I put the Carbon roadbike away today and got the ol' commuter out for winter...

[Deleted member 1258]

I commute all year round on a Pearson Touché fixed wheel, I have a Kilmeston geared bike for Sunday rides, the Kilmeston will be used this Sunday then be put away until the spring, all my winter riding will be done on the fixed.

 

[lejogger]

Why do people put their carbon frames away for the winter, when surely it's the drivetrain/running gear that takes the beating?

I don't put the best bike away because it's carbon... it's that it's the best bike with all the best bits on it as well as it being carbon..

However the main reason is because it doesn't take guards so it's fairly redundant in our miserable winters. Pretty redundant in our miserable summers saying that. Anyone want to buy a Team Carbon??

 

[zigzag]

On my old hybrid, having to regularly tweak my disc brakes, gear indexing and the epic task of just cleaning gunk out of it during the winter (how DO people clean front deraillieurs???), and remembering all the bits to oil, just pissed me off. Not to mention constant supply of new chains, new cassettes, new chainsets, new disc pads, new discs etc etc.

F*** commuting on an externally geared bike!

i think your hybrid bike was made of cheese. any half decent bike with external gears requires minimal maintenance, if not ridden in dirt. how i know this? because i commute on one for almost three years now and apart from changing chains twice a year and adjusting disc brake about every fortnight (5s job) i didn't do any major maintenance. it's on a second pair of brake pads, but the rotor is as good as new, there is no step where pads start touching the rotor. i've also replaced cables once (after two years), i didn't need to tweak gears in that period at all. cassette will be good for another year or two by the looks of it. there is no front derailleur, so no problem there. this bike has served me for about 8k miles in all weathers and has been utterly reliable and very cheap to own. i've used single speed bike before and it required a bit more attention than geared.

 

[leemo]

8k on one cassette which will be good for another year or two is remarkable

I can get about 3k on a 8speed casette with monthly cleaning and changing chain at.75% wear.

 

[zigzag]

8k on one cassette which will be good for another year or two is remarkable

I can get about 3k on a 8speed casette with monthly cleaning and changing chain at.75% wear.

i also replace chains at .75%, clean and lube them every two weeks or after a wet ride. but it hardly ever rains in london , so the drivetrain has a relatively easy life (mileage for cyclists living oop north may vary). the cassette is sram 8sp 11-32 that came with new bike, so not sure about the model. no slip so far, no hooked teeth, and shifts fine. it may be the case that i will change it to 11-34 before it wears out, but i'm now determined to see how long will it last!

 

[edindave]

My first chain on the hybrid got through one winter, last winter, when the clowncil used some mad red 'sand' like get on the roads and cycle paths. That crap was still there in March. And it wasn't 'grit' as in 'salt. That stuff melts!

New chain fitted in spring and with regular care it's not even anywhere near .75

I'm sure it'll need replacing after the winter if not during it.

 

[Nearly there]

Doesn't matter IMO, tell SWMBO that any bike you buy now will be a bargain, you know what women are like, they can't resist a bargain. Drive it home by telling her if you wait you'll be spending the same sort of money for a lesser specced bike next year, then spending ££££'s upgrading it, (even if you won't be it might make her see sense)

Sounds like a plan

 

[Nearly there]

save even more money buy the giant defy 2 for £499 from winstanleys cycles like i did last week... in wigan also online

Yeah seen that one but they only have 53cm in stock i need a 58 still a good price for anyone in the market for one this size or below

 

[smokeysmoo]

Why do people put their carbon frames away for the winter?

Cos if you take a tumble on slippery roads you could need a new frameset

 

[Jezston]

i think your hybrid bike was made of cheese.

Quite possibly. It was a 2009 Kona Dew Plus at £400. Subsequent models have been WAY higher spec - no name disc brakes replaced with shimano, cheapo FSA cranks and chainset now also Shimano, SiS front derailleur now Deore.

any half decent bike with external gears requires minimal maintenance, if not ridden in dirt.

Dirty gritty towpaths and winter slush I expect count as dirt.

there is no front derailleur, so no problem there.

Cheap SiS front derailleur has been the biggest source of headaches on my hybrid.

this bike has served me for about 8k miles in all weathers

8k in two years? Conversely, I'd ridden this fairly inexpensive hybrid in all weathers on all terrain about 20k in two years. That might explain why mine wore out quicker!

i've used single speed bike before and it required a bit more attention than geared.

Really? In what way?

Only thing I've changed on my 3-speed is the chain, but that was mostly because I decided I didn't like the half-link one it came with any more and a friend offered a new standard chain.

 

[zigzag]

Really? In what way?

Only thing I've changed on my 3-speed is the chain, but that was mostly because I decided I didn't like the half-link one it came with any more and a friend offered a new standard chain.

rear wheel needed adjustment at least once a month due to chain stretch, rim brake pads used to wear out rather quickly while giving poor performance in wet, also after each wet ride the bike was a mess with grey muck down the forks and frame - more time spent cleaning. current bike has a disc brake, so probably not a fair comparison. it stays clean after wet rides (i store it on the carpet - no stains), and does it's job perfectly - mainly commuting, but also going on long distance rides if it's raining.

 

[cyberknight]

How the other half live! My "weekender" is a Virt. I struggle to get used to the lightness after a week on my workhorse, which is a steel framed Raleigh MTB I got for fity quid on Ebay

pmsl

The only reason i got the boardman on C2W is cos mini ck#2 is due in Jan and i will not be able to afford a nicer bike ever again.

When i compare it to the trek 6.9 etc that the rest of my club seem to be riding in the "fast " group i am still the pauper,mind you i think will be going back to the medium pace lot as i am not good enough tbh yet as i always get dropped after 30 or so miles .