New Bike Advice Needed After Crash

slowhand44
slowhand44 Posts: 47
edited June 2012 in Road buying advice
Two weeks ago I was cycling to work when a taxi pulled out of a side street in front of me (to see the results go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/80578092@N05/sets/72157630164193202/).

Anyway, I now need a new bike, which I will be able to get once his insurance company pays up, and my fractured rib and other injuries have healed. I am looking for advice on a new winter bike. My only requirements are that it takes full mudguards, is available with Campag groupset (Veloce) and is under £900.

Any advice or recommendations? What do you guys ride?

Also, a local LBS has suggested using a normal alloy road bike and using Crud Catcher Road Racer Mk2 guards, negating the need to narrow my search to frames that have clearance. Has anybody used these? How good a coverage do they give compared to normal guards, and do they actually clear the tyre?

Thanks,

Michael
"There's a way of transferring funds that is even faster than electronic banking. It's called marriage."
James Holt McGavran

Comments

  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Seems silly to make do with crud guards - my mate has them and his bike gets filthy. My winter bike has proper guards and stays a hell of a lot cleaner.
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Crud Road Racer 2s are fine. I use them on my Ribble Gran Fondo (Campag Centaur) all year round and they keep the bike cleaner than the SKS chromoplastics on my Tourer. The advantage they have over the chromoplastics is that they have an extra deep section to protect the front mech and it works well. The main issue is that some bikes lack clearance even for these and some bikes have the space but only just. This can make getting a good fit tricky and it can limit you to 23mm tyres. The chainstays and forks get a bit mucky around the brakes but that happens with the Chromos as well.

    I originally took the Cruds on the Ribble off over summer but, as it rains all year round (continuously seemingly!) I now just leave them on all the time.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • NITR8s
    NITR8s Posts: 688
    Why dont you build a ribble winter alloy bike.
  • slowhand44
    slowhand44 Posts: 47
    NITR8s wrote:
    Why dont you build a ribble winter alloy bike.

    The issue I have with Ribble is I can't try one out, or get to them to be assured of the correct fit, as I have short legs and a long torso.
    "There's a way of transferring funds that is even faster than electronic banking. It's called marriage."
    James Holt McGavran

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