lets see your winter bikes
- Thread starter mikee
- Start date
- Feedback
- View
These two currently tend to take most of the abuse over Winter.
Firstly a 1993-1995 (I'm not sure of the exact date) steel Saracen frame, powder coated and built up with the ever reliable Deore M510 groupset and v-brakes. Full mudguards and a rear rack (for thermos, pipe and slippers) push the weight up to about 34 pounds.
Then I have another eBay bargain frame purchase. This modern generic pile of crap was decaled up as a virtually unused 2005 Claud Butler Olympus XT. Top of the range bike for the year.
After a trip to the powder coaters and another Deore groupset, this time with discs, it anonymously performs it's winter duties with crushing mediocrity.
I know it's modern; but secretly I actually quite like it, and rarely feel to need to even clean it.
I'm also currently working on a 1993 Kona Lava Dome, and I've just been given a 1998 Saracen HardTrax frame to furnish with parts from the stockpile. Both will be built up more of less period correct for a bit more winter mud shunting.
Firstly a 1993-1995 (I'm not sure of the exact date) steel Saracen frame, powder coated and built up with the ever reliable Deore M510 groupset and v-brakes. Full mudguards and a rear rack (for thermos, pipe and slippers) push the weight up to about 34 pounds.
Then I have another eBay bargain frame purchase. This modern generic pile of crap was decaled up as a virtually unused 2005 Claud Butler Olympus XT. Top of the range bike for the year.
After a trip to the powder coaters and another Deore groupset, this time with discs, it anonymously performs it's winter duties with crushing mediocrity.
I know it's modern; but secretly I actually quite like it, and rarely feel to need to even clean it.
I'm also currently working on a 1993 Kona Lava Dome, and I've just been given a 1998 Saracen HardTrax frame to furnish with parts from the stockpile. Both will be built up more of less period correct for a bit more winter mud shunting.
- Feedback
- View
kaytronika
Retrobike Rider
Same as my summer bike but muddy.
Thinking of treating the Timberline to a new cassette and chain and using that as my winter bike actually.
Thinking of treating the Timberline to a new cassette and chain and using that as my winter bike actually.
- Feedback
- View
Use same bikes with the same tyres all year round. 
Don't ride as much as some though.
Don't ride as much as some though.
velomaniac
MacRetro Rider
Rudge Rambler by stefsmif_velomaniac, on Flickr
This is what i use to commute over cyclepath, minor road, path and farm track to my work. Its a fat tyred 1950's Rudge roadster with a 2:1 fixed gear ratio which is good in the snow
velomaniac
MacRetro Rider
Rudge Rambler pic 2 by stefsmif_velomaniac, on Flickr
Only other pic I have, spec inludes 50's Rudge frame, hybrid forks, AHeadset, alloy roadster bars, canti front brake, 700c wheels with 28 x 1.75" tyres 38:19 T gear ratio. Will aquire a fat sprung saddle later and some more period looking modern lights.
Its fun to ride in a steam roller over all obstacles sort of way, steers slow and weaves a wee bit but is stable and can handle a bit of techy off road if you keep the speed down
- Feedback
- View
My GT Ricochet is my winter hack, built for about £140,less if you take into account bits sold from the two bikes that went into making it.
I have always been really anal about mud and riding expensive bikes in gritty gloop has always nagged at me while riding ,spoiling the fun, sad i know,
did the lapworth loop last weekend 40 miles of very muddy canal side tow path, one section was mud and puddles that came up to the wheel axles, it was so liberating just not giving a fook about that constant grating gritty mud noise, at one point needed to dip the whole bike in the canal as the brakes, gears tyres had just clogged and then just carried on riding.
bike rides like a dream too, and i think i love it even more because i dont care about it if you know what i mean, get yourself a hack, i think it must be how the very rich and sponsered riders feel when riding
I have always been really anal about mud and riding expensive bikes in gritty gloop has always nagged at me while riding ,spoiling the fun, sad i know,
did the lapworth loop last weekend 40 miles of very muddy canal side tow path, one section was mud and puddles that came up to the wheel axles, it was so liberating just not giving a fook about that constant grating gritty mud noise, at one point needed to dip the whole bike in the canal as the brakes, gears tyres had just clogged and then just carried on riding.
bike rides like a dream too, and i think i love it even more because i dont care about it if you know what i mean, get yourself a hack, i think it must be how the very rich and sponsered riders feel when riding
