Winter bike vs Winter wheels vs ???

[John the Monkey]

My best bike is an SCR2.0 that's been upgraded over time - for about two years, it was the only bike I had, so it was the commuter, summer bike and winter bike.

Once I had the money I did get some slightly fancier wheels for the weekend ride (nowt too swish, just Aksiums), and kept the other wheels for wet days & commuting.

Once I'd built up my tourer, I moved the SCR further in the direction of speed and impracticality, and used the tourer for commuting & load carrying errands.

One bike can do it all, but you'll compromise in some areas by doing things that way - having a bike you can load, stick big tyres on, leave your lighting on year round &c will avoid those compromises. Thekey really is to think about whether those compromises annoy you enough that you feel another bike is the only way around them.

 

[potsy]

As a second bike what about a cyclo cross bike like the Specialized Tricross, can take fatter tyres, mudguards and a rack if you need it. I'm thinking of getting one of these as my winter bike.

This is my thinking too,Tri-cross or similar with guards,rack,and 32mm M+ tyres for winter/wet weather stuff.Keep changing my mind on which to go for though,one day it's the Tri then it's the Croix de Fer,or even a nice light Sirrus.

 

[Globalti]

I spent 2k on a bike this summer and damn right am i riding it all year around, would you buy a porshe for the summer and drive a robin reliant in the winter? no no no (in my opinion).

i could be dead in a year, enjoy the now, enjoy your bike and just maintain it more regularly over the winter, clean the salt and muck of as regular as possible, cleaning the bike front to back every week is a must.

a nice bike is a joy but dont be afraid to use it )

Agreed. I don't have the funds or the space for more than the road bike and the MTB. I fitted some lightweight mudguards to the carbon bike last Autumn and made sure I didn't ride it in salty conditions. I always hosed it down and dried it off after a wet muddy ride and it seems to have survived OK.

 

[2Loose]

Agreed. I don't have the funds or the space for more than the road bike and the MTB. I fitted some lightweight mudguards to the carbon bike last Autumn and made sure I didn't ride it in salty conditions. I always hosed it down and dried it off after a wet muddy ride and it seems to have survived OK.

Last winter I ended cleaning and lubing my bike every couple of days and the drivetrain still took a hammering from the salt and road crud. Fitted a pair of very untrendy SKS guards and then only needed to clean it once a month, with the chain getting weekly attention. Guards are such a useful thing for crappy weather I wouldn't be without them now.

 

[HJ]

Why dont people use carbon bikes in winter? If I buy a bike for 2 grand I expect it to work all year!

It might melt in the rain

Personally I agree with DavieB, if had a £2K bike I would use it year round, but then I am not a bike snob.