durace mix) so I can say nowt : ========================================
http://itgoesfasterwhenitmatches.blogspot.com/0 -
At least 4 guys in our club ride carbon framed Trek Pilots with full Ultegra as winter hacks. Their explanation that they spend 6 months of the year riding them cuts no ice at all with Mrs Bronzie unfortunately.
The Pilot seems quite a versatile beast though, as you can remove the guards and use it for sportives, or fit a rack and do some light touring.0 -
Not overkill at all Winter bikes should be illegal as should the use of mudguards
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Not overkill. I understand the mudguards thing, but don't get why we're supposed to ride lower quality bikes through the winter. I think it's a false economy.0
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well my first road bike will become my winter hack when i get a better one....
why... well if i have to replace the casstte. the chain etc... it will be cheap as hell....
but if thats a full ultegra or DA, well its going cost maybe half as much as my winter bike (200) to actually replace?
now I do wonder if the whole winter hack thing came about becuase, people buy a bike, get a better one and dont selll it so use it over the winter, rather than there shiney new bike....
now i know in the uk, the salt they put down on the road does eat at bikes (so im told), which wont be so prominent else where that dont use salt (i.e. where its to cold for it to freeze it i.e. no salt just grit), but then this is just what im told.0 -
My winter training bike has a full carbon frame and forks, Ksyrium SSCs, carbon bars and stem, Chorus/Record groupset - so you're not got into overkill at all - The thing is that most of it is either about 6-7 years old, having a second life having been downgraded from my best bike. My own experience is that good quality parts last significantly longer than cheap parts, so worth the initial investment.Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..0
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bear in mind that if you use carbon for winter bikes it doesn't rust If only the legs were as good as the bike....0
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I've not long picked up my new winter hack thats actually significantly better than my summer bike. A nice winter/audax trainer from quest with full 105 on it and then in the summer i can get an even better bike to replace the summer bike as it's pretty much past it now i'm not what i would consider to be a beginner.FCN 7
FCN 4
if you use irrational measures to measure me, expect me to behave irrationally to measure up0 -
APIII wrote:Not overkill. I understand the mudguards thing, but don't get why we're supposed to ride lower quality bikes through the winter. I think it's a false economy.
I agree.
One decent bike will last with good components/spec.
All you need to do is keep it clean and lubed.Richard
Giving it Large0
