Preparing for the wet

brokenbanjo

I’ve had enough of my old winter hack, it’s going to need a bit of work doing to it so I’ve taken the decision to retire her to being a turbo bike in the garage (convinced the boss to let me invest in a smart trainer).

Since I also intend on playing outdoors as well as being a garage rat all winter, The boss has also given me leave to invest in another bike. I have my posh bike, which only comes out in the dry. With British summers being what they are, any winter bike should more accurately be called a wet and salt bike.

So, I want something that’s still a pleasure to ride, but crucially, I don’t want to fanny one with bodge on mudguards, I want proper bosses for them. I’ve narrowed it down to the following, all with a Tiagra build (cheap and bombproof).

Kinesis Racelight T3 £1299
Ribble R872 £1070
Dolan Dual £1070

Anyone got any comments on those three or any other suggestions in that price range circa £1299 mark.

arthur_scrimshaw

For that budget I'd go for something interesting like a Space Chicken, maybe with 650b wheels?

kingrollo

if you are near a decathlon store - I think the Triban RC520 - gives you 105 , hydros, for about £730

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-rc-5 ... 54421.html

bondurant

I have a Kinesis tk3 and would buy another tomorrow if it broke.

Matthewfalle

i'm intending to use a new S3 this winter if that helps with deison making.

#itsonlyabicycle

cycleclinic

My wet weather bike is a steel framed thing called traitor. they no longer exist but the recipie is simple. long wheelbase, curved blade forks a square (59x59cm) frame and skinny steel tubes.

If you can get a bike like that do so. Otherwise I would add the Tifosi CK7 to the list you have. I would still rather above a long wheel base steel framed bike. They somehow feel right although its probably the traditional geometry that helps there.

bobones

I had a Tifosi CK7 as my winter bike, which was nice enough, but I thought it felt a bit heavy and sluggish. I replaced it with a Dolan Dual with R7000 and the ride is so much better: it's smooth, responsive and feels rapid. I use the Dual most days it's wet and I really do enjoy riding it almost as much as my good bike: it's almost cheating having a winter bike this good! I wrote about the build here.

I noticed you specified Tiagra but I'd go for 105 which is within your budget.

step83

Probably use the Ti bike ive been using all summer. Its not like it'll rust!

Triban RC520 is well worth a nose, decent groupset, disc brakes, all the eyelets youd want for mudguards and quite cheap.

fenix

Step83 wrote:

Probably use the Ti bike ive been using all summer. Its not like it'll rust!

True but when it gets slippy - you don't want to be sliding down the road on your nice groupset. I go cheaper - if it gets damaged its a cheap fix. You still have to be on top with cleaning though - if theres any salt around it'll eat through your groupset in a few days if left on.

bobones

Fenix wrote:

Step83 wrote:

Probably use the Ti bike ive been using all summer. Its not like it'll rust!

True but when it gets slippy - you don't want to be sliding down the road on your nice groupset. I go cheaper - if it gets damaged its a cheap fix. You still have to be on top with cleaning though - if theres any salt around it'll eat through your groupset in a few days if left on.

Exactly. I've crashed quite a few times over the years and they've all been in the cold or wet when I haven't been on my good bike. No way do I want to scrape up my good bike's lovely paintwork or prematurely wear my expensive eTap derailleurs by overexposing them to salt and grime. I also want proper, full length mudguards, solidly affixed to the bike that don't move or rattle and that means a frame with eyelets and enough clearance for 25 mm tyres under the guards.

Having owned an ridden one for the past year or so, I thoroughly recommend the Dolan Dual as a fast, lightweight, comfortable carbon, rim braked, wet weather bike, but I must admit that Triban RC520 looks great value, although I suspect the ride quality won't be anywhere near the Dual's, and it certainly won't be as light.

itboffin

Step83 wrote:

Probably use the Ti bike ive been using all summer. Its not like it'll rust!

Triban RC520 is well worth a nose, decent groupset, disc brakes, all the eyelets youd want for mudguards and quite cheap.

Not UCI approved :shock:

sgt.pepper

bobones wrote:

Fenix wrote:

Step83 wrote:

Probably use the Ti bike ive been using all summer. Its not like it'll rust!

True but when it gets slippy - you don't want to be sliding down the road on your nice groupset. I go cheaper - if it gets damaged its a cheap fix. You still have to be on top with cleaning though - if theres any salt around it'll eat through your groupset in a few days if left on.

Exactly. I've crashed quite a few times over the years and they've all been in the cold or wet when I haven't been on my good bike. No way do I want to scrape up my good bike's lovely paintwork or prematurely wear my expensive eTap derailleurs by overexposing them to salt and grime. I also want proper, full length mudguards, solidly affixed to the bike that don't move or rattle and that means a frame with eyelets and enough clearance for 25 mm tyres under the guards.

Having owned an ridden one for the past year or so, I thoroughly recommend the Dolan Dual as a fast, lightweight, comfortable carbon, rim braked, wet weather bike, but I must admit that Triban RC520 looks great value, although I suspect the ride quality won't be anywhere near the Dual's, and it certainly won't be as light.

Perhaps it's because I'm a slightly lighter rider and my route is a bit rough at points, but I wouldn't want any less than 28mm in the wet. Just got a new steel frame built up with discs and 32s for that exact reason as I barely had clearance on my old GT.

cycleclinic

105 is to good for wet weather. Cheap parts are wanted for winter. cheap chains and cassettes. In fact I would go with claris, i'm serious too. Nothing wrong with 8 speed and for getting about £10 chains and £18 cassettes are appealing. I would also use a square taper chainset/BB as these last longer than press fit or external BB but are cheap. Claris derailleurs are cheap too when they start to develop play.

The tifosi CK7 probably felt sluggish in part due the miche RX7 wheels. These are heavy but functional wheels. They do the job cheaply and slowly. The dolan I am sure has more "sporty" wheels.

The old traitor has full length guards and take 28mm tyres too under them. About to use it for PBP so it more than a winter bike. Its a lovely bike if a bit tatty.

super_davo

For your target usage I'd want discs. I'd put the Ribble Endurance AL on the list in 105 flavour for £1200.

I'm definitely not a disc evangelist... I still ride rim brakes in summer and probably will continue to do so for a while. In the dry the braking is plenty good enough and you take a 750g-1kg penalty for picking discs at any particular budget. However, for a wet & winter bike, discs just work reliably and mean you don't burn through rims.

I did a wet ride around the peaks with a friend a month or so ago riding my disc bike and I could just ride completely normally, whilst he was pulling the brakes miles earlier than me and completely overshooting lines of cars, pretty scary stuff. Having discs means that window of conditions where I'm happy to go out just gets larger, which is surely the point of a winter bike.

bobones

thecycleclinic wrote:

The tifosi CK7 probably felt sluggish in part due the miche RX7 wheels. These are heavy but functional wheels. They do the job cheaply and slowly. The dolan I am sure has more "sporty" wheels.

Nah, I built both of them up from framesets and have ridden identical wheel/tyre combos on both (various tubeless tyres on Cero AR24s and self-built Open Pro USTs with Bitex or Miche Primato hubs). The Dual is just a much better frame than the CK7 IME.