Who uses their 'best' bike for winter?

[gbb]

Depends on what 'winter riding' means...
Dry days, no problem, best bike is fine with a clean down after.
Depths of winter commuting, salt, slush, wet, filthy filthy bike, I wouldnt use my best bike, the winter bike comes out. I did use my (at the time) best bike, a Bianchi through one winter, dry ridws only for themostpart. Crud got into the brake bolt hole in the front forks and lifted the carbon...only cosmetic thankfully. It also siezed my downtube adjusters. After that, I built my own workhorse. It gets abused, it survives, I'm happy.

 

[phantasmagoriana]

Nope, I'm on the winter bike (alu frame, mudguards) or the fixed (steel frame, mudguards) - summer bike can't take mudguards.

 

[Dave 123]

Yes, so long as it's not really grim. If it gets dirty I clean it.

I've posted here before that my dad used to buy good stuff, or get presents and keep it in the packet or hide it away saying "it's too good to use......"

Complete bo110ck5!!!

 

[ColinJ]

How much extra clearance do studded tyres need? I am fitting some mudguards to my CAADX and hopefully I should be able to squeeze some studded tyres on under them. If we get the severe winter that some people are talking about then it would be studded tyres, or turbo trainer for me. I've come off on ice 3 times and I don't want to do it again!

 

[G3CWI]

You cycle in the winter? #bonkers

 

[gavroche]

Both my bikes are "best" so it doesn't matter which one I use. To be fair, I ride less in winter.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

How much extra clearance do studded tyres need?

I would guess about half a centimeter - the winters that is, much more for ice spikers.
Will measure later for you.

 

[ColinJ]

I would guess about half a centimeter - the winters that is, much more for ice spikers.
Will measure later for you.

Thanks. I haven't got the guards yet so I don't know how much clearance I will have. I would always have the option of using smaller tyres than the current 35Cs.

 

[MikeW-71]

The carbon bike will get out less and less now, I'll mostly be on the CX with mudguards as it is usually (like today) wet on the roads and covered with a film of mud and cow poo.

That said, if there's been a dry spell, then it will come out to play.

 

[derrick]

I will be riding my best bike every weekend come rain or shine.

 

[Pumpkin the robot]

Use my "best" bike for commuting all through winter. The LBS are horrified that I use a carbon bike with DI2 in less than clement conditions, but what else should it be used for?

 

[Hip Priest]

Me!

I've got a hybrid for commuting and a road bike for training, time-trialling, club runs, cafe rides, turbo training....etc I can't afford anything more.

 

[Hyslop]

October has been dryer than July, here you can never tell.
I use all my bikes all year round, not that I have carbon worries hehe.
Of course on icy days only the studded tyres will do, but they are not fitted to an exclusive "winter bike", they are fitted to the easiest to clean bike.

Same here as far as the weather is concerned-glad you got some decent weather at some point.today was really warm,bit gloomy though.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

How much extra clearance do studded tyres need? I am fitting some mudguards to my CAADX and hopefully I should be able to squeeze some studded tyres on under them. If we get the severe winter that some people are talking about then it would be studded tyres, or turbo trainer for me. I've come off on ice 3 times and I don't want to do it again!

I can't get the studded tyres on the Tricross due to mudguards.

 

[Hugh Manatee]

I came at this from the other way. I built up a winter bike; downtube shifters, compact chainset (38/50), mudguards and 28 tyres. It rode so well during the winter that I simply removed the guards and rode it during the summer too!