I need a winter bike
Discussion
No good, after thinking last summer that I could happily use my Supersix through the winter, after getting it home today and seeing it covered top to bottom in s
t, through wet, muddy roads, I've decided that I need a winter bike which I can use, rinse and use again. Something that takes full guards, and possibly a rack mount (to commute or tour light).
So, my current ideas are - Ribble Winter Audax, Kinesis Racelight and Genesis Equilibrium, going up in order of cost. Preferably, it would be 2nd hand but I'm finding it hard to find a winter bike, in the depths of winter.
Can anyone recommend any of the above or suggest one over the other? Any other suggestions?
Not averse to building one up either, but it does seem that its still cheaper to buy one built up.
t, through wet, muddy roads, I've decided that I need a winter bike which I can use, rinse and use again. Something that takes full guards, and possibly a rack mount (to commute or tour light). So, my current ideas are - Ribble Winter Audax, Kinesis Racelight and Genesis Equilibrium, going up in order of cost. Preferably, it would be 2nd hand but I'm finding it hard to find a winter bike, in the depths of winter.
Can anyone recommend any of the above or suggest one over the other? Any other suggestions?
Not averse to building one up either, but it does seem that its still cheaper to buy one built up.
I was in the same position last year and went down the route of a Spech CAADx CX bike - turned out to be a great move. I have a set of 25mm slicks for commuting, set of 32/34mm nobblies for mixed terrain (the Ridgeway, trail centers etc) - you will lose a couple of mph on your ave, and your cadence will go up (quite a bit) but they are great bits of kit!
Last year I did 120 miles (mostly off road) from the Thames Valley to Chippenham (mix of old railway lines and The Ridgeway) on a Saturday, and was back on the bike for my commute to work on the Monday. I have 2 x road bikes, a downhill hardtail, and a full sus XC bike but the CAADx is by far and away the most versatile!
It's worth the investment just to see the faces of other riders when you appear on singletrack on what looks like a road bike!
Last year I did 120 miles (mostly off road) from the Thames Valley to Chippenham (mix of old railway lines and The Ridgeway) on a Saturday, and was back on the bike for my commute to work on the Monday. I have 2 x road bikes, a downhill hardtail, and a full sus XC bike but the CAADx is by far and away the most versatile!
It's worth the investment just to see the faces of other riders when you appear on singletrack on what looks like a road bike!
The 2 guys who run my local bike shop both have Equilibriums and keep raving about the bike and Genesis in general, but then they do sell Genesis bikes lol :-). The Equilibriums do look good though and I did have a Croix De Fer CX bike and loved it.
Good luck
Good luck
Edited by seadragon on Sunday 6th January 23:33
Edited by seadragon on Sunday 6th January 23:35
Chicken Chaser said:
No good, after thinking last summer that I could happily use my Supersix through the winter, after getting it home today and seeing it covered top to bottom in st, through wet, muddy roads, I've decided that I need a winter bike which I can use, rinse and use again. Something that takes full guards, and possibly a rack mount (to commute or tour light).
So, my current ideas are - Ribble Winter Audax, Kinesis Racelight and Genesis Equilibrium, going up in order of cost. Preferably, it would be 2nd hand but I'm finding it hard to find a winter bike, in the depths of winter.
Can anyone recommend any of the above or suggest one over the other? Any other suggestions?
Not averse to building one up either, but it does seem that its still cheaper to buy one built up.
I'll recommend the Equilibrium on the assumption it fits, primarily because I have one t, through wet, muddy roads, I've decided that I need a winter bike which I can use, rinse and use again. Something that takes full guards, and possibly a rack mount (to commute or tour light). So, my current ideas are - Ribble Winter Audax, Kinesis Racelight and Genesis Equilibrium, going up in order of cost. Preferably, it would be 2nd hand but I'm finding it hard to find a winter bike, in the depths of winter.
Can anyone recommend any of the above or suggest one over the other? Any other suggestions?
Not averse to building one up either, but it does seem that its still cheaper to buy one built up.
Purchased as a winter/commuter hack, it's since become my main (read: only, having sold the "summer" CAAD9) road bike. It's ace. Done hill climbs, sportives, club runs etc, and will be using it for the Tour of Flanders and potentially Paris-Roubiax. Sensible geometry, a nice frame and 25mm tyres means it glides over most surfaces.
Not the lightest thing in the world (not that it matters: it's all in the legs!), and if you wish to fit a rack you'll need a Salsa RackLock seatclamp or the M:Part equivalent as the frame itself has no eyeleys on the upper seat stays. You'd also need to fit the rear mudguard and rack to the same lower eyelets.
Chicken Chaser said:
CX bikes tend to be lower geared though, and as much as I like them (I would have one one day), I'm riding with a pretty quick group at the moment so want something which I can get a move on if I need to. I think a CX bike might actually make my Genesis Core Hardtail redundant!
Don't worry too much about that...I'm on a Cannondale CAAD X with a 36/46 chainset. I'll run out of revs getting close to 30mph. Birdthom said:
Or just fit some super-skinny Crud Roadracer mudguards? I've put a set on my carbon bike and they keep it amazingly clean, even on really filthy wet roads.
Ive got some on already, they do the job of keeping the worst off me, but the bike still ends up filthy whether it be the transmission, the wheels or the bottom bracket. Also toe overlap is even worse with them on!Well just to follow this up, went to the LBS this morning and purchased a Kinesis Racelight T2, with full Tiagra 10spd, some Felt hubs (probs Formula) laced to CXP22s and shod with Gatorskins, carbon seat post, Selle Italia seat and some full guards!
Just need to sort myself another set of pedals (105s on their way), and I'll be good to go. I still wont do snow/ice, but winter will be attacked with this!
Just need to sort myself another set of pedals (105s on their way), and I'll be good to go. I still wont do snow/ice, but winter will be attacked with this!
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