Got C2W voucher, what bike?

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CentralCommuter

Well-Known Member
Hi everybody,

I’ve got a carbon bike with 105 groupset that I don’t really want to wreck over the winter commuting on. I’m looking for aluminium frame, Sora, disc brakes and mounts for pannier and mudguards. My commute is 12 miles each way.

I applied for and just received a £500 voucher. I quite liked the look of the Triban RC500 but reading about changing tyres has seriously worried me as that seems like a basic thing!

So, for £500 (Or £530 etc) what would you get for a bombproof winter commuter?
 

I like Skol

A Minging Manc...
What have you read about the tyres?

I'm sure they are round, black and rubbery. Just use them and see how you go. I bet they are fine really.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
What have you read about the tyres?

I'm sure they are round, black and rubbery. Just use them and see how you go. I bet they are fine really.
Apparently they are very hard to get on and off

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/triban-rc500-520-max-tyre-width.253255/

@CentralCommuter what shops can you use? And can you exceed the £500 value of the voucher (you can in some places, not in others). £500 is actually quite a low budget for a new gravel bike with discs, as crazy as it seems

Maybe get the triban bike and extra cash for new wheels if the tyres are a problem
 
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CentralCommuter

Well-Known Member
Yeah, basically it takes hours to get the tyres off and a new pair on those rims - so it would need new wheels straight away which makes it a bit of a silly purchase!

It’s £500 for any C2W shop/online store. I’m going on the basis I can add to it until they tell me otherwise when I try to order!
 
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CentralCommuter

Well-Known Member
Watched a video review in other thread - definitely not getting those wheels!! Such a shame as bike looks lovely. I wonder if they’d give me different wheels at point of purchase
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Watched a video review in other thread - definitely not getting those wheels!! Such a shame as bike looks lovely. I wonder if they’d give me different wheels at point of purchase
I’m sure they’d consider it assuming you’re paying for the wheels

There are some mavics in the classifieds
 
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CentralCommuter

Well-Known Member
Well, Decathlon accept the wheels are ***** but also that there's nothing they can do about it. So it would be spend £530, then more on second hand wheels, then pay LBS to swap everything over.


I might actually return the voucher and reapply - the more I look, the more I think £1000 is not enough for a good winter commuter.

My other option would be a touring bike - I'd like to go longer multi day cycles in the summer, so a touring bike is attractive.What is the difference between a sturdy road bike with rack and guards and a dedicated touring bike?
 

Soltydog

Legendary Member
Location
near Hornsea
.What is the difference between a sturdy road bike with rack and guards and a dedicated touring bike?

Generally if a 'road bike' has rack & guard mounts it is a touring bike :okay: A few years ago I bought a 'winter' road bike, it came with guards fitted & rack mounts, took it on a 4 day tour loaded up & only thing wrong with it was gears. Had to fit a bigger cassette & it was as good as my tourer for what I needed. A full on tourer would probably have front rack mounts too, but depends if you are ever going to use them :blush:
 

rivers

How far can I go?
Location
Bristol
Well, Decathlon accept the wheels are ***** but also that there's nothing they can do about it. So it would be spend £530, then more on second hand wheels, then pay LBS to swap everything over.


I might actually return the voucher and reapply - the more I look, the more I think £1000 is not enough for a good winter commuter.

My other option would be a touring bike - I'd like to go longer multi day cycles in the summer, so a touring bike is attractive.What is the difference between a sturdy road bike with rack and guards and a dedicated touring bike?

I'm turning my CX (and wintee) bike into a bikepacking machine over the next year. I'll be swapping out the 46/36 for a 46/30 GRX chainset for a very low gear of 30-34, and a second pair of wheels to mount some 32mm gp5000s or similar (with 35mm gravel tyres on the other set). It should take care of most of my poor weather and adventure needs that way.
 

KneesUp

Guru
I might actually return the voucher and reapply - the more I look, the more I think £1000 is not enough for a good winter commuter.
What an amazing thing to say! It's a 12 mile commute. You can ride around the world on a bike out of a skip.

If you want to spend more, spend more, but don't imagine you need to spend a bag of sand to get something that will go through the winter without falling apart!
 

Drago

Legendary Member
My old all weather, all season, commuter is virtually indistinguishable from new at 9 years old, 6 of them spent commuting. You only wreck a bike riding through winter if you neglect it quite badly.

Go for the Triban. You're not terribly likely to find a better all round performer for less, or even for a fair bit more at official RRPs. People who struggle with changing the tyres shouldn't be allowed near a tyre lever in the first place, so you van safely ignore such rubbish.
 
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