summer bike, winter bike, why not use the same bike?

dubcat

After reading all this I think I will save my road bike for dry weather and ride my mtb in the wet. I still don't get it though. If it gets wet you will end up with water up your arse and a dirty bike. When you get home you can just clean and dry your bike and your bum will be clean from the road spray. Why do you need mudguards unless you are commuting (I am not)?

DF33

You obviously don't ride in mid winter

P_Tucker

Some terrible advice on here. This is how it should work. You buy a bike, ride it over summer and winter for a year or two, and suddenly the realisation dawns on you that you absolutely need a new bike. Selling bikes second hand is always a kick in the nuts, so you think to yourself "why not keep the old one for winter or wet days". Thus, you end up with two bikes. Now, 12 months later you need a new cassette and chain on your winter bike. Do you buy new ones, and have newer bits on your crappy winter bike than your summer bike? Of course not - you buy new stuff for the summer bike and transfer the 12 month old ones across. Thus, you always have shiny new parts on your nice bike.

The other thing is that yes, when you get a new bike, you will keep it clean and wash it after every ride, just like when you got new trainers as a kid you tried really hard not to scuff them. But, inevitably, there'll be one grim ride and you'll be cold and wet, and you'll "just have a quick shower to warm up and then you'll clean your bike". Quick shower turns into 15 minutes of steamingly hot water wastage, then you walk back downstairs, look out the window - can you really be arsed? The answer is no, but you'll feel guilty about it all afternoon. The real purpose of a winter bike is to have a bike you can throw in the garage dirty and not worry about it.

This really is simple stuff FFS - if anything proves that BR is full of dentists and not experienced cyclists its that the above hasn't been posted already.

DF33

dylanfernley

That's a nice succinct summary of an organic way into cycling mr tucker, and while it may hold true for a lot of cyclists, it will not always be the route of significant others, who either have loads of money, or more likely , unrealistic expectations.

Those of us who have limited income have to nurse our resources, and by necessity slowly build up our 'flock', as ever a bike is for riding not just admiring

Bordersroadie

Well said Tucker, you hit the nail on the head! In theory the wet bike should be cleaned after every ride, but can I be a rsed? This is the true value of a wet bike over a posh dry weather one.

dubcat

Tucker I'm with you kinda but for two reasons. Expansion of ones fleet is severely limited by:

A) funding issues
angry wife issues

In such cases the rider will find himself 'making do' (a true first world problem if ever I heard one) with one decent bike. The organic growth you speak of is prevented from occurring. However, like most things in life nature does work it's magic. Those suffering from an angry wife are more likely to tolerate the cold weather for cleaning their bike just so they can delay the onset of the ear bashing they will get for abandoning their wife and kids all morning. So it all works out in the end I guess.

samsbike

iPete wrote:

I'm a one bike man but I do have 'weekend wheels' that have a nicer cassette and chain.
Don't see the point in owning two roadies but could understand if you had a £3000 dream machine.

Saying that I might build a track bike/SS for commuting this winter.

What does the cassette and chain add over your normal ones?

iPete

samsbike wrote:

iPete wrote:

I'm a one bike man but I do have 'weekend wheels' that have a nicer cassette and chain.
Don't see the point in owning two roadies but could understand if you had a £3000 dream machine.

Saying that I might build a track bike/SS for commuting this winter.

What does the cassette and chain add over your normal ones?

They are clean and better models. It also saves with having to bother swapping the cassette, especially when filthy. The every day cassette needs a knife to scoop the gunk out every now and then

dubcat

What would happen if you used your high end wheels and cassette in the rain? Ok they would get dirty but anything else?

simon_masterson

Dubcat wrote:

Why do you need mudguards unless you are commuting (I am not)?

For the sake of other road users; other cyclists particularly. Have you never ridden with company in torrential rain?

simon_masterson

P_Tucker wrote:

Some terrible advice on here. This is how it should work. You buy a bike, ride it over summer and winter for a year or two, and suddenly the realisation dawns on you that you absolutely need a new bike. Selling bikes second hand is always a kick in the nuts, so you think to yourself "why not keep the old one for winter or wet days". Thus, you end up with two bikes. Now, 12 months later you need a new cassette and chain on your winter bike. Do you buy new ones, and have newer bits on your crappy winter bike than your summer bike? Of course not - you buy new stuff for the summer bike and transfer the 12 month old ones across. Thus, you always have shiny new parts on your nice bike.

The other thing is that yes, when you get a new bike, you will keep it clean and wash it after every ride, just like when you got new trainers as a kid you tried really hard not to scuff them. But, inevitably, there'll be one grim ride and you'll be cold and wet, and you'll "just have a quick shower to warm up and then you'll clean your bike". Quick shower turns into 15 minutes of steamingly hot water wastage, then you walk back downstairs, look out the window - can you really be arsed? The answer is no, but you'll feel guilty about it all afternoon. The real purpose of a winter bike is to have a bike you can throw in the garage dirty and not worry about it.

This really is simple stuff FFS - if anything proves that BR is full of dentists and not experienced cyclists its that the above hasn't been posted already.

I have to agree with this, I'm afraid!

Who can be bothered to clean their bike after a ride anyway? When I get in I'm generally in an appropriate state to make a recovery drink and then sit down and do absolutely nothing useful for the next few hours. I clean my bikes when I have a spare moment and it occurs to me.

ianbar

i currently have one bike, and a build bike i am going to sell off. but i can see myself in the off season getting a new bike for best and using my current caad as winter bike, so thats 2 bikes but don't forget a commute bike good excuse to have 3 bikes!

anthdci

I have 1 road bike at the moment that I use for commuting, with guards and a rack, to get me started. But come next spring it will become my bad weather commuter and I will get a carbon frame for local club runs and sunny days which will be a faster bike.

nickel

Also I think there's a greater chance of having an off in winter with greasy roads, the possibility of snow/ice etc, I know I'd much rather crash my alu bike then my carbon blingy one.