Do you have a Spring/Summer Bike and an Autumn/Winter Bike ?

[summerdays]

I do a mixed commute, drive then cycle, mudguards would get knocked all out of shape laying the bike in the back of the car. Mounting QR ones every ride would be an annoying faff.

They rattle loose and rub etc.

I do the same car then bike and mine are fine though now getting a little bashed!

 

[the_mikey]

I had one bike, then there was the n+1, then I justified another N+1 and then there was another N+1...

I have a winter/wet weather bike, then the summer bike, then the really light and fast summer bike and then the Audax bike etc....

 

[the_mikey]

when our local roads are covered in mud and cow poo.

That's most of the year down here

 

[ColinJ]

@ColinJ I would love a bike sub 10Kg

I think the Basso is about 10kg. It might actually be 9.5 kg. It is pretty light for a bike with a steel frame and forks.

The Cannondale is more like 8.0 - 8.5 kg. I know when taking my weight into account it isn't a big percentage difference in the total, but that bike definitely does have a lot more 'oomph' than the Basso. That's partly due to extra stiffness. If I do a Boonen/Cancellara on the Basso (get out of the saddle on a steep climb and stomp on the pedals), I can feel (and hear) it bend under the strain, whereas the Cannondale leaps forward like a scalded cat! It is a lot of fun. It just makes me wonder what a 6.5 kg bike would be like ...

Somebody once came on one of my rides on a bike that weighed about 6.5 kg in its 'winter mode' and he said that it weighed less than 5.5 kg in summer mode. I was just thinking that was great when we went over a road hump and he broke his expensive lightweight seatpost! At that point, I decided that silly-light would not be my thing, especially since he was only about 2/3 of my size - his bike couldn't even take his small bulk!

 

[cosmicbike]

I use the road bike when I go road riding, the hybrid for towpath/family riding, and the mtb for muddy fun. They all go out in all weather's, they all get cleaned and maintained regularly. They are for riding and enjoying, not looking at.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

My Basso does not have much clearance, but I can squeeze Crud Road Racer mudguards on and leave them fitted all year round. The Cannondale has more room so the Cruds would be a better fit on that bike, but the parts on that bike cost a lot more than those on the Basso so I would rather not expose them to more muck than I have to, guards or not.

If I could afford it, I would retire the Basso and replace it with an audax/light touring bike with proper SKS mudguards and a rack. I'd probably choose titanium or 953 steel for the frame.

I like the Cannondale, but if money were no object I would probably retire that bike too and replace it with a carbon fibre best bike. That bike would be as light as I could make it without going mad. 6.5 - 7.0 kg would be nice. (1.5 - 2.0 kg less than my already lightish Cannondale.)

I do ok on the flat I can manage times comparable with people on more expensive bikes (not sure if that always = lighter, but at 12+Kg, it probably does), it's on the hills that it really shows.

 

[youngoldbloke]

I had one bike, then there was the n+1, then I justified another N+1 and then there was another N+1...

I have a winter/wet weather bike, then the summer bike, then the really light and fast summer bike and then the Audax bike etc....

^ this

 

[BigAl68]

Up until this spring no. Now I have my lovely carbon planet x number then the old trek 1.5 is getting a full strip down and being readied for wet winter commuting. The wheels from the planet x are going on the trek as the stock one are shot so now I can choose my ride dependant on the weather. No mudguards on either but hey ho

 

[cyberknight]

For my commute bike.... I do

Me too !
I have a weekender bike as i call it for just riding , a commuter with rack + guards that gets ridden all year around and is used in winter for club runs etc and finally a rigid mtb with semi slicks that is used for riding with the family ( currently has a kiddie seat on the back ) and for commuting when you look out and go "OMFG its snowing "
I have done all winter rides on a road bike with 23 mm slicks , its doable but you have to be careful .

 

[Profpointy]

I'll be very interested in any answers to this as I have just bought a road bike and hope/intend to be able to ride it right through the winter. Do people who only have one bike change the tyres for something better suited to wet conditions in the winter?

Apologies for the slight hijack Coggy.

Well I've always bought bikes made of waterproof materials - say a combination of steel, rubber, alloy, carbon fibre etc. and they seem to last just fine. The paper mache bike is probably summer only

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I have 2 bikes, a Vivente tourer I use for commuting all-year round, and a Specialized road bike I use mainly for recreational rides, and preferably in dryer weather. This is because the tourer (a) handles bumps better, (b) is more comfortable due to larger tyres and the saddle shape, (c) handles wet weather better, and (d) carries a bit more stuff. I absolutely love the road bike, though, and enjoy commuting on it when I'm doing some work on the tourer .

 

[Paulus]

No specific winter/summer bikes, but I have mudguards on my Audax bike, so in bad weather that gets most use.

 

[Smokin Joe]

When you're riding in the winter cold there's nothing more uncomfortable than a wet backside