Winter Rides....what you using?

[Tootyred]

With winter now feeling its here (having avoided autumn somehow) im wondering what people are riding in the really grim months of the year.

Its not so bad now, but come January, when all is mud and mush, even I, as a dedicated rider not "wall hanger" of bikes, put some of them out of harms reach for a good few weeks!

So what are you favouring as a winter bike and why?

Is it just a "sacrificial cow" to save the others and appease the great chain god, or is it for rider benefit?

Do you pack up the lycra for a 3 month of sofa R & R, or are you indoors on a turbo trainer watching re-runs of startrek trying to spot Shatners corset?

Or, do you just bravely soldier on and try not to see the anodising peeling off that pristine chainset?

let us know...

 

[Tootyred]

So heres mine. 2013 Scott Scale 640....the last if the 26" bikes. My most modern bike by a mile!

Used as a winter hack and if i go out for a days jumping.....CDT shot to bits....that lasted 18 months, has chinesium shimano chainrings and stretchy 10 speed chains.......allow 1 chainring per chain....

All jokes aside it rides very well, is pretty light and has survived many winters and abuse... although i do wash it every time it comes back......original syncros seat was torture!

 

[2manyoranges]

Nice question….

I look at some of my bikes and am very reluctant to get them wet. Or dirty. Or sandy.

Sand is the big one around here. When I rode in the winter on the South Downs there was rain - usually horizontal - and chalk mud. Weirdly this was more of a lubricant when wet than something which destroyed components. Come back very muddy. Leave to dry. Bounce bike and all the mud falls ofF. Wipe with a dry rag. Lube chain. Go.

On my winter bike of choice, a C16R, the groupset lasted forever, as did rims. Rear gen 1 Crud Guard with aluminium stays was a Very Good Thing - added little weight and prevented Winter Skunk Mark.

But now, riding in Thetford as our local manor, the winter is a cold-fest of grinding sand, which knackers chains and chainrings and, well, everything really. I am eyeing up my bikes as to which one I will sacrifice to the Sand Gods this season….

Commuting has been done on the RoadRat, but with 48c tyres and 23 internal rims the clearances are 0.0001 mm and no decent room for mudguards. So I have just bought a Surly Karate Monkey (med Orange, not the large Green on here) which will be the winter commuter.

 

[Tootyred]

Thetford is bad, much like east of the a12 in suffolk.....sandy. Well its a change from clay....

As for choice of " victim" to be sacrificed ......thats kinda the problem...if you built them all because you like them...it seems harsh.

Is there a place for building a "sacrificial cow", but then, can you stop yourself building a bike you would end up loving and be back at stage 1!

 

[legrandefromage]

Have been riding around thetford for a very long time and sand has never been an issue..?

Anyway, the Trek

At thetford

Mud, yes, sand no

 

[Imlach]

Same bikes as always, it won't ruin your bike to ride it in the winter.

 

[Tootyred]

You clearly don't live in the clay! I would need a "ubrake stick" every 100 yards!

 

[R-V]

Same bikes as always, it won't ruin your bike to ride it in the winter.

If you don't ride 'em in the city, so salt does not make damage. Other thing if you have strong minuses, suspension forks and hydraulic brakes can be damaged.
Winter rides are great.

 

[Gtpulse]

Skinny wheels for me through winter, poorly fitted mudguards complete the picture!



That Trek @legrandefromage posted seem to be very underrated, I’ve got an early 2000s 8500 that cost peanuts and is easily the best riding of the MTBs in the garage.

The modern Cube grovel bike has come out over winter for the infrequent times I decided to commute by bike - once up to my thighs in flooded River Nene to try and get there on time.

 

[2manyoranges]

Have been riding around thetford for a very long time and sand has never been an issue..?

Anyway, the Trek

At thetford

Mud, yes, sand noView attachment 678323View attachment 678324View attachment 678325

NOT SANDY???!!???

What about the sandpit trap on the ‘LONG’ blue loop going left into the woods and then down and up to the road.
It’s the corner where you have to deal with the bike squirrelling through deep S A N D and trying to kill you.

Then there is the huge sandpit of S A N D at the farthest reach of the red…after the various stone features … gravel track, then 200m of tiny silica bits…very….er….sandy

Then there is the Warreners Car Park. Deep sand from the car park up to the ruin. This has the added attraction of dog poo rolled in sand.