Greenwich Mean Time

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Drago

Legendary Member
It's almost GMT, the landmark time of year when my summer bike (the Felt) get retired for the Winter bike (the Pinnacle). Wider gearing, 28c boots, more effective permanent mud guards instead of the (quite decent) RoadRacers on the Felt, and a frame heavily adorned in 3M reflective tape make the Pinnacle more suitable for the cold, wet and dark. Condition wise the winter bike is as pristine and shop fresh to look at as the summer one, because with decent cleaning and prep it shrugs off the salty crap.

Anyone else swap to a Winter bike for commuting duties, or do you kit up your summer bike, or do you run the same bike all year with no changes to equipment?
 

ScotiaLass

Guru
Location
Middle Earth
I don't commute and have 2 bikes. Like yours, both are kept in pristine condition.
In the winter I prefer the MTB, so I don't ride the hybrid much unless it's a decent day and I'm popping to Tesco for some shopping and need the panniers.
Usually my winter rides are through the woods/trails and towpaths so the MTB does the job :smile:
 

Kestevan

Last of the Summer Winos
Location
Holmfirth.
The summer bike is almost ready to hibernate. It's a Planet X rt-57 and has absolutely no clearance for mudguards (or tyres > 23mm), and the high end SRAM groupset is too expensive to expose to regular baths in winters salty water (being carbon the fram would probably melt first anyway).

The old Trek will be dusted down and dragged out of the garage (actually rebuilt after a complete stripdown), complete with mudguards reflectives and high powered lights.... at least till March.
 

slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
The bike is just the bike. It doesn't have a cute name. Sometimes it goes wonky and I have to fix it, often with help from friends, but I'm more than happy to ride it all round the year. It really isn't that precious that it has to be put to bed over the winter months. That would be a bit of a waste.
 

mustang1

Guru
Location
London, UK
It's almost GMT, the landmark time of year when my summer bike (the Felt) get retired for the Winter bike (the Pinnacle). Wider gearing, 28c boots, more effective permanent mud guards instead of the (quite decent) RoadRacers on the Felt, and a frame heavily adorned in 3M reflective tape make the Pinnacle more suitable for the cold, wet and dark. Condition wise the winter bike is as pristine and shop fresh to look at as the summer one, because with decent cleaning and prep it shrugs off the salty crap.

Anyone else swap to a Winter bike for commuting duties, or do you kit up your summer bike, or do you run the same bike all year with no changes to equipment?
I have two commuter bikes: a nice one that only comes out during nice weather, and the trusty one used all other times.

I just wondered though, wouldnt you prefer close ratio gears on the winter bike because it may be windier ?
 

winjim

Smash the cistern
The commuting bike is the CdF and is the same bike all year round, but it is gradually evolving to make it more versatile. Last year I fitted mudguards and a wider range cassette. This year I plan to swap the groupset for a triple as the wide cassette is right on the limit of the mech's capability and I could do with some lower gearing for when winter properly strikes and the studded tyres go on. In the future I'll probably fit dynamo lighting to save all the faffing with batteries. Tyres are 28mm Rubino Pro Tech save for when it's icy and the 30mm Schwalbe Winters go on. Pedal reflectors.

And as far as I'm concerned, GMT is the proper time.
 

outlash

also available in orange
I originally bought my CX bike to partly do winter duties but as I'm racing on it, it's staying in CX mode as I can't be bothered to faff about changing tyres, adding guards etc etc. I'll stick an ass saver on the CAAD8 if I fancy a road ride in the wet these days.
 
OP
OP
Drago

Drago

Legendary Member
I have two commuter bikes: a nice one that only comes out during nice weather, and the trusty one used all other times.

I just wondered though, wouldnt you prefer close ratio gears on the winter bike because it may be windier ?
Aye laddie, wind. The weather, not my bottom. I'm not a quick rider, so into the wind I'm happy to plod away.

With the poorer road conditions there's less opportunity to do dry weather speeds anyway.
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
I don't currenty but intend to pick up a single speed winter bike this season. Single speeds seem perfect for my commute...mostly flat, with no real lumps.

I am also considering putting on a set of these
http://www.thesolidtyre.com
To really go with the whole low maintainance thing.

I figure I can then ride the winter hack the same way that I used to ride my bikes as a kid, just get on and go...no prep, no tools, no oil, grease, indexing,brake tweaking, pad swapping.

No worries
 

DrLex

merely the moocher
Location
Zummerset
[...]

I am also considering putting on a set of these
http://www.thesolidtyre.com
To really go with the whole low maintainance thing.
[...]

Likewise for my hub-geared wet weather bike, although I might only get one. I remember a miserable hour fixing two successive punctures on the rear wheel in the dark last year; not fun. Have a set of Marathon + tourers to try first, but they feel almost as heavy as the Winters!

Here's a review I remember reading last year:
http://whosatthewheel.com/2014/12/27/zen-and-the-art-of-travelling-light-with-tannus-solid-tyres/
 
I have one bike which serves me all year. Has full mudguards permanently fitted (which break all the time because SKS don't do durability...)

23mm gatorskins.which provide horrible ride quality and have no grip at all in the wet but at least I don't have to fix punctures.

Lots of lights fitted and I only take them off in the middle of the summer when the rattling is annoying me too much.

Don't really feel like I am at much of a disadvantage when riding with people at the club who have shiny bikes.
 
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