Winter Bike advice...

[Ashy]

I recently bought a new CF road bike, Kuota Kharma, which I would like to keep in top condition.

I want to get a bike that I can ride through the winter months, and preferably be of road bike set up. I am aware of 2 dedicated winter bikes, these being the Ribble Winter/Audux and the Dolan Preffisio!!

Are there more that I can look at and do the forum members reccomend other makes/models. Budget wise I am looking at around £700.

Cheers

 

[black'n'yellow]

Ridgeback Radium or Surosa Toledo. I've had one of the Surosa frames for a couple of years now and it makes for an excellent winter bike...

 

[bobones]

Kinesis Racelight is a top winter frame, but might be a bit too pricey for the full bike. Some stuff from Forme bike looks good too. Trek 1.5 is also a good choice. I run a 2011 one with carbon seatpost and fork, full SKS guards and 10 speed gearing. It's a very comfortable ride. Some interesting reading here:
http://girodilento.com/the-trek-15-a-bargain-winter-bike
http://girodilento.com/winter-bike-ordered-finally-trek-15
http://girodilento.com/winter-bike-first-ride-trek-15

 

[avsd]

I got a single speed Dawes Mono and put a good set of wheels with Dynamo Lights on for around £600 last winter. Tyre size is a bit restricted. If I was buying now I would go for something like this from Planet X with mudgaurds and Dynamo Wheel/Light from Spa Cycles.
http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/YBCL202935/on_one_pompino_limited_edition__large_white

It will be heavy but easy cleaned and maintained during the winter and last a lifetime.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Buy the Ribble 7005, job done

It's a terrific bike and just about all you'll see on the roads around here from now until next spring, speaks volumes IMO.

Forget the customer service horror stories you may have heard/read about Ribble. Dig deep enough and you'd end up never buying anything from anywhere IMO. Everywhere will have someone whose been digruntled at some point, it's the silent majority that people should concentrate on.

The Ribble 7005 is simply a fabulous piece of kit, and terrific VFM, end of story

 

[Ashy]

Thanks for the advice folks. The Trek 1.5 looks good and I never even considered it. I have looked at Ribble and like the look of the 7005. I built it with SRAM, I have Rival on the Kuota, and I really like these components. Its a tough choice to make.

Does anyone have comments on the Dolan at all?

 

[smokeysmoo]

Does anyone have comments on the Dolan at all?

I looked at the Dolan but I didn't like the decals TBH

The Ribble looks far better IMO. I don't think there is anything between the two technically, and I did hear that Dolan used to build frames for Ribble back in the day, so if it's true there will no doubt be Dolan DNA in the Ribble anyway.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Tifosi are worth a look too, but the Ribble is hard to beat.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Yeah the Tifosi seems a decent bike too and I've not heard anything negative about it either, just looks a bit old manish IMO

I guess it comes down to aesthetics really, and as I've said, for my money the Ribble wins.

IMO it looks the most modern when set against the Dolan and the Tifosi.

 

[Ashy]

Swaying more and more towards the Ribble. Did anyone see Road CC's website with the 2013 RIbble range? If not take a look when you can.

The Reynolds 525 Steel looks very tempting, I like the classic look. I am a drooling over the R872....Its a stealth looking bike. Think its going to be my 40th B'day present to myself.......

 

[RhythMick]

I got a single speed Dawes Mono and put a good set of wheels with Dynamo Lights on for around £600 last winter. Tyre size is a bit restricted. If I was buying now I would go for something like this from Planet X with mudgaurds and Dynamo Wheel/Light from Spa Cycles.
http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/YBCL202935/on_one_pompino_limited_edition__large_white

It will be heavy but easy cleaned and maintained during the winter and last a lifetime.

I got the Planet X Kaffenback which is very similar to the Pompino, Love it