What’s the best reason for having a dedicated bike for winter riding?
Sliding down the tarmac after hitting ice is painful enough but hearing your best bike sliding and crunching alongside you really is salt in the wound.
Steven Prince
Hate going on club runs and seeing people on summer bikes in winter. It’s not the time to go fast, nor do most of them have any mudguards. A winter bike is for making you stronger by building muscular strength and endurance. The summer bike is for fast rides, fine weather and racing. Ask yourself this: if I ride a light winter bike am I as planted in bad conditions and what benefits will I feel come spring?
Jake Harrison
I only have the one bike. But I put a cheap cassette and chain on it for the winter and then don’t worry about cleaning it. In the spring I get a new cassette and chain again. Well, I used to anyway, now I live in Miami and winter is when the riding picks up!
Michael White
Personally for UK riding I only really need a winter bike as this bike, I find, gets much more use than a top-end dry weather bike!
Tristan Brewer
I use a winter bike because of salt on the roads. I ride a Shimano 2300 groupset on a winter frameset as it’s cheap and does what it needs to get through the winter.
Peter Smyth
Since when do you need a reason for owning more than one bike?
Neil Jackman I ride a hybrid all year. It’s perfect. Take the winter off? No chance.
Jill Hyde
I have an old steel as a dedicated winter bike. Which isn’t dissimilar to my work bike — but it’s less nickable. When the weather worsens I also have a single speed to save wearing the gears. Worse than that I’d use my mtb. For when it’s really bad (ice and snow) I have a trike with knobbly tyres. And my ‘best’ bike is worth much less than a grand.
Viv Marsh
I have one road bike and a time trial bike. I spend most of the winter on the turbo with my TT bike and venture out for the occasional long ride on the roadie on finer days.
Adrian Hawkins I’ve just got myself a cheap second-hand Triban 500SE. Didn’t fancy putting my Rose through another winter. Seemed like time to get a proper commuter bike. I’ve upgraded the wheels, added mudguards, a rack and panniers and I’m set for the winter. It’s nowhere near as light and responsive as my Rose but it’s a decent ride. My daily commute is only a couple of minutes longer and I’m still fairly high up in the Strava segments. Winter bikes are the way forward!
Dan Chippendale