Suggestions for a winter road bike.

[Pale Rider]

Another thing you might like to consider is illumination.

Daylight is in short supply in winter, so you will likely need some lights.

Rechargeable clip on LED lights are excellent - anything around fifty quid for a set from a decent brand such as Lezyne.

If you wanted a bike that was truly ever ready (ho-ho) a front dynamo and fixed lights is an option.

 

[BigMeatball]

The wider the tyres, the more difficult to find mudguards that fit.

 

[si_c]

Get any bike that can fit mudguards.

Then you have a winter bike and a summer bike

 

[cougie uk]

I wonder if air actually reached the spoiler at the back.

What is your 'summer' bike?
Never really got this summer/winter bike thing. As an all-year cyclist & commuter I know the weather can be continually awful in summer or surprisingly dry & mild in winter so my bikes are prepared and spec'd accordingly.
I think the winter bike thing is used just as an excuse to justify buying another bike by the 'most' cyclists you are referring to?

Winter bikes used to just be the old summer bike with mudguards jammed on. Now as people have a bit more disposable income - they can get a more suited bike. Bigger clearances for guards and tyres. Cheaper groupset.

You can always use a winter bike in summer if you need to and vice versa.

 

[si_c]

Winter bikes used to just be the old summer bike with mudguards jammed on. Now as people have a bit more disposable income - they can get a more suited bike. Bigger clearances for guards and tyres. Cheaper groupset.

You can always use a winter bike in summer if you need to and vice versa.

Ironically my currently bemudguarded bike has narrower tires and rim brakes compared to my disc braked "summer" bike

Edit: That bike can take mudguards but they are in the loft and I'm lazy.

 

[kingrollo]

I have a winter and best bike. I went for the Ribble tiagra/with cable discs - it only cost me around £600 on C2w.
The real downside is that is so much heavier than my summer bike !- but that was around 4 x the cost so to be expected. - and the comparable alu bikes are all around the same weight as the Ribble

Go for one that takes dedicated mudguards - The strap on ones sooner or latter rattle and break. The Ribble takes proper guards and even with guards fitted has massive tyre clearance. If you can afford it go for hydro discs.

The other bike I considered was the giant contend - but with guards that will only take a 25mm tyre (as it happens I would have been ok with that)

 

[Drago]

Id stick to sportive machines to give you as close as a riding experience to your summer bike as possible, while still accommodating wider tyres, greater clearances, mugguard mounts etc. The usual suspects, Pinnacle Dolomite range, Ribble (of which im not such a fan personally), Kinesis racelight (Kinesis used to make the frames for the Dolomite, so theyre quite similar in character).

You could find find something similar in steel, although id suggest your roads are just as bumpy in january as they are in august when youre on your summer bike, so the benefits in ride comfort may not be what youre after.

You could go for a light tourer, but you start to deviate from the nature and character of the summer bike. Itll likely do a stellar job, but it brings a totally different riding experience.

Id personally steer clear of adventure bikes in their various names and forms. They do pretty much everything, but are good at nothing. Theres no compelling argument in their favour aside from folk only able to own one bike for some reason and wanting to ride it everywhere.

One important note - whichever way you go, you cant make an informed decision from a brochure. The shiniest bling groupset (more accurate, geartrain - virtually no bike anywhere is supplied with a genuine full groupset so don't get sucked in by the guff) wont make a leaden, uninspiring frame feel joyful, reaponsive and lively, whereas a cheap groupset on an excellent frame will still deliver a decent riding bike. Also, be wary of geometry comparisons - somethong as simple as tyre section can affect the trail measurement on frames with otherwise identical dimensions and angles and profoundly affect stability and steering, so dont get too hung up on that in the catalogue. Finally, there is no universal method for measuring a bikes weight - some quoute full bikes ready to ride, some without pedals, and some even without tyres, and some don't quote at all, and of those that do quote none of their sizing siystems are 100% directly comparable, so that is hot air as well. It may be tricky at the moment with stock levels as they are in some places, but try and get a test ride - that is the only reliable way of knowing if a bike is going to ignite your Y fronts with excitement, or if it will be merely adequate. 1500 sheets is a lot to drop on the merely mundane when the same cash could get you a real corker.

Whatever happens, best of luck.

 

[nickyboy]

Depends on whether you have to ride (such as commuting) or you ride for pleasure and can choose when

If you need to commute then all the advice about mudguards, wider tyres etc etc is good

If you don't have to go out and can choose weather windows then just ride your current bike. All you need to do is clean the drivetrain a bit more frequently than you would in the summer. This is exactly what I do...summer, winter..all the same, just don't let salty stuff stay on the bike components too long

 

[Scott addict]

Id stick to sportive machines to give you as close as a riding experience to your summer bike as possible, while still accommodating wider tyres, greater clearances, mugguard mounts etc. The usual suspects, Pinnacle Dolomite range, Ribble (of which im not such a fan personally), Kinesis racelight (Kinesis used to make the frames for the Dolomite, so theyre quite similar in character).

You could find find something similar in steel, although id suggest your roads are just as bumpy in january as they are in august when youre on your summer bike, so the benefits in ride comfort may not be what youre after.

You could go for a light tourer, but you start to deviate from the nature and character of the summer bike. Itll likely do a stellar job, but it brings a totally different riding experience.

Id personally steer clear of adventure bikes in their various names and forms. They do pretty much everything, but are good at nothing. Theres no compelling argument in their favour aside from folk only able to own one bike for some reason and wanting to ride it everywhere.

One important note - whichever way you go, you cant make an informed decision from a brochure. The shiniest bling groupset (more accurate, geartrain - virtually no bike anywhere is supplied with a genuine full groupset so don't get sucked in by the guff) wont make a leaden, uninspiring frame feel joyful, reaponsive and lively, whereas a cheap groupset on an excellent frame will still deliver a decent riding bike. Also, be wary of geometry comparisons - somethong as simple as tyre section can affect the trail measurement on frames with otherwise identical dimensions and angles and profoundly affect stability and steering, so dont get too hung up on that in the catalogue. Finally, there is no universal method for measuring a bikes weight - some quoute full bikes ready to ride, some without pedals, and some even without tyres, and some don't quote at all, and of those that do quote none of their sizing siystems are 100% directly comparable, so that is hot air as well. It may be tricky at the moment with stock levels as they are in some places, but try and get a test ride - that is the only reliable way of knowing if a bike is going to ignite your Y fronts with excitement, or if it will be merely adequate. 1500 sheets is a lot to drop on the merely mundane when the same cash could get you a real corker.

Whatever happens, best of luck.

Thank you much appreciated