Winter bike help please

[brokenflipflop]

Hello, I'm a newbie and I'd just like to ask for some advice about a winter bike.

I've currently got a CAAD 10 that I like but it doesn't have eyelets and as far as I can see wont take mudguards and I don't know if riding it in bad weather will mess it all up.

So I'd like to get out on a bike in winter and was thinking about a winter bike. I have a small budget and I guess I could go around the £500 mark but TBH the less the better - the wife already thinks I've gone a bit bike mad.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

 

[biggs682]

why not do what a lot of riders do and buy an older bike for winter use then it wont matter so much about going out on the best bike and getting it dirty .

or you could try some race blade gaurds

 

[david k]

hybrid?

 

[Fuzzball]

Boardman hybrid!

 

[Moss]

why not do what a lot of riders do and buy an older bike for winter use then it wont matter so much about going out on the best bike and getting it dirty .

or you could try some race blade gaurds

Sound advise IMO. Biggs love your avatar!

 

[fossyant]

Ribble winter trainer. Very popular.

 

[brokenflipflop]

why not do what a lot of riders do and buy an older bike for winter use then it wont matter so much about going out on the best bike and getting it dirty .

or you could try some race blade gaurds

Thanks, yes I've had a look on Ebay etc and I've seen a Ribble or two. Problem is I have a 100% record on Ebay. When I say 100% I actually mean I have never actually been successful in winning an auction. I don't know what that tells me...maybe I'm too tight or just crap at auctions. Secondly, the bikes are usually the wrong size.

In the last couple of days I've toyed with the idea of building my own. However, I have visions of me sat on my arse in the garage blubbing, surrounded by loads of bike parts that aren't compatible that cost in total more than a new Ribble.

I think an older bike is a good option though.....which one ??

Cheers for replying

 

[brokenflipflop]

hybrid?

Not keen on hybrids personally I'm afraid but thanks for the suggestion.

I'm becoming a bit anal aren't I ?

 

[smokeysmoo]

maybe I'm too tight or just crap at auctions. Secondly, the bikes are usually the wrong size.

Ebay rules for bidding, (IMO & IME).

1. Check out completed listings to see what similar items have sold for.

2. If you find a suitable listing that's too far away, contact the seller to absolutely confirm things like sizing. Any seller worth their salt will not mind you asking such questions.

3. Decide on your maximum bid if you want it, (DO NOT BID YET!).

4. Only bid at the death, (my record is 1 second remaining). It does take balls sometimes TBH. I have two windows open, one with my bid ready to go and one watching the item, when it hits 10 seconds I start counting down while I switch windows, then with 5, 4, 3 seconds left I bang my bid in. If you've done your homework you'll normally win, at least that's been my experience over the last 10 years

 

[brokenflipflop]

Ebay rules for bidding, (IMO & IME).

1. Check out completed listings to see what similar items have sold for.

2. If you find a suitable listing that's too far away, contact the seller to absolutely confirm things like sizing. Any seller worth their salt will not mind you asking such questions.

3. Decide on your maximum bid if you want it, (DO NOT BID YET!).

4. Only bid at the death, (my record is 1 second remaining). It does take balls sometimes TBH. I have two windows open, one with my bid ready to go and one watching the item, when it hits 10 seconds I start counting down while I switch windows, then with 5, 4, 3 seconds left I bang my bid in. If you've done your homework you'll normally win, at least that's been my experience over the last 10 years

Cheers Smokeysmoo, so YOU'RE the person who gazumped me to complete 1979 back catalogue of Leather Joy Boy magazine......

I think I've bid, forgotten about it and I'm never at my computer when reminders, bidding needs to be done. I must get organised.

I've put a bid in for an Iceni frame 56cm (I'm usually a 54cm !!!) and an Ultegra groupset. I mightn't get either....I might get one.....the frame might be too big........the groupset might be the wrong size......I'm causing myself problems aren't I

 

[smokeysmoo]

Cheers Smokeysmoo, so YOU'RE the person who gazumped me to complete 1979 back catalogue of Leather Joy Boy magazine......

That's me

I'm causing myself problems aren't I

Yes Keep it simple, if your CAAD has 170mm cranks, look for a bike with the same, if your CAAD's a 54, find the same size frame. You can work round things like frame size within reason by changing the stem etc, and you can even swop the cranks, but you just want a winter hack that'll hit the ground running, to start swopping stuff around will probably end up costing money, and that defeats the object of a winter bike IMO.

 

[brokenflipflop]

That's me



Yes Keep it simple, if your CAAD has 170mm cranks, look for a bike with the same, if your CAAD's a 54, find the same size frame. You can work round things like frame size within reason by changing the stem etc, and you can even swop the cranks, but you just want a winter hack that'll hit the ground running, to start swopping stuff around will probably end up costing money, and that defeats the object of a winter bike IMO.

Yeah, point taken. Knowing my luck I'll probably win the bloody auction now

You know, thinking about it....if I factor in the time, mither, possibility of a hack needing service/replacement parts, postage costs etc then I might be better off all round just getting a new Ribble or whatever.

Then I price one up with Tiagra Groupset (105 is pushing it way too far) and I'm looking at £665

 

[smokeysmoo]

Yeah, point taken. Knowing my luck I'll probably win the bloody auction now

You know, thinking about it....if I factor in the time, mither, possibility of a hack needing service/replacement parts, postage costs etc then I might be better off all round just getting a new Ribble or whatever.

Then I price one up with Tiagra Groupset (105 is pushing it way too far) and I'm looking at £665

THIS could be worth a look as a full bike

or THIS should be a nice easy build project

 

[craven2354]

Yeah, point taken. Knowing my luck I'll probably win the bloody auction now

You know, thinking about it....if I factor in the time, mither, possibility of a hack needing service/replacement parts, postage costs etc then I might be better off all round just getting a new Ribble or whatever.

Then I price one up with Tiagra Groupset (105 is pushing it way too far) and I'm looking at £665

You can cancel your bid just FYI

 

[smokeysmoo]

You can cancel your bid just FYI

FWIW not legitimately you can't - unless you have mistakenly entered the wrong bid amount, but then you are supposed to re-enter the correct amount straight away. I know, I know, no-one ever does, but they are the actual rules.

Fore warned is fore armed as they say