'Winter rides'

JackCB
JackCB Posts: 92
edited August 2009 in Road beginners
A lot of people around here have a cheaper bike that they cycle during the winter. What is it about winter conditions which makes riding your best bike a bad idea? I can see why you wouldn't want to take out an expensive speed machine when it's wet, but in England it's just as likely to be wet in summer as winter.

I'm asking because I'm planning to buy myself a new road bike in September, most likely, and I want to get something nice. I don't want to wreck it by cycling through the winter!

Comments

  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Mudguards
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  • John.T
    John.T Posts: 3,698
    Not just the wet. It is all the cr*p on the roads that just wears everything out. And as red says, mudguards. Some of that cr*p is just that. Not what you want to be covered in especialy at the cake stop. You would not be popular there.
  • FeynmanC
    FeynmanC Posts: 649
    I just put the clip on plastic rear mudflap from The Lady's mountain bike on my road bike, as I can't afford the Giant Defy ones at the moment, to stop the stream of god-knows-what shooting up my saddlepad.

    It looks like i've pimped it with a massive spoiler :oops:
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  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,954
    A lot of salt gets on the road over the winter. Don't think that does the bike any good at all.
  • JackCB
    JackCB Posts: 92
    That makes sense. I have an old touring bike with mudguards, so I'd not thought.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    As far as I'm concerned It's not really about the damage to a "good bike" as I normally ride either my good bike or "winter bike" in the winter, it's more the fact if I ride the "winter bike" I'm not so worried about giving it a clean straight away if it's a mess, and it has mudguards so if it's a particularly wet day I largely keep free of spattered mud even if I am soaked by the rain.

    I also set my "winter bike" up so that it can perform different jobs,

    -it tends to have lower gearing (50/34 + 13-29 instead 11-25 I prefer on my good bike)
    -heavier more resistant and sometimes wider tyres
    -has lights (mounts)
    -compact bars as opposed to deep drop belgian style I prefer on my good bike
    -ability to take a rack (although don't have one fitted at the mo)

    This means that the bike is used in the summer - say night or long distance rides where a rack might come in handy, like Audaxes.

    I wouldn't be too worried about riding a good bike in the winter, just don't put it away in the shed or garage dirty and wet as then you may find it'll suffer, the riding won't damage the bike or components but the neglect after a ride might :wink:
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