[tomsener]

Update – see comment below, option one is now out

I’ve decided to take the plunge and go N+1, specifially getting a new winter bike. Buying a new best bike and relegating the current one (Pinarello FP Quattro Ultegra Di2) will be far too expensive so that option is out. That leaves me with 3 ways of getting the new steed, each with their own pros and cons.

1) Buy a cheapish new bike such a BTwin 700AF for about £750, stick on some mud guards and I’m away.

Pros – probably the cheapest option; quick to start riding

Con – A bit boring; I would swap the wheels straight out for a spare set I have so seems like a waste of money on that component; don’t get to build anything

2) Buy a cheap frame and build up a winter bike. Evans have a Cinelli Experience for £250, stick on a 105 set. I have old wheels, bars, stem, etc at home so that would cover most of the cost

Pros – I really fancy having a go a building a bike; the frame looks lovely; makes use of bits I have hanging around

Cons – It will take a while for me to build it; might mess it up, more expensive than opt 1

3) Buy a different frame to opt 2. Take the 10sp Di2 off my current bike and put this on the new frame, add in the other components I already have and bingo, a lovely winter bike. I’d then buy 11sp Di2 for the best bike (wheels are compatable) and get the bonus of a nice upgrade on that one too.

Pros – 11sp best bike; Di2 winter bike; get to do a build; makes the most of existing parts

Cons – The most expensive option; Di2 winter bike (yes a pro and a con, not sure how it will last); not yet found a frame to do this on.

 

Please tell me what to do, oh wise people of the internet.

Topic

[CXR94Di2]

I have just built my second
I have just built my second bike first was a full suspension MTB. My new bike I’ve finished yesterday is titanium Tripster V2 with Di2 MTB gearset and derailleurs married to Di2 hydraulic road shifters. I’ve built it for mountains and sportives, general riding.

[tomsener]

I’m doing a build!
I’m doing a build!

Went to a bike jumble at Manchester Velodrome today, found a cheap unbranded car in frame that has full internal cable routing so I can go with 105 or take my old ultegra di2 and get a nice upgrade for my best bike.
Decisions, decisions.

Also not got a clue what headset is needed or bottom bracket size/type. That looks like a press fit but I’ll probably need an lbs to help with that part.

[Anonymous]

Build! There’s not much to
Build! There’s not much to get wrong as such. Just get your headset done at the lbs if you’re scared of damaging anything, the rest is just bolting stuff together. Cables are the most annoying part but once you’ve conquered a bike build you probably won’t even trust your LBS anymore!

[Roadie_john]

The long term cheap option is

The long term cheap option is to get a frame and build up with kit that’s compatible with what’s on the summer bike so you can move stuff down as you upgrade the good bike… make sure you get a good winter frame with mudguard eyes so you can fit proper sks/Zefal guards on 25 or 28 mm tyres

the other cheap option is to get a fixed wheel bike. The entire transmission in mine costs less than a 105 cassette and lasts much longer. Even after a really wet ride, all it needs is a spray of Wd40 to keep the wet off the chain. There’s nothing to go wrong. Again, go for something with mudguard clearance for 25mm tyres.  

[Tjuice]

Building your own bike is a

Building your own bike is a real joy and is not so difficult.  For the most part it’s all pretty obvious, but for the more fiddly things, you can find all the advice you’d need on the internet and particularly in Youtube videos.

If you were buying all the parts new, then it would definitely not be the most cost effective solution, but if you’ve got a lot of parts lying around, then it can be relatively inexpensive (e.g., I built a fixed gear from a frame I rescued from work just before it was about to be thrown out, plus various bits and pieces I had in boxes from years gone by.  The only things I actually had to buy were a correctly fitting seatpost and a fixed gear wheel).

You’ll love a bike you’ve built yourself in a way that you don’t ever quite do with off-the-shelf bikes.

