Another Bike - yes or no?

[Glasgow44]

Hi there

I'm looking for some advice as to whether or not buy another bike or keep an existing one. I'm specifically talking about winter cycling.

At the moment, I have 3 bikes: BMC Team Machine Carbon Road Bike, Bianchi Carbon Road Bike and a Giant Defy 2 Road Bike with aluminum frame and carbon forks. My thoughts are to use the two carbon bikes (BMC and Bianchi) as my summer bikes and use my Giant Defy 2 (aluminium frame and carbon forks) as my winter bike, so I specifically need advice regarding my Giant Defy 2.

This is the bit where I need guidance: I've put mudguards and a pannier rack (pannier rack from a previous hybrid bike I had) onto my Giant Defy 2 and I run 25s Continental Gatorskin Hardshell tyres (pics of this bike below) - do you think this is ok for the winter and possible carrying of pannier bags or should I look at the possibility of buying an adventure road bike that will allow me to put on bigger tyres for the bad weather/rougher ground; I'm thinking that an adventure road bike would also be good on rough surfaces - a good all rounder..

So, the question is (because I can ramble on a bit!): is what I have done with my Giant Defy 2 bike, running 25s Continental Gatorskin Hardshell tyres, pannier rack and mudguards sufficient to be used as a winter bike or would it be a good idea to invest in an adventure road bike. If so, this is the adventure road bike I had in mind (Pinnacle Arkose - pics below) -would it ok to put on SPD-SL pedals, mudguards and a pannier rack onto this bike? This is the adventure road bike I had in mind:

https://www.evanscycles.com/pinnacle-arkose-1-2018-adventure-road-bike-EV306244

Thanks in advance for your help

J

 

[Cycleops]

Here is not a good place to ask, nobody is going to discourage you!

 

[JhnBssll]

The Defy will almost certainly make a perfectly good winter bike, I can't imagine needing anything else. So should you get a new bike? Absolutely.

Hope that helps

 

[Glasgow44]

The Defy will almost certainly make a perfectly good winter bike, I can't imagine needing anything else. So should you get a new bike? Absolutely.

Hope that helps

It doesn't help!!!!!!! lol

 

[Threevok]

Please refer to n+1

 

[JhnBssll]

It doesn't help!!!!!!! lol

The main thing the Pinacle you linked to would give you over the Defy are proper brakes, ie discs. Do you absolutely need disc brakes on a winter bike? No. Should you buy a new bike with discs? Absolutely.

I still can't tell if I've helped...

 

[Glasgow44]

Please refer to n+1

What does that mean?

 

[alicat]

What does that mean?

'n+1' is a jokey formula to suggest that you need another bike, @Glasgow44.

'n' = the number of bikes you currently own and 'n+1' is the number of bikes that you need.

hth.

 

[Slick]

The answer to that one has never been no on this forum.

Get it bought, you know it makes sense.

 

[vickster]

Just make sure you buy the right size...

 

[Glasgow44]

Just make sure you buy the right size...

Fear not - I won't make that mistake again! I took the Bianchi back to the shop and I have now got a replacement in the correct size.

 

[vickster]

To be honest I wouldn't be buying an Evans own brand bike now considering they've been bought by Sports Direct and any warranty may be worth jack

Plenty of similar bikes out there, Ribble for example

Same money gets you Tiagra not Sora

https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-cgr-al-orange-shimano-tiagra-1/

Or something like this for £300 less

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitus-substance-gravel-bike-tiagra-2018/rp-prod159908

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Surely the whole point of a "winter bike" is that it needs to be something that you really don't care about it getting covered with filthy slush, road salt, grit-laden puddle water etc? All this muck is corrosive, and greatly accelerates mechanical wear and cosmetic deterioration of paint and other surface finishes. Given that a "winter bike" is essentially a sacrificial bike, it seems very odd to me to contemplate going out and spending several hundred pounds on one! Surely it should merely be the cheapest functional bike that you can lay your hands on, ideally secondhand?

 

[stalagmike]

I'm with the skipdiver on this one.

I would either sacrifice the Defy or spend £100 on something second hand but solid /sound for the winter bike. But then I am a lowly paid librarian.

Clearly if you are contemplating buying a new bike then money is not the problem, so if you like it and you can afford it then go ahead.

 

[vickster]

Sell one of the carbon road bikes and the Defy to fund