Winter training bike

Equipment
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and I bet you thought you’d heard the last of me with my bike making decisions! HA! ohh no no no no no…

ok, so I’m pretty set on getting the new attain next year. Cracking spec, good price and a nice style. I’m sold. No issues there.

The problem for me is what to do in the meantime.

I’m down to 1 bike, which generally lives on the turbo trainer, it’s ok for that job but it’s pretty old, and it’s just not that inspiring to look at, I don’t see it and go “wow I wanna go for a ride”

So I’m going to get something in the meantime to see me through winter and ideally use as a bit of a spare.

I’m being told the attain will come out in May 2025, now i’ve got 6 or 7 events booked before that so I’m keen to have something to use that I like.

Cube Litening Super HPC - SRAM RED | eBay

This is option 1, a rather cool retro Litening. Always loved this bike. It’s got a decent albeit old spec but i’m thinking it would do me well for the events I’ve got booked

Marketplace – Gravel Bike | Facebook

option 2
Not as fast i’m sure, and I’d need to spend money to put the cyclecross stuff back on and make it a road bike, but it’s got decent clearance which I like and would allow for mudguards meaning it would be a better winter bike, at the expense probably of some speed. Which isn’t the end of the world if I’m more comfortable. Might even sell the spare parts seperately, get some better road wheels and i’m away.

£1000 max to spend on this one. There are no bike shops within 90 minutes of me with anything so i’m really stuck with used bikes, but there are other options out there. What do people think of these 2 though? I’m probably more drawn to the cube, simply because I’ve always wanted one, and it’ll be a fun thing to keep and perhaps tune into a really good dedicated climbing bike. Completely update it and enjoy it.
Then when I get the new attain next year, that’s more of a jack of all trades bike with better clearance etc. Keep the Litening as a race machine.

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Rules of a Winter Bike:

  1. A Winter Bike Has Full Mudguards Permanently Attached.

End.

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No mudguards since 2009 :face_with_peeking_eye:

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The gravel bike is kinda tempting, right? It’s not as quick, but it’d be great for winter with the clearance and mudguard. I will go for that one 99% of the time

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I feel sorry for your suffering :smiling_face_with_tear: Riding a bike in winter ain’t the same as riding a Winter Bike :wink:

My winter bike is suitably shod but punctures all the time so I don’t know if I’m going to use it this season…

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It’s also too heavy for group rides.

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Nice.

Did mudguards the first two winters of serious riding… it was a pain.

After that I either rode at the back of the group or thought if you arent quick enough its your problem.

Never found them any help myself. If it raining you are soaked anyway, if the roads wet, pick better roads.

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Yeah to be fair, I don’t ride in groups. Just can’t find a nice local club so don’t bother

I went with the cube lol

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It’s made a big difference for me. Without them the spray up the front and back, and over the legs and feet makes a cold wet ride significantly worse, and fixed mudguards are roughly a million times less annoying than strap on ones. Keeps you clean and dry on wet roads when it’s not raining too.

There is also something of having the right tool for the job that will get me out riding more likely too.

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What was the pain? My winter bike has permanent mudguards on, with mud flaps added to provide coverage down close to the road. The mud flaps made a huge difference both to how much road spray hits me and the rider behind. Yes if it’s raining heavily you still get wet. But there are an awful lot of days where the rain is intermittent or it’s not raining but the roads are still wet, and on those days the guards make a massive difference. Many of the best cycling roads near me are wet for much of the winter, if you have high quality roads that dry out within hours of the rain ending then please let me know where you live!

Very little in the way of pain. They make it incrementally slower but not really as bad as you’d think. I can’t pack it in a bike box but don’t have much desire to. I’m maybe not as diligent at checking tyre wear and cuts as I normally am since it involves flipping the bike to take a proper look.

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Each to their own. Not convinced.

Pick up leaves, sticks, mud etc. Have had to stop many times to pick out leaves and sticks.

Gave up on that nonsense. Man-up ride… its just water.

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A lot of group rides require mudguards, if you have rode behind someone without them you will soon change your mind.

To be fair my bike has proper tight tolorances with the mudguards it’s not really designed for them but I have had no issues with leaves?

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Fair enough, maybe a clearance or guard shape issue, never had any problem with mine. It’s not about manning up either, it’s about having the right kit for the conditions. I use a light when it’s dark, extra layers when it’s cold, waterproof jacket when it’s raining, and mudguards when the roads are wet. I ride outside all winter, I’m very comfortable with my manliness!

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mudguards are fit as courtesy with the people you are riding with, they are not really to protect yourself.
my local group rides will not let you ride if you don’t have them on a rainy day. not everyone can ride at the back.
honestly is a pain to have all that road splash on your face. if you ride in group that is the least you can do.
that being said it also prevents to have shit-stripe up the back if you have colored clothing

there are clip on mudgards that are really aero and as soon it dries. you can remove them in 2 seconds.
its not just water, imagine all the gunk you find in your chain and cassette ending up on your face because you don’t see the point of them.

1 Like