Am I a snob?

flyer
flyer Posts: 608
edited November 2009 in Road beginners
I have a Roubiax Pro and only use it in summer on dry days. Problem is if I am honest my fitness is suffering, as I am using a mountain bike which I only do about 30 miles max on!!!


Perhaps I should buy another cheap road bike or even a flast bar for winter that can get all the salt etc on it without me worrying.

Thing is I had an S WORKS Tarmac 3 years ago and used it in all weathers, but dispite my best efforts the brake calippers/wheels etc all got attacked by the weather and the bike looked about 5 years old after just one winter.

I really admire those people who just get up and jump on the bike in any weather.

May be I am just a snob, but I like to keep my bike in pristine condition, however there is a price to pay. In my case its lack of fitness and weight gain.

I have a turbo trainer but was told not to use it on a carbon frame, it this true?

Flyer
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Comments

  • MikeWW
    MikeWW Posts: 723
    Are you serious?
    Bikes are for riding MTFU
  • Mettan
    Mettan Posts: 2,103
    flyer wrote:
    I have a Roubiax Pro and only use it in summer on dry days. Problem is if I am honest my fitness is suffering, as I am using a mountain bike which I only do about 30 miles max on!!!


    Perhaps I should buy another cheap road bike or even a flast bar for winter that can get all the salt etc on it without me worrying.

    Thing is I had an S WORKS Tarmac 3 years ago and used it in all weathers, but dispite my best efforts the brake calippers/wheels etc all got attacked by the weather and the bike looked about 5 years old after just one winter.

    I really admire those people who just get up and jump on the bike in any weather.

    May be I am just a snob, but I like to keep my bike in pristine condition, however there is a price to pay. In my case its lack of fitness and weight gain.

    I have a turbo trainer but was told not to use it on a carbon frame, it this true?

    Flyer

    Your not a snob - just sensible - if you've got the funds, get a Ribble winter bike for autumn/winter use - and keep your best machine for racing/sportives/summer riding etc.
  • Not a snob but pointless having a bike if you are not going to ride it.

    I see why you don't want to ride the good bike. Buy another for winter. Then the good bike will be even more fun when you ride it and you will have been able to cycle all winter as well!

    Everyone wins. :D
  • Steve_b77
    Steve_b77 Posts: 1,680
    Why don't you do some proper mountain biking over winter, then you're whole body will get a work out if your worried aout getting your spesh dirty.

    3 hours pedalling across (on the non-tarmac bits) the peaks/any ohter hilly area in the UK will definatley keep you fitness levels up
  • sagalout
    sagalout Posts: 338
    It's just a bike.

    I've just bought a new madone, but it will be used in all weathers over winter. A tip from the motorcycling world though, invest in some ACF50 and coat it on all the bare metal bits. It's amazing stuff and should leave your bike looking more or less pristine in spring.
  • flyer wrote:
    I have a turbo trainer but was told not to use it on a carbon frame, it this true

    I hope not!!

    Bought a Focus Cayo recently and it get's 4 sessions a week on the turbo, could someone please clarify either way as I would hate to wreck it before I get a chance to cane it in the spring.
  • for me my "good" bike would be the bitch you slap about and abuse in the wet and cold...

    for me Its a precious tool that needs respect and gets me to work/Uni...

    I have to ride to work and Uni or I dont earn money and end up stupid! a £600 bike is worth that sacrifice for me.. despite £600 being way above my disposable income right now.
    exercise.png
  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    flyer, go ahead and get yourself a 'Winter' bike, keep your other bike for best (nicer weather).
    This is not snobbish, have a troll around, you will find lots of others do it, too, if finances allow. :wink:

    It's nothing to do with MTFU, either!
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • bristolpete
    bristolpete Posts: 2,255
    I rode my Pinarello FP3 with Dura Ace for 50 yesterday, through some of the muckiest, dirtiest country lanes around. Looked a state at the end of the ride, but a nice clean and some prep will have it ready for the next big one, next weekend.

    I see your point, but for me, two road bikes is a big no as I cant accommodate another bike at the moment....I have a huge Lapierre MTB too. I concur about the MTB thing though, certainly keeps the fitness levels up massively.

    Pete.
  • sagalout wrote:
    It's just a bike.

    I've just bought a new madone, but it will be used in all weathers over winter. A tip from the motorcycling world though, invest in some ACF50 and coat it on all the bare metal bits. It's amazing stuff and should leave your bike looking more or less pristine in spring.

