Reason for having a "winter bike"?

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Chap sur le velo

Über Member
Location
@acknee
Sorry if there's lots of threads on this already but I haven't found them.

Even before coming on here, talking to a few guys (itsalwaysguys), it seemed like you aren't a serious cyclist unless you've made the change to some heavier cheaper bike for the winter!

Why?

(Hopefully this isn't too provocative. I've just bought a second 'better' bike and can't think why I shouldn't use it with clip on mudguards.)
 
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nickyboy

Norven Mankey
It's nonsense. In the winter, ride your better bike and give it a clean up every 2-3 rides or after every ride if the roads have been gritted. It'll be fine, it's only a bike
 

Nebulous

Guru
Location
Aberdeen
I don’t have a winter bike. I have a year round audax bike, which does most miles. I have a summer bike ( it didn’t see much usage this year) which spends most of its time on a turbo. I have a commute bike, which is cheaper and heavier, mainly to prevent damaging a more valuable bike in our bike shed. Oh and I have a secondary cheap turbo bike which has never been outside since I bought it, and probably never will be.
 

Big John

Guru
Tradition and also an excuse to add yet another bike to the collection. I was always told that it is written and therefore has to be adhered to otherwise all cycling myths will collapse and then where would we be? Anarchy. I'm sure it's there in the Velominati somewhere. Ask the Keepers of the Cog - they'll know.
 

Milkfloat

An Peanut
Location
Midlands
I do it for money saving and because I am lazy. My posh bike has a very expensive drivetrain and wheels. In addition I don’t clean my bike after every ride, if my posh bike was as corroded and filthy as my winter bike I would cry. In addition, despite great advances over the years I am yet to find a clip on mudguard that keeps me clean, never mind the poor soul 6 inches from my back wheel.
 

LJR69

Well-Known Member
I have a winter bike, but it's my summer bike in the summer ;)

Tbf I clean my bikes after every ride (albeit a day or two later sometimes).
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
Sorry if there's lots of threads on this already but I haven't found them.

Even before coming on here, talking to a few guys (itsalwaysguys), it seemed like you aren't a serious cyclist unless you've made the change to some heavier cheaper bike for the winter!

Why?

(Hopefully this isn't too provocative. I've just bought a second 'better' bike and can't think why I shouldn't use it with clip on mudguards.)

My summer bike - well March to late October - is my pride and joy. I wouldn't want to subject it to the filthy conditions of November to February. For me there is no doubt the muck, grit and water encountered in these months has an impact on the bikes components, especially the chain, cassette and rings.

My current winter bike is 16 years old, I keep it clean but don't worry if it's filthy. It has three mounting points for mudguards which keeps them rigid and me clean and dry. My "summer" bike doesn't have mounting points.

I do feel "summer" bike is a bit of a misnomer. My best bike is a superb machine I'll ride eight months of the year, I simply want to protect it from the harsher winter conditions. I don't own a "summer" bike.
 
Ignore them. Most people start off with one bike all year round.

After a few years you know you're hooked and that bike often becomes the winter bike and you get a nice shiny one for the summer.

If you've got the cash you might buy a dedicated winter bike - one that takes wider tyres and full mudguards. You can pick one up for the price of a top groupset.
 

Domus

Guru
Location
Sunny Radcliffe
My first bike I bought, when I was 61, is a large frame alloy bike with 28mm tyres, mudguards, rear rack for panniers and a hub dynamo. Having learned over a couple of years I treated myself to a carbon bike with lighter wheels and Ultegra. This became my summer bike and the older one my winter bike. I didn't buy a winter bike as such but my riding evolved.
 

Milzy

Guru
It's nonsense. In the winter, ride your better bike and give it a clean up every 2-3 rides or after every ride if the roads have been gritted. It'll be fine, it's only a bike
I agree but I just use the premium wheelset in the summer & stock wheels in winter. Heavier bikes are good training tools still.
 

12boy

Guru
Location
Casper WY USA
I have a winter bike which is a 92 'Dale mtn bike with studded snows, steel 3 chainring cranks and it is for icy and snowy conditions. I also have a Surly Steamroller which I either use as an SA 3 speed or a single speed with studded snows on it as well. The Surly just needs a tire or a wheel change to go from one road condition or another. Studded snows are a lot more work than regular tires and so lower gearing is a good idea. My using bikes set up for winter reflects what the road conditions are and they can change very quickly here. I like the ability to pick a bike from my collection that is good for whatever. I also like single speeds for the simplicity of the drive train. During times that are ice and snow free my go to bike is my Brompton but it sure aint a fat bike. I have a pal whose winter bike is a Surly Pugsley which he rides on deeper snow and on frozen rivers. I think that would be fun but I can't justify one for the little use it would get and the amount of room they take. Still, a Pug wiith studded snows woul be able to go anywhere although I don't think I am stout enough to go very far on one .
 

Milzy

Guru
The trouble is with road clubs is that their winter bikes are still high performance bikes so if you turn up on a true winter bike or gravel bike, you’re working much harder to stay on.
 
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