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forum
Winter Bikes
Other riders often ask "what is a winter bike?". As opposed to any other sort of bike I suppose. Here's a blog on my winter bikes
http://audaxing.wordpress.com/2013/11/05/two-winter-bikes/
The only thing that they do that might not work for all road bike riders is using quite large tyres. One of them has 42mm tyres on. The "winter" reason for this is that there are many "touring" type tyres that are only available in wider widths and these tyres are tougher and better for the poor winter conditions
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
Latest Forum Topics
Latest Comments
- Patrick9-32 14 min 37 sec ago
2020/2021: Bike companies place large orders to attempt to fill pandemic orders which go unfulfilled due to massive lead times. Leaving many bike...
- a1white 15 min 30 sec ago
I cycle along this route. in the last couple of weeks I have seen all of these scenarios, so what you are describing is not that far fetched!
- David9694 35 min 18 sec ago
'I racked up thousands in Ulez fines - I misread the rules and my dog ate the letters'...
- KDee 56 min 53 sec ago
It's the mass that's the issue. Two people on a petrol powered scooter can really mess up a cyclist. Also the fact so many of the petrol scooters...
- james-o 1 hour 6 min ago
"if we’ve got to fly there we’re not going" *applause from over here*
- KDee 1 hour 7 min ago
"Strumpjumper"...sounds like a euphemism for something else 🤔
- andystow 1 hour 24 min ago
The new RH tubes claim to solve that issue, but price and availability is a problem. I tried to get some to try out, but they went out of stock on...
- brooksby 1 hour 48 min ago
Cough - cough - Clevedon seafront! - cough cough
- Secret_squirrel 5 hours 18 min ago
Those calipers arent the prettiest. Makes them look like Post-mount.
- Dnnnnnn 6 hours 1 min ago
I'm all for a much more socialist approach to the sorts of things you mention, where there are clear market failures and a need for decent...
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8 comments
currently building: dawes 531 frame, x2 SA hub brake wheels, front dynamo, rear 3 speed, full chaincase, full mudguards, front dyno light., 35mm marathon plus tyres. should be awesome. any suggestions for a good quality handlebar bag???
Fixed, front brake, no mudguards, 25mm tyres. Simply to save me cleaning 'best' bike so often and because fixed just runs and runs and runs. Fun to to ride too. Great for teaching you how to climb hills properly as well.
+1 for fixed, very low maintenance and great fun to ride (though it has kicked me off a few times). Here's mine
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4tj3nj58rmpxwus/20130727_165512-1.jpg
One of the previous incarnations of the Alfine bike was a single speed with a freehub
Of course single speed freehubs have a few more moving parts than fixed
A couple of times during particularly cold weather the free wheel mechanism jammed in "comedy bicycle" mode - the opposite to fixed
I like the simplicity of no gears but my knees don't like it, especially in the cold of the winter.
The Alfine is as reliable / more reliable than the single speed
Wet/winter bike is a 1997 rigid Kona MTB with full length Tortec mudguards and 26x1.5" tyres. Tough as boots and more reassuring than the road bike on wet and muddy lanes but less fun to ride when conditions are favourable. And the flat bars aren't anywhere near as comfortable as drops after a few miles.
Like Sam, I hope eventually to replace it with a disc-equipped CX style utility/multi-surface bike, Alfine would be nice...
I also have two:
A Saracen Ventoux with 1x10 and a rack for light touring and Base training
And a Fixed Gear for overgearing myself and building leg muscles the size of the German track sprinters! (Also the low maintenance and versatility make a bike that is ready to go at any time!)
And my winter bike's a Racelight Tk with 25mm GP 4 Seasons and full Chromoplstic guards. It's what it was designed for!
I think your blog sums it up at the end - they're both great in their own way.
My winter bike is a Kinesis Racelight T, it's limited to 28c tyres, but I tend to ride it with 25mm tyres and full mudguards. It suits what I do, which is quick(ish) training through the winter, commuting and sticking it on the dreaded turbo. The tyre size is limiting though, because it doesn't take studded tyres, then again, that's a nice money saver otherwise I'd be £60/70 out of pocket by now!
Everyone's winter bikes are different though, all dependant on what you want them to do, and how you want them to do it. Next frame I get will be disc braked and have a larger tyre clearance (essentially it'll be a CX frame) mainly to allow fitment of studded tyres, the ability to go off road with knobblies and (most importantly) so that I'm not having to build new rims onto the wheels after a few thousand miles.