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Winter Bike Recommendations
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 2008-10-21 1:41 PM |
Extreme Veteran  680    Boulder, CO |  Subject: Winter Bike RecommendationsAll, I'm looking for ideas on a good set-up for coping with Boulder's winter. Been thinking about a cross bike, or a hybrid mountain bike. What do experienced winter riders recommend? My riding is going to be paved and hard packed dirt roads. Also, what wheel/tire set-up will give me the best chance of staying vertical? Many thanks, gordo |
| 2008-10-21 1:47 PM in reply to: #1757045 |
Cycling Guru 15134 Fulton, MD | Subject: RE: Winter Bike Recommendations I'd say cross bike. There are quite a few mainstream manufacturers that are dipping into the cross market. Giant makes one that is really well decked out for the price. Somewhere around 1k I think. The TCX2 (found it): http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/road/2299/32184/ They have the TCX1 and TCX0 if the parts are not to your liking. |
| 2008-10-21 2:00 PM in reply to: #1757045 |
Champion 19812 MA | Subject: RE: Winter Bike Recommendations I bought a Gunnar Crosshairs bike this year and love it. I started racing cross in September...lots of brands..Redline and Ridley I see most at Cross races. Like all bike depends on fit and what your budget is. After cross season it will be my winter bike add some fenders and swap out my tires. I love doing cross as it is different way to ride, have a great time, challenge myself plus get a great workout. Mentally it is refreshing after a long season building to my first IM.
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| 2008-10-21 2:04 PM in reply to: #1757045 |
Extreme Veteran 669 Olathe, Kansas | Subject: RE: Winter Bike Recommendations Is that you Gordo, the co-author of Going Long. If it is you, did not know you hang here at this forum. |
| 2008-10-21 2:29 PM in reply to: #1757045 |
Expert 1040 SF Bay Area | Subject: RE: Winter Bike Recommendations A single-speed or single/fixed with full fenders would be ideal. You can even make your own single from an old roadbike for very little $. More than likely with an older frame, you can run wider rims/tires and still have clearance for your fenders, if the frame has horizontal drop-outs, even better. |
| 2008-10-21 10:02 PM in reply to: #1757045 |
Lethbridge, Alberta Bronze member | Subject: RE: Winter Bike Recommendations My latest winter bike / commuter, recently broken, started out as a mountain bike. I haven't started researching a replacement yet so I'm not up on current models. For commuting I added fenders. I guess the optimum bike style would depend in part on how much and how far you planned to ride. If you have to ride on enough ice you might consider studded tires but the guy at the local shop cautioned me that they gave less traction on pavement or concrete surfaces so I haven't tried them yet. I found big soft knobby mtn.bike tires got good bite in snow while still working somewhat on ice. |
| 2008-10-21 10:14 PM in reply to: #1757045 |
Extreme Veteran 510 Louisville KY | Subject: RE: Winter Bike Recommendations My commuter is an IRO fixed gear just about perfect for winter riding. No drive train issues, fixed gives you better control and traction in snow conditions. Also a great workout helps with spinning and cadence. |
| 2008-10-22 11:17 AM in reply to: #1757045 |
| Expert 1233 | Subject: RE: Winter Bike Recommendations I would recommend a heavy mountain bike. It's a training bike, light weight and handling are not that big of a deal. It will be cheaper, more durable, and the extra weight will help in your conditioning. The knobby tires will be fine for your trail conditions, and why risk a spill and injury just to go faster, it's the conditioning you want. |
| 2008-10-22 12:06 PM in reply to: #1757045 |
| Lethbridge, Alberta Bronze member | Subject: RE: Winter Bike Recommendations As a replacement for my recently broken beater, I'm considering a dedicated commuter bike. Perhaps something like the Specialized Globe deluxe, complete with fenders, chain guard, kickstand, lights, briefcase rack, and bell. Seriously. I have a very short commute that I usually do in my office clothes so it would be perfect for that, and still be good for errands around town too. However, I know I'd be sorely tempted to use it in at least a local sprint or oly tri, just for the entertainment. Of course, to complete the look for a tri it would also need a front basket and maybe some bar end tassels. (And a lot of engine work, or the jokes on me! Talk about motivation!)  If you're looking more for a training ride though, the mountain or cross style bikes might be a better choice. |
 2008-10-22 12:17 PM in reply to: #1757045 |
