Which 'bad-weather' bike?

SkyBlueKangaroo
SkyBlueKangaroo Posts: 66
edited March 2008 in Road beginners
Is anyone else finding the bad weather really frustrating? I prefer to keep my road bike (Focus Cayo) for 'best' and avoid taking it out on wet, gritty roads. I ride a MTB (Carrera Fury) when it's wet, but even so, most of the bridleways near me are unridable when they get muddy, and it gets boring riding the canal tow-paths (and not exactly challenging hill-wise).

So I'm thinking it may be worth getting a 3rd bike for the winter and poor weather. Don't want to go overboard, so I'm thinking 500-600 quid-ish? Just want something I can still spin up to speed on the roads, keep the miles ticking over, and not worry too much about getting it wet, gritty, grimy. Perhaps slightly wider tyres, guards, etc.?

Does anyone else have a 'second string' road bike and what do you recommend?

Comments

  • Carpe Diem
    Carpe Diem Posts: 238
    A Dawes Galaxy from Spa cycles sounds about right or Edinburgh cycles own brand equivalent.

    I have an ultra galaxy from spa that I use as my wet weather bike and a Dawes Sardar for real crappy salt laden roads.
  • meagain
    meagain Posts: 2,331
    "3rd bike for the winter and poor weather"

    Altho' I am not of the "everyone should have a fixed" school of preaching, one would rather match your criteria! Supposedly quite good for fitness. Put together quite a nice one for half your budget.
    d.j.
    "Cancel my subscription to the resurrection."
  • sloboy
    sloboy Posts: 1,139
    Could be a single-speed rather than a fixie.
  • meagain
    meagain Posts: 2,331
    Of course!
    d.j.
    "Cancel my subscription to the resurrection."
  • sloboy
    sloboy Posts: 1,139
    I have a third bike which was built around a "rugged enough so that crap weather could never be the excuse for not riding or commuting" principle.

    Basically it's a cyclocross/light tourer frame with flat bars, touring/commuting tyres and disc brakes. It also has an MTB group on it that I had lying around.

    A bit over done actually, cos it weighs a freakin' tonne. I may have a chance to rebuild it a little bit in the coming months as i strip down my old road bike for disposal.

    Mine was built up on a Ti Airborne Carpe Diem frame, but a Planet X Uncle John (Al) or Kaffenback (steel I think) would also have been good starting points.
  • SkyBlueKangaroo
    SkyBlueKangaroo Posts: 66
    Thanks for the replies so far. I don't think a single-speed or similar will be suitable and I've already got a rugged MTB. I'd rather just have an alternative to my road bike so I have no excuse not to train just because the roads are wet. Something I can put guards on, that still looks and performs like a racer, preferably with a triple, but doesn't cost so much that I'll leave it unridden rather than getting it dirty.
  • scak456
    scak456 Posts: 55
    3?

    I've just ordered a nice 4th for all year round long distance rides in crap weather but not REALLY crap winter weather - keeping my old trek 1000 for those duties and would recommend one for the op's purposes.

    HTH
    SK
  • scak456
    scak456 Posts: 55
    my trek 1000 is a triple and i've fitted mudguards - picked the bike up for 400 quid last year too.
  • SkyBlueKangaroo
    SkyBlueKangaroo Posts: 66
    Thanks scak, that's what I'm talking about, and 370 quid at JE James at the moment.
  • Bronzie
    Bronzie Posts: 4,927
    The Ribble winter training bikes are pretty good value I think.
    It's a Lifestyle! -+-+- Coggan Training Levels
  • stevewheel
    stevewheel Posts: 32
    Got to 2nd the other postings re the Trek 1000. Got mine kitted out with the SKS guards etc and it's nigh on un-breakable. It's a double so it occasionally asks a bit more work of me but I guess that depends on the terrain you normally ride on. Overall, cant fault it.

    :)

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