Is now the wrong time to buy a road bike with winter looming

peyroux

The more time I spend on this forum, the more it seems the the serious (and perhaps more flush) cyclists amongst us have a winter bike to go alongside their main bike.
I'm on the verge of buying my first road bike (a specialized allez elite or simular - £1000 budget) and I'm currently riding a kona mountain bike which is okay to get from A > B but I'm living in london and want to join a club so really need a road bike.
Is now the wrong time to buy such a bike as we move into winter? Should I just keep my mtb for ploughing through the frost and whatever else gets thrown at us in the next few months and get the new bike at the start of spring? Or should I go ahead and get the bike I want knowing that I might not get to ride it all the time but can enjoy it on those crisp winter mornings. Or am I being dramatic, could I just put a more hefty pair of tyres of the new bike and ride it all year round happily?
Apologies for another rookie post, but any advice will be gratefully received.
Tom

chrisaonabike

peyroux wrote:

Or should I go ahead and get the bike I want knowing that I might not get to ride it all the time but can enjoy it on those crisp winter mornings.

That. ^^^

I don't have a MTB but I had been riding a loaned hybrid around for a couple of months before getting my road bike - three whole weeks ago. And you know what? I'm really glad I got it. The pleasure from riding the road bike in comparison, is out of all proportion to my expectations.

As a newly created expert in these things, I would say this:

If you've made your choice, you want it, you can afford it, and you aren't going to cause a load of marital strife by getting it, then get your a*se down the shop and hand over the cash with all speed

ilm_zero7

a bad time to buy a summer bike to use, but a great time to get a bargain perhps?

Lycra-Byka

Get it ASAP, ride through the winter ( tyres not a problem btw) and by spring/summer you'll have the skills and fitness to really enjoy the thing.
It won't break in the winter (just wash it after a wet ride s'all)

nochekmate

Never a wrong time to buy a road bike!

Secondhand prices are better as the winter months loom - except for dedicated winter bikes of course!

peyroux

ILM Zero7 wrote:

a bad time to buy a summer bike to use, but a great time to get a bargain perhps?

I thought this could be the case but as of yet I've seen no reductions on bikes that are clearly 'fairweather bikes', just because we're moving into winter. so that's a shame ;(

Needless to say I am really tempted to get it, but having not owned a road bike before I'm still hesitant on how much of a beating they can take. Or even what the routine is - "if it rains...you gotta dry it off/if it snows...you can't use it full stop/in ice... etc etc.)

lawrences

It's never a bad time to buy a bike get a cheap 2012 model. You'll get great spec for a great price.

mjbennett

+1
loads of bargains at the moment

peyroux

So the consensus seems to be to go for it. Still not sure as to the concerns in my previous post though

chrisaonabike

peyroux wrote:

So the consensus seems to be to go for it. Still not sure as to the concerns in my previous post though

I can't imagine people just leave all the salt and mud and shite on their winter bikes forever?

I'm not clear what your actual concerns are. There will be quite a lot of days where the roads are dry. You suggested restricting your riding to those days. What damage do you think is going to happen on those days? Especially if you wash it once in a while.

RDB66

Go buy yourself a bargain...Theres plenty about at the mo, its a good time to buy.

Then, buy some Crud Racer 2 mudguards to go on it. You could even buy some wet weather tyres, but you dont really need to.

So, you've now got your bargain bike with Cruds on = Keep it clean and Well lubed, ride it all year.

peyroux

Okay, sold.
Test rides tomorrow!

northpole

Common sense is all that you need to apply here.

I'll probably regret saying this, but British winter weather is generally fairly mild (in London anyway).

If you go out in the wet, it can be a bit of a pain. Last posters recommendation I would fully endorse - fit a pair of Crud guards (about £20-25/ pair) which keeps you and the drivetrain much drier from road spray. After you have been out, ideally each time, dry off the chain, cassette, etc and lube. Also wipe off the rims and brake blocks - the grit picked up off the road turns pads into brillo pads which scours the rim braking surface and shortens the life of the wheel.

If it is either icy or snowy (or both) don't even think about going out on a road bike - you will be messing with bad luck playing that game!

Don't let any of the above comments put you off - I use a road bike to commute all year round with no problems and I fail to get the winter/ summer bike thing (albeit, slight hypocrite, I do have a bike I tend to keep for the weekends!). Go for it.

Peter

DavidJB

Fail to get what? Winter bikes its much cheaper to replace the components that get smashed...

Replace a 105 cassette is what £25 quid? A dura ace cassette is £130+.

chrisaonabike

DavidJB wrote:

Replace a 105 cassette is what £25 quid? A dura ace cassette is £130+.

Strewth, how do they differ?

DavidJB

ChrisAOnABike wrote:

DavidJB wrote:

Replace a 105 cassette is what £25 quid? A dura ace cassette is £130+.

Strewth, how do they differ?

Dura ace cassette is lighter and offers a better shifting performance...but DA stuff is overpriced..you could put a ultegra cassette on a DA drive train and never tell the difference...and the ultegra is £50 to replace.

peyroux

Well, Just revisiting this thread to say that I bought my Giant Defy 1 2013 on the weekend! Haven't done any major rides yet, but god is it fast (and scary) compared to my last bike (mtb). Going to take a while to get used to but I'm sure I will. Thanks again for all the advice posted on this thread, there's a few things that i'll be doing before during and after rides. And i'll definitely pick up some mud guards as a previous poster suggested. Can anyone recommend a decent brand that'll fit my bike?

Ricey83

You will have to keep us posted on how you get on. I'm in the same situation just waiting for my bike to get delivered to the shop (defy 4) and can't wait!

sporttourer

peyroux wrote:

Well, Just revisiting this thread to say that I bought my Giant Defy 1 2013 on the weekend! Haven't done any major rides yet, but god is it fast (and scary) compared to my last bike (mtb). Going to take a while to get used to but I'm sure I will. Thanks again for all the advice posted on this thread, there's a few things that i'll be doing before during and after rides. And i'll definitely pick up some mud guards as a previous poster suggested. Can anyone recommend a decent brand that'll fit my bike?

Giant make their own mudguards to specifically fit the Defy. Don't know what they are like as I haven't seen any.

southdownswolf

I found that it wasn't the speed that was scary going from a mtb to a road bike, but the fact that you can't wipe the speed off so quickly.... :shock:

ugo.santalucia

It is a big country and roads are not necessarily crap everywhere... some areas without trees enjoy dry and clean roads all year round

keef66

Well I bought my bike in September. 5 years ago that is. Mind you, I chose one with clearance / mountings for full mudguards and had them fitted before I picked it up