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| 2008-10-22 3:16 PM in reply to: #1759292 |
| Champion 4835 Eat Cheese or Die | Subject: RE: Winter Bike Recommendations wgraves7582 - 2008-10-22 12:17 PM I went with a SS Bianchi Mt Bike and throw snow tires on it. The downside - fenders don't work except the kind that quick releases to the seat post and that will be stolen in 2 minutes flat! My goal this fall is too sell that and my raleigh fixed gear and get a specialized hybrid but upgrade it some so I can use it for cross next year as well. I think some heavier cross tires will be alright in the winter time. If you want to use it for cross, buy a cross bike. It'll work better and be more versatile then an upgraded hybrid. After saying that, I'll add another vote for a cross bike. You can pretty much do anything on them. I raced mine this year in my first season of tri racing. Just put road slicks on it. In the winter I use a 700x38c Hybrid tire from Specialized and still have room for a full set of fenders. I've used full knobby tires and ridden it on rocky, rooty single track MTB trails when my mountain bike was broken. |
| 2008-10-22 10:27 PM in reply to: #1757111 |
| Extreme Veteran 680 Boulder, CO | Subject: RE: Winter Bike Recommendations Atasic, Yep, it's me -- a few miles west of your home in Kansas! Going to be staying in the Northern Hemisphere this year. Monica doesn't want to travel outside of the USA following the birth of our daughter -- 8 days old today! g |
| 2008-10-22 10:37 PM in reply to: #1760744 |
| Extreme Veteran 680 Boulder, CO | Subject: RE: Winter Bike Recommendations The fixie sound interesting but my winter riding is likely to be a little too hilly for that. Just had a look at a spare road frame that I have in the basement and I don't think the clearance would be enough to put in a set of monster tires. Thanks for the recommendations -- going to have to explore what's available in my price range and see if Planet-X are willing to help me out. Cheers, g |
| 2008-10-22 10:59 PM in reply to: #1760744 |
| Master 1728 portland, or | Subject: RE: Winter Bike Recommendations GordoByrn - 2008-10-22 7:27 PM Atasic, Yep, it's me -- a few miles west of your home in Kansas! Going to be staying in the Northern Hemisphere this year. Monica doesn't want to travel outside of the USA following the birth of our daughter -- 8 days old today! g Congrats! It's good to have your input on the board. You've been a big help to me in the past. We don't get the snow here in Portland that you have in Boulder. Personally I use an old road bike with Vittoria Randonneur tires. They work well on firm packed trails and slush, and they're almost impossible to flat. When I do need to ride in the snow I use a mountain bike. If I didn't have the winter bike I would buy a cross bike. scott (in pdx) btw----great interview with Greg Bennett. |
| 2008-10-23 1:55 PM in reply to: #1757045 |
| Member 297 | Subject: RE: Winter Bike Recommendations |
| 2008-10-23 6:26 PM in reply to: #1757045 |
| Fishers, IN | Subject: RE: Winter Bike Recommendations That's what all of the guys that I ride with do. They switch over to mountain bikes for the winter. They say its a nice change of pace. There I go again, another bike to purchase! I'll ask around and see if they do anything special for wheels. |
| 2008-10-23 6:36 PM in reply to: #1757045 |
| Expert 608 St. Louis | Subject: RE: Winter Bike Recommendations Get on the trainer |
| 2008-10-23 6:49 PM in reply to: #1757045 |
| Champion 16151 Checkin' out the podium girls | Subject: RE: Winter Bike Recommendations Cyclocross bike. Be sure it has fender mounts and get some. My cross bike is a great addition to the stable for many types of riding. A worthy investment. You might actually take up racing it and then, well, you're hooked... PS: If you want snow traction, you can get Nokian studded tires in 700x32. I do OK in Southern New England with regular cross tires in the winter though. |
| 2008-10-24 9:06 AM in reply to: #1757045 |
| Champion 4902 Ottawa, Ontario | Subject: RE: Winter Bike Recommendations My winter bike is an old moutain bike that I found in the garbage. We get a lot of snow and ice around here in the window so a moutain bike does the job. I let a bit of air out of the tires, keep it well greased and it works fine. |
| 2008-10-25 12:54 AM in reply to: #1757045 |
| Expert 1040 SF Bay Area | Subject: RE: Winter Bike Recommendations Here's my new/old winter bike. It has sentimental value to me and I spent a lot of time bringing it back to life, I would hate to get it all messy. I built it as a winter / baby trailer puller bike. It was my first real road bike, bought it new when I was 15.(drive_side34.JPG) Attachments ---------------- drive_side34.JPG (86KB - 8 downloads) |
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