Winter Hack

[Perry]

I'm thinking about getting a winter hack for my commute.

I don't want to spend over £300.

What points to I need to look for to justify me getting one?

My current bike (Boardman Road Pro) doesn't have mudguards or panniers which I will fit on the winter hack.

I'll be using the Cycle2work scheme.

 

[fossyant]

Ribble - just a little over £300, but worth it !

 

[Bug]

I never understood this winter hack malarky. Better, I would have thought, to have a 'commute' bike and a 'best' bike if you're that way inclined. I just have a 'bike' bike...

 

[Archie]

Normally people relegate their existing bike to winter "hack" after they've picked up some lovely new bike bling. Haven't heard of anyone doing it this way round.

If it were me I'd worry I wouldn't want to ride the new, "crap" bike instead of my current "nice" bike.

 

[John the Monkey]

If you had a quite full on roadie already, I can see that grabbing something with clearance for guards and a rack, fatter tyres and maybe disc brake capability would make sense, especially if the weather carries on like this.

Perry - some nice bikes in the EBC sale - their racing bike (the continental?) is on at £275, and I think the flat bar courier bikes come in around your budget too.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

My Spesh Allez Elite is my commuting bike, pretty much reagrdless of weather. I have an older hybrid (Carerra Subway 1 IIRC) but never use it now as I love the road bike too much.

Not worried about mudguards etc. as it'll all wash off.

I want to fully enjoy my ride, especially when it's sh*tty weather - the hybrid just isn't the same.

Having said that, if I got a newer, shinier road bike I may promote that to Fair Weather commuter and use my current one as a Winter Hack... but I doubt I'll get a newer one any time soon.

 

[swee'pea99]

I never understood this winter hack malarky. Better, I would have thought, to have a 'commute' bike and a 'best' bike if you're that way inclined. I just have a 'bike' bike...

+1.