Carbon framed road bike used all year round?

[lb81]

I am upgrading my bike as it is my main transport and i cover around 120 miles a week.

It will get used for a daily commute of about 40 miles + long weekenders.
Not bothered about racks and guards etc, speed and weight are more important considerations as i want something fast and compliant so a couple of bikes on my list are carbon framed.

My concern would be a Carbon bikes ability to stand up to use in foul winter conditions.

I know that generally speaking Carbon race bikes are kept for fair weather sunday best, but does anyone use theirs for all year round riding and if so any problems or additional things i should consider?

 

[smokeysmoo]

Would be a Carbon bike be able to stand up to use in foul winter conditions.

Yes, simple as that

 

[jayonabike]

Fast & light & all year round use? You thought about Titanium? (Although what Smokeysmoo said is right, carbon would be fine all year round)

 

[Hacienda71]

Yep, I use mine in all weathers. Just give ity a good clean after you have been out on it. The only issue I have is, it won't take full guards, so if riding in a group I may consider using the old steel bike with guards on.

 

[lb81]

Yep, I use mine in all weathers. Just give ity a good clean after you have been out on it. The only issue I have is, it won't take full guards, so if riding in a group I may consider using the old steel bike with guards on.

Cleaning after every ride is one of the problems in that i cant. At best it will get cleaned 2 or 3 times a week...

 

[lb81]

Fast & light & all year round use? You thought about Titanium? (Although what Smokeysmoo said is right, carbon would be fine all year round)

Good ti framed bikes max £1500?

 

[smokeysmoo]

Cleaning after every ride is one of the problems in that i cant. At best it will get cleaned 2 or 3 times a week...

You won't be challenging some on here for the cleaning record, but i'd wager that's more than most bikes get in a month!

It will be fine

 

[jayonabike]

The Van Nicholas Mistral is around £1600, FatBirds have some different build options starting at £1349. The Sabbath Silk Road at £1799 with Tiagra is a little over budget but worth a look.

 

[smokeysmoo]

OK I have to say it, you could forget the low end carbon frame your budget will get you and get the most advanced alu frame in the world by buying one of THESE

I actually gave up carbon and switched to the CAAD about 18 months ago, and wish I'd done it sooner. It's lighter than any cf bike I've owned, faster, and arguably more comfortable.

The link is for illustration purposes, but the CAAD10 105 is well in your budget, (assuming from others that £1500 is your budget).

 

[Blue]

It isn't the carbon frame that you should worry about, it's the components. That's why winter hacks have cheap components and full guards. It's the components that will suffer from the salty/gritty spray from winter roads.

 

[lb81]

OK I have to say it, you could forget the low end carbon frame your budget will get you and get the most advanced alu frame in the world by buying one of THESE

I actually gave up carbon and switched to the CAAD about 18 months ago, and wish I'd done it sooner. It's lighter than any cf bike I've owned, faster, and arguably more comfortable.

The link is for illustration purposes, but the CAAD10 105 is well in your budget, (assuming from others that £1500 is your budget).

Fair point. I have been looking at all sorts tbh including Alu.

A couple of Carbon bikes were on the list hence the question. I said 1500 budget in a post above, to be fair that would be stretching it to its limit and would prefer some change, probably to buy an extra set of decent wheels so i have a good and bad weather set fitted with suitable rubber.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

, it's the components. That's why winter hacks have cheap components and full guards. It's the components that will suffer from the salty/gritty spray from winter roads.

Thats one of the reasons I only ride fixed in the winter. I commute on a fixed all year round and have a geared bike for Sunday best, the geared bike gets put away in the autumn and is got out again in the spring.

 

[lb81]

The Van Nicholas Mistral is around £1600, FatBirds have some different build options starting at £1349. The Sabbath Silk Road at £1799 with Tiagra is a little over budget but worth a look.

The Van Nicholas bikes are SERIOUSLY nice... however if I bought one I think my wife may murder me in my sleep...

 

[Piemaster]

I'd agree with the components thing and could actually argue carbon makes a better winter bike than steel/alloy as it doesn't corrode. I suspect metal frames are a lot more easily recycled too.

I'll still be sticking to the steel framed bike for winter/ commuter use though as it will take 'guards and a rack

 

[lb81]

Thats one of the reasons I only ride fixed in the winter. I commute on a fixed all year and have a geared bike for Sunday best, the geared bike gets put away in the autumn and is got out again in the spring.

I have been looking at fixed as well.

My rigid MTB is sometimes run as a single speed so I am used to one speed, but I have yet to try fixed on a road bike which I suspect is a different experience entirely. There are also some pretty steep hills on my commute.

My fitness is such that I generally only use a short spread of gears on my current bike which has a triple but I am not sure its of a sufficient level to tackle my route on a fixed wheel.