What Winter Bike?

mccaffertyj

What type of bike do you use for Winter and how much should you spend, taking into account that winter is sore on a bike?

redddraggon

Spend as much as you want/afford/comfortable with.

I've got a Ribble with a mix of centaur/veloce, and Vento wheels. Cost me about £600 or so to build it. But there's no reason why you can't get a £200 one and be happy on it or get a £2000 super specced winter bike......

giant_man

Winter doesn't have to be 'sore' as you say. The only weather I won't ride in is snow. Otherwise I very much enjoy it.

keef66

I spent £1100 on mine. Then again, by taking off the mudguards I have my summer bike too.

Slow Downcp

Mine was just over £2k - paid for by garage sale of three bikes and various bits, and putting it through our cycle to work scheme. So it didn't actually cost me anything

You only live once

pneumatic

I use the tourer in winter. Its best features for the purpose are good wheels and tyres and mudguards.

If you're on a budget, I would recommend setting aside a good chunk of the money for decent clothing, good lighting and watertight luggage (if commuting). As long as you are warm and visible, the quality of the bike is not so important.

Also, if you ride a heavy bike through the Winter, getting back on the Summer bike is a real blast!

Nuggs

I just built up a winter bike around a Kinesis TK frame (105 GS nicked from my summer bike, which is now awaiting a suitable upgrade).

The bike feels great. It has fairly relaxed angles (which I like) but still handles well. It's not quite as refined as my Roubaix but it's certainly no hardship using it through the winter weather.

nferrar

I just stick mudguards on my normal bike to - if I had fancy carbon wheels I might get a normal winter set but I don't so I haven't Only thing that would really tempt me into a special winter bike is getting one with disc brakes.

italiaandyf

Pinarello Sestriere - steel frame, full mudguards, built up with Centaur, alloy parts on the groupset as someone advised me that carbon doesn't like the salt and grit used on the roads in winter.

mccaffertyj

Thanks everyone for your responses. I think I'll stick mudguards on my Carbon bike and cycle it through the winter. May as well enjoy it. I don't have expensive tyres on it, so may instead look to upgrade them come the summer months and use the existing tyres in the winter!

ride_whenever

I think you've made a good decision, just remember to be doubly retentive about post ride cleaning during the winter.

New pads, cables and tyres in the spring and it'll be like new!


Keep an eye on the classifieds for a cheap MTB to use when it's too nasty for the roadie, a basic one turned into a singlespeed makes a wonderful snow bike.

Slow Downcp

Agree there's no reason you shouldn't use your carbon bike if you're happy with raceblades, although I use a steel fixie if icy or snowing. Just be wary of slippery corners and has already mentioned, clean thoroughly if salt is on the roads.

unclemalc

mccaffertyj wrote:

Thanks everyone for your responses. I think I'll stick mudguards on my Carbon bike and cycle it through the winter. May as well enjoy it. I don't have expensive tyres on it, so may instead look to upgrade them come the summer months and use the existing tyres in the winter!

If you have only one bike and love riding it - use it thru' the winter, with 'guards etc. If its a carbon thing, there will be less potential for corrosion anyway ( a major factor in which bike you take out during salt-season). Just remember anything aluminium or non-stainless will be affected by long-term contact with salt so wash it down after every ride, hose it to rinse and try to let it dry before storing.
Grease that seat post....

Slow Downcp

unclemalc wrote:

Grease that seat post....

Not if it's carbon