    I just bought a new madone too and have the very same worries as the thread writers this ACF50 sounds like good stuff? Where's the best place to get it?
  • sampras38
    sampras38 Posts: 1,917
    flyer wrote:
    I have a Roubiax Pro and only use it in summer on dry days. Problem is if I am honest my fitness is suffering, as I am using a mountain bike which I only do about 30 miles max on!!!


    Perhaps I should buy another cheap road bike or even a flast bar for winter that can get all the salt etc on it without me worrying.

    Thing is I had an S WORKS Tarmac 3 years ago and used it in all weathers, but dispite my best efforts the brake calippers/wheels etc all got attacked by the weather and the bike looked about 5 years old after just one winter.

    I really admire those people who just get up and jump on the bike in any weather.

    May be I am just a snob, but I like to keep my bike in pristine condition, however there is a price to pay. In my case its lack of fitness and weight gain.

    I have a turbo trainer but was told not to use it on a carbon frame, it this true?

    Flyer

    You need to lighten up a bit...it's only a bike.
  • sagalout
    sagalout Posts: 338
    Oceanblue wrote:
    sagalout wrote:
    It's just a bike.

    I've just bought a new madone, but it will be used in all weathers over winter. A tip from the motorcycling world though, invest in some ACF50 and coat it on all the bare metal bits. It's amazing stuff and should leave your bike looking more or less pristine in spring.

    I just bought a new madone too and have the very same worries as the thread writers this ACF50 sounds like good stuff? Where's the best place to get it?

    it's actually from the aero industry, but recently marketed to bikers. A good motorcycle shop should stock it, otherwise there's plenty of places onlyline. I've been using for 3 years now on my motorbikes and as long as you take time to apply it properly it WILL keep out the salt and protect the metal/alloy parts.

    More info here: http://www.acf-50.co.uk/
  • milese
    milese Posts: 1,233
    I use ACF 50 on my GSXR 600. Works well. You put it on then dont wash the bike. Loads of dust etc sticks to it as its oil based so your bike looks really dirty over winter.

    It then takes a while to clean off but its nice underneth.

    Be careful to keep off rims, brake pads and contact points.

    Hein Gericke or any other local motorbike place should sell it.
  • rake
    rake Posts: 3,204
    edited November 2009
    :idea:
  • rake
    rake Posts: 3,204
    you could get a tough old goat for £100 for winter.with all the sh1t and rain more speed just gets more water in your face.dont want to drop your carbon on a wet road. i bomb about on my carrera (waits for tutting to die down) its fairly tough.
  • John C.
    John C. Posts: 2,113
    Not a snob, your best bike is worth far more than my best bike but mine is still off the road now untill spring, I do have a winter bike though which I do as many annual miles on as I do my best bike. Ditch the turbo if you can't use your best bike on it and get a set of rollers. It's rubbish that you don't get a proper work out on them and it then means you get to ride on your best bike all year round. :lol:
    http://www.ripon-loiterers.org.uk/

    Fail to prepare, prepare to fail
    Hills are just a matter of pace
  • carrock
    carrock Posts: 1,103
    this is what e-bay is for- for £500 you could get a cracking winter bike, or even splash £700 on a good mountain bike that you can ride on snow etc....
  • MikeWW
    MikeWW Posts: 723
    Must be a roadie thing I guess :D
    Each to his own :D
  • MikeWW
    MikeWW Posts: 723
    hopper1 wrote:
    flyer, go ahead and get yourself a 'Winter' bike, keep your other bike for best (nicer weather).
    This is not snobbish, have a troll around, you will find lots of others do it, too, if finances allow. :wink:

    It's nothing to do with MTFU, either!

    Think you will find its everything to do with MTFU
  • softlad
    softlad Posts: 3,513
    sagalout wrote:
    It's just a bike.

    I've just bought a new madone, but it will be used in all weathers over winter. A tip from the motorcycling world though, invest in some ACF50 and coat it on all the bare metal bits. It's amazing stuff and should leave your bike looking more or less pristine in spring.

    which 'bare metal' bits are you referring to..??

    The only 'bare metal' on most bikes is the braking surfaces, the rest will be coated or plated somehow.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    softlad wrote:
    The only 'bare metal' on most bikes is the braking surfaces, the rest will be coated or plated somehow.

    Most of my frame is bare metal.
    I like bikes...