That said, your option 3 sounds quite enticing.  Although Di2 really does sound like a luxury on a winter bike (especially given the abuse that winter weather can dish out).  The positive of course is that even with thick gloves, changes should be straightforward (I find it a bit awkward shifting my manual Ultegras with warm lobster gloves on; SRAM Rival on my winter bike is much easier).

Alternatively, there are loads of decent winter bike options at good prices.  I have the standard Aluminium Ribble that you see all over the place (called Audax, or 7005 or something like that) built with Rival for around £750, but swapped out the wheels for something better.  Next time round, I would seriously consider a Kinesis (have hankered after one ever since I first found out about them).  And those are just the most common options – there must plenty of others in that price range.

But I would say whatever you build, make sure you can fit full-length mudguards – get a frame with mudguard eyelets, or at the very least, a frame that has enough clearance for mudguards.

Next time around, I will also look to be able to have wider tyres.  I am running 23mm on my winter bike, but in line with current trends, I would want the option of running at least 28mm

Have fun whatever you choose!

[huntswheelers]

Option 1 plus Raceblade Pro’s

Option 1 plus Raceblade Pro’s….  Job Done… 

[davel]

4) get a smart turbo trainer
4) get a smart turbo trainer instead and complete a structured training plan on it?

Pros: get fitter and notice it come proper riding season.
Keep cycling even when the weather is unrideable.

Cons: Doesn’t get you another bike, or outside – you seem pretty set on that?
Noise – mine is in the garage though and that’s fine.

[tomsener]

dottigirl wrote:

tomsener wrote:

1a option is something I had thought about but don’t really know where to start with 2nd hand stuff. Don’t trust anything on gumtree and ebay. The classifieds on here never seem to have much either. Any good sites to recommend? 

Local cycling clubs? Both of mine have selling areas, and bikes and framesets often come up. I’ve stuck a few things on one forum this week.

I’ve had a look on a couple of local clubs I see riding about but there isn’t much up.

I have just seen there is a massive cycle jumble in Manchester this weekend at the Velodrome so will defo get there and hunt for a bargin.

[dottigirl]

tomsener wrote:

1a option is something I had thought about but don’t really know where to start with 2nd hand stuff. Don’t trust anything on gumtree and ebay. The classifieds on here never seem to have much either. Any good sites to recommend? 

Local cycling clubs? Both of mine have selling areas, and bikes and framesets often come up. I’ve stuck a few things on one forum this week.

[tomsener]

1a option is something I had

1a option is something I had thought about but don’t really know where to start with 2nd hand stuff. Don’t trust anything on gumtree and ebay. The classifieds on here never seem to have much either. Any good sites to recommend? 

[gthornton101]

What about a halfway “1a”

What about a halfway “1a” option buying a decent secondhand bike?

It’s what I did as a winter commuter – got a secondhand Cannondale Badboy on the cheap from ebay, added mudguards, solid Tannus tyres and it’s great!  A little on the heavy side compared to my “best” Canyon roadbike, but it’s been very robust through all weathers and doesn’t need as much attention as my roadbike to keep clean etc.

[dottigirl]

barbarus wrote:

barbarus wrote:

That’s really good value. How stretched out do you find it?

Don’t know – haven’t ridden it yet as I took it apart without riding it, and the EDCO wheelset isn’t due to arrive for a few more days. 

However, the stack and reach is within millimetres of my T2, and that’s pretty racy without being too aggressive.

[dottigirl]

barbarus wrote:

<duplicate>

[tomsener]

Oh, not thought of planet X,

Oh, not thought of planet X, I’ll have a play on their site.

 

Thanks everyone for the feedback so far. Keep it coming.

[tomsener]

I’m not so bothered by a

I’m not so bothered by a harsh ride, so that doesn’t really put me off.

I’d not considered the CAAD but if I was getting a complete bike I’d want it to be internal cables so I could do opt 3 further down the line if I wanted. 

Just seen the BTwin is reduced to 550 which makes it even more appealing  but sizing is limited. 

I’ve looked at Kinesis before but much of what they have appears to be disc brake and I want to keep rim brakes on everything to allow me to swap stuff about.

[Author]

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