Bike sizes and 'Winter' bike

[dac]

Hi all,

Just a quick couple of questions on bike sizes and 'Winter' bikes.

1) I'm 6' 4" and have read on forums that I would require a road (cyclecross, sportive) bike with a 62cm frame. I aim to buy a second-hand bike but finding one with a 60-63cm frame local to me is very difficult. When I look at online stores they list 58cm bikes as for 6' 1"-4". That would do me and I find loads of second-hand bikes in that size. Should I stay concentrating on a 62cm frame? Yes I could go in a few different shops but those shops won't sell all the bikes brands (different sizes) I see with a 58cm frame online.

2) What is meant by a 'Winter' bike? I often see winter bike mentioned with old or cheap bikes. Is it so if a bike becomes scuffed/dirty during the winter months it wouldn't really matter too much. Surely, you would want your best bike used in the winter time to give you a safer chance in dealing with the winter elements (rain, ice, etc..).

Thanks.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Your height is only part of the story. Crotch height or inseam is more important. Measure yourself.
Stand flat foot in your socks against a wall. Take a spirit level (get it from the garage before you stand against the wall) and have a helper push it into your crutch so that it sits where a bike saddle would sit but it is horizontal. Have your helper reach around behind your buttocks and make a pencil mark on the wall where the level touches the wall.
Measure that height and multiply it by 0.66.

That is your frame size in cm, but only if the frame manufacturer uses the Centre-to-Top method. Some frames are measured centre to centre, this being the centre of the BB to the centre of the top tube. The alternative is to the top of the top tube. If the Centre to Centre method is used, modify the measurement by adding half the diameter of the top tube to the measurement.

If you fall in between available frame sizes, go for smaller if you want to have compact racing stance and larger or a more relaxed feel on the bike.

A winter bike is a bike you don't care for. It usually lasts only one winter when ridden on salted roads and not rinsed afterwards.

 

[raleighnut]

Your height is only part of the story. Crotch height or inseam is more important. Measure yourself.
Stand flat foot in your socks against a wall. Take a spirit level (get it from the garage before you stand against the wall) and have a helper push it into your crutch so that it sits where a bike saddle would sit but it is horizontal. Have your helper reach around behind your buttocks and make a pencil mark on the wall where the level touches the wall.
Measure that height and multiply it by 0.66.

That is your frame size in cm, but only if the frame manufacturer uses the Centre-to-Top method. Some frames are measured centre to centre, this being the centre of the BB to the centre of the top tube. The alternative is to the top of the top tube. If the Centre to Centre method is used, modify the measurement by adding half the diameter of the top tube to the measurement.

If you fall in between available frame sizes, go for smaller if you want to have compact racing stance and larger or a more relaxed feel on the bike.

A winter bike is a bike you don't care for. It usually lasts only one winter when ridden on salted roads and not rinsed afterwards.

My winter bikes are all 20 years (or more) old, they get stripped and cleaned in the summer, all the bearings regreased and the frame sprayed with WD40 then not touched (other than 'mickling' the chain all winter)
A winter bike for me has at least 28mm tyres and mudguards, whether it is my hybrid (Ridgeback) my 'trad' (Raleigh Equipe) or the MTB (Raleigh Mustang)
The racier models might come out on a crisp dry/sunny day but not much in the winter.
Mind you the Trike has been my 'winter' bike this year.

 

[DCLane]

My 'winter' bike is one that's not worth as much and has mudguards.

It almost always runs 8-speed so it's easier and cheaper to maintain.

There's a good chance it'll get damaged/blown over and therefore I'll basically buy cheap in the autumn, use it and re-sell in the spring *

* Having written that, last winter I used the Ridgeback Platinum. That's now stripped and is running a Dura-Ace/Ultegra set-up for audaxing.

 

[gavintc]

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/assets/images/FrameClearance2015.pdf

Have a look at the clearance frames on ribble's web site. There are some big frames there for not a lot of money - build the rest yourself.

 

[ayceejay]

When it comes to size I think the stand over height is more important with a winter bike as you are more likely to put your foot down if the roads are wet or slippery. Any information you find on the web is only going to be a suggestion for size so it is important to go to a shop for this, especially if the bike has a sloping top tube that will screw any calculations you have made.
If you have a racing bike, that is a bike for racing, you won't use it much out of the season so you are going to need another one for winter training that will probably be cheaper and have mudguards and different tyres, you will also need winter clothing that will be different from what you wear in a race.
If you commute and not race then your bike is likely to be more like a 'winter bike' than a racer.

 

[cyberknight]

My winter bike is my most of the year commuter with rack and gaurds, then theres the rigid MTB for the omfg its snow/ice and pootling with the kids and finalyy the nice bike ( for me ) which goes to sleep over winter.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

2) What is meant by a 'Winter' bike? I often see winter bike mentioned with old or cheap bikes. Is it so if a bike becomes scuffed/dirty during the winter months it wouldn't really matter too much. Surely, you would want your best bike used in the winter time to give you a safer chance in dealing with the winter elements (rain, ice, etc..).

Thanks.

One that I don't mind getting trashed(even with frequent maintenance) by road salt, spills on ice, grit and grime ruining brake tracks and in general, it will have full mudguards,lights fitted,25mm tyres and a very cheap and cheerful 9spd Sora/Tiagra groupset. (as per my current winter "training" bike)

Going disc brake this year though

 

[Drago]

A winter bike has 2 meanings, which sometimes may overlap.

It may be an old knacker you don't care for, so don't mind if it gets furry and rusty.

Or it may be a very nice bike, but more particularly equipped for winter with long mudguards, powerful lighting, deeper treaded tyres, maybe more reflective tape than you would adorn your summer steed.