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  • Tomred
    Tomred Posts: 41
    Your not a snob but dude jus get out on ur bike.. if u clean ur bike n lube it well it will last!.. cant keep ur bike wrapped up in a blanket like an overprotective mum.. its a bike .. it longs for the outdoors, it longs for rain wind n muddy roads, get a cheap winter bike or as advised by others use ur mtnbike !
    Klien
    Kona
    Tomasini
    Basso
  • sagalout
    sagalout Posts: 338
    softlad wrote:
    sagalout wrote:
    It's just a bike.

    I've just bought a new madone, but it will be used in all weathers over winter. A tip from the motorcycling world though, invest in some ACF50 and coat it on all the bare metal bits. It's amazing stuff and should leave your bike looking more or less pristine in spring.

    which 'bare metal' bits are you referring to..??

    The only 'bare metal' on most bikes is the braking surfaces, the rest will be coated or plated somehow.

    Ok, maybe not completely bare, but road salt will eat through a lot of the coatings they put on brake calipers, cranks, rear mechs, nuts and bolts etc making them furr up and look tatty quickly.
  • John C.
    John C. Posts: 2,113
    MikeWW wrote:
    hopper1 wrote:
    flyer, go ahead and get yourself a 'Winter' bike, keep your other bike for best (nicer weather).
    This is not snobbish, have a troll around, you will find lots of others do it, too, if finances allow. :wink:

    It's nothing to do with MTFU, either!

    Think you will find its everything to do with MTFU

    Help I know I'm getting old but MTFU ?
    http://www.ripon-loiterers.org.uk/

    Fail to prepare, prepare to fail
    Hills are just a matter of pace
  • MTFU =Man the f*** up

    In anwser to the original thread, no, you are not a snob. Nothing wrong with wanthing to look after the 'best' bike.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I went down the route most of the others went in my club.
    Buy a road bike for a sensible amount, £500 ish and up. Ride it, see if the sport gets you and then up grade to another bike after a while. The first bike then becomes a winter/training bike and your expensive all singing and dancing new bike is used in summer and events/races.

    As long as you take moderately good care of your winter hack it will be ok.
  • Steve_b77
    Steve_b77 Posts: 1,680
    Just another 2p's worth.

    I've got a mountian bike that, should I have to replace it like for like I'd be looking at £4k and this thing gets ridden as hard as I am capable of, it's been crashed mildly 4 or 5 times since I got it and properly twice.

    It's a bike thats designed to be ridden, a couple of scrapes here and there are not going to affect it's performance, it might not look as pretty as a box fresh super cared for bike.

    Perhaps it's a different mind set within the road biking community, but as far as I can see people tend to look at mountain bikers with pristine bikes as not ever having ridden them properly.
  • teticio
    teticio Posts: 107
    Steve_b77 wrote:
    Just another 2p's worth.

    I've got a mountian bike that, should I have to replace it like for like I'd be looking at £4k and this thing gets ridden as hard as I am capable of, it's been crashed mildly 4 or 5 times since I got it and properly twice.

    It's a bike thats designed to be ridden, a couple of scrapes here and there are not going to affect it's performance, it might not look as pretty as a box fresh super cared for bike.

    Perhaps it's a different mind set within the road biking community, but as far as I can see people tend to look at mountain bikers with pristine bikes as not ever having ridden them properly.

    i think it is more to do with the differences between road bikes and mtbs than the price range. an mtb will have disc brakes that are much better designed for muddy or poor conditions, not to mention a front mech that doesn't gunk up etc. oh and suspension. even if an mtb is made of carbon it is much more durable than a carbon road bike. and as a result it probably looks better with a bit of wear on it. i think you have to be more careful with a road bike, not because it is a treasure, but because it is more fragile.
  • boneyjoe
    boneyjoe Posts: 369
    snob, no - lazy slob, yes! :wink:

    I do exactly the same though from the MTB angle. The lurvly carbon beauty sits warmly in the garage for winter, while I thrash about on an older bike, which by now looks 10 years older than it really is.
    Scott Scale 20 (for xc racing)
    Gary Fisher HKEK (for commuting)
  • timb64
    timb64 Posts: 248
    I use my Globe sport for winter use and keep the FCR carbon for better weather.It's an effective way of keeping up fitness as I don't need to stay out in the wet so long on the heavier bike with its rack and all the other gubbins it's fitted with for lightweekend touring.Plus when I ride my "best"bike it then seems so much faster/lighter in comparison.