The Cycling Thread

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by Dipper

The question is do you want to spend £1500 on a nice carbon bike to do the Winter miles on??

John's got a very good point, all those nice components are going to get trashed by the mud, salt & wet. The frame will be ok, but a winter bike is a necessity, unless you're going to be using a turbo until the weather improves.

[Dipper]

Winter's not about speed, weight and components are less important, cheaper groupsets all work well, they just weigh a bit more. Most people end up using their first bike as their Winter bike which is not really the best thing for the job. As Mav says if you're going to use it all year round then perhaps a Winter bike is the way forward.

One of the chaps in our group was looking to spend £1500 on a Carbon bike until this was pointed out to him. He's now going to buy a Ribble Audax with decent SKS mudguards (a worthwhile upgrade for Winter), a wise choice in my opinion...

My first bike was a KTM Strada 1000 which was a 54cm (stupid bike shop, I needed a 5 so this didn't get much use.

I then bought a really pretty Moda Interval Sprint with drop bars on it (once again stupid bike shop as you can't put drop bars on a TT frame and expect comfort! - live and learn) but regardless, I used this £2,000 bike through winter.

I didn't do that many miles on it over the winter, but it did get pretty bashed about with the road salt and all the wet.

I'd really recommend a decent winter bike with guards (and what I now have as my only bike).

It makes getting out much more pleasant and you don't mind so much when it's getting mucky.

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by Dipper

One of the chaps in our group was looking to spend £1500 on a Carbon bike until this was pointed out to him. He's now going to buy a Ribble Audax with decent SKS mudguards (a worthwhile upgrade for Winter), a wise choice in my opinion...

Spookey, this just arrived in my inbox

http://secure.campaigner.com/Campaig...4-ixo1lg5&_v=2

However my winter bike is a 2nd hand Raleigh, 7005 alloy frame, carbon forks withShimano sti's for just under £200, although I was lucky finding it in my local paper.

If you can afford it, buy the winter bike now and get your carbon bike later

Here's an ideal winter bike, I'm sure others will turn up on Ebay or Gumtree

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/view...090&t=12952890

[Dipper]

Originally Posted by maviczap

Spookey, this just arrived in my inbox

http://secure.campaigner.com/Campaig...4-ixo1lg5&_v=2

Bargain!

I've already got three bikes so this will be a do it all (summer and winter)...although saying that I could use my single speed for the really grotty winter rides. I got some TACX rollers that I could use the "best" bike on if I fancied riding that and the weather was grim. Does the weather really kill them off? My MTB gets proper filthy but it gets cleaned straight after a ride and that's still going strong.

I hear what you are saying about Ally, but the ROSE is really nice and it comes with a carbon post. won't that take some of the sting out?

See here for pics: http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/bike/rose...014/aid:669786

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by Scoobs

I hear what you are saying about Ally, but the ROSE is really nice and it comes with a carbon post. won't that take some of the sting out?

See here for pics: http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/bike/rose...014/aid:669786

Yes it will, and being 27.2 it'll flex more than a larger dia seatpost, so will give a smidge more comfort.

Also the seatstays look really thin, so hopefully they'll give you some degree of comfort & compliance.

Although not the same as a full carbon frame.

Some folk don't like the dead feel of full carbon frames and would prefer a bit of road sting

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by Scoobs

Does the weather really kill them off? My MTB gets proper filthy but it gets cleaned straight after a ride and that's still going strong.

Its not the mud its the road salt that does the damage as long as you wash it after every ride it'll be OK, but that gets really tedious in the winter.

If you are after a do anything bike its worth IMHO considering something you can fit mud guards onto.

[maviczap]

Planet X have stopped doing the Sportive version of my Ti frame

But here's something really lovely

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genesis-Eq...item19e6ff2519

Good spec & clearance for mudguards. The frame won't rot, so its only a case of replacing the components when they wear out. An all year bike

Ti is comfortable like carbon, although not the same

[maviczap]

Or this, which is meant to be the same frame as my Planet X

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LYNSKEY-Sp...item1e855b7ca9

Its got the Campag you want Scoobs, plus the Quattro wheels. No reserve either.

Its not far from me either