What am I missing – surely maintenance on one road bike is no where near the outlay of a second and maintenance on that also?

Why then do I need one and so so many people have them?

Clearance issues with mudguards on full on race bikes springs mind.

I can get guards on mine, although I didn’t like it.

Next?

Excuse to buy a second bike. Genuinely that’s all it ever is. Or a sneaky upgrade- “Oh, well I could put my old wheels on the winter bike and get new ones for the good bike!”

Northwind – Member
Excuse to buy a second sixth bike.

Its wearing thin with my wife.

Next?

It’s another bike..
Race bike has 50mm carbon tubs and 22’s,a saddle that I can just about last 4 hours on,53/42 and an 11-25 (which costs about £300 to replace) and is set up looong and low.
Winter bike has full guards,ali rims and 25’s,50/36 and an 12-27 (tiagra),a sofa for a saddle ,double wrapped bar tape and is about 30mm shorter and higher than my race bike.

surely maintenance on one road bike is no where near the outlay of a second and maintenance on that also?

It depends whether you could buy a second bike for the cost of replacing the drivetrain on your nice one.

Also if you can fit guards on yours, either it’s not a proper full-on race bike, or the guards you’re fitting aren’t proper ones. If you have a full-on race bike and want proper guards for winter use there is only one option.

My winter bike is set up exactly the same as my other bike, and the point of it is not to maintain or wash it.

It’s been cleaned once since November and has done a million wet and dirty miles.

If you dont like guards in winter that says to me “doesnt ride enough to warrent a winter road bike” – or doesnt live in the uk.

aracer – It’s a Bianchi Sempre. I got crud roadracer guards on this winter, hated having them on it though, and winter cost me a new BB30.

That’s still £900 cheaper than the kinesis race light I’ve just been reading about…. 🙂

If you dont like guards in winter that says to me “doesnt ride enough to warrent a winter road bike” – or doesnt live in the uk.

Not necessarily. I’ve used winter bikes with guards and without. Without does require a certain amount of gritted teeth and MTFUpping, but it’s doable if you have a certain amount of choice when you ride. I’m currently without.

I also presume you dont ride with a club without guards then crikey.

The boy without guards on a club run is like a leper up here.

getting on the summer bike feels fast

you can justify shiny bits on the summer bike as they wont die with salt & grit

cheap parts on the winter bike last well enough & are cheaper to to replace than the shiny bits on the summer

heavier tyres on the winter = good training effect

you can have a shorter position set up on the winter bike so when you’re freezing cold you don’t have to stretch creaky joints out to summer bike stretch

…..

Mudguards and the ability to hose it down and chuck it in the garage whereas the roadie only goes out on dry days.

Worth having a winter bike for sure. I just use the same bike all year round, but it does take mudguards. This winter I managed to wear out one set of expensive wheels, and another is on the way. So its worth having something cheap and cheerful. Or its worth cleaning your bike.

I guess half the battle is a race bike is just that…. Usually has wheel hat cost he same as the frame and full duraace or super record and a pimpy frame

Your bianchi falls into that catagory does it ?

My mate had dura ace on his winter bike in my old club BUT his road race bike was about 10k his training bike was 3k – his justification was he didnt like riding shit bikes – still made me engineer mudguards onto what was essentially a race bike though – before race guards came along.

His times and results could justify it though and his lbs loved him come spring.

I also presume you dont ride with a club without guards then crikey.

You presume incorrectly.

I have done about 7 million miles on club runs with mudguards, but also done 5 million miles on chain gangs without. The club I ride with at present don’t mind.

This is all in the grim NW of England.

Well no trail rat, the Bianchi is Ultegra, and has some 4za cirrus wheels on which I got for £200. Admittedly the rear needs new bearings. Nothing like the cost of dura ace and some carbon zipps.

And I got the bike got for £1500 – perhaps I need to look up the cost of a replacement chain set for a full realisation…. let me see now…..

…. There – roughly £150 for cassette chain and chain rings.

if it means you’ll ride more (and you can afford it) then get it

Titanium, full mudguards and a rack on my winter bike
Carbon, no mudguards, no rack on my sunny summer bike

Riding a road bike through winter without mudguards is horrible hence a winter bike required. It’s lovely to have a fast, light carbon bike for nice days so a summer bike also required.

…. There – roughly £150 for cassette chain and chain rings.

They’ll last a good couple of years though.

For winter training I want a bike that will take wide, tough tyres and proper eyelet mounted guards. You can’t do that on a genuine race bike. My winter bike is also my commuting bike, so it has to take all the wet and crud of riding year round. Winter salt and wet will quickly take the shine off your nice race kit.

I’m using 12 year old Dura Ace gear mechs on my race bikes; still working perfectly because I don’t use them all the time.

Good nw englands a long way from me 🙂

crikey – Member
…. There – roughly £150 for cassette chain and chain rings.
They’ll last a good couple of years though.

Therein is my point. I’ve a not expensive (in road bike terms) bike, and the cost of maintenance seems to outweigh buying another bike. Maybe its not having 6g’s worth of race bike is the issue lol….

Why not just get a Cyclocross bike for a winter/commuting bike? Trying to build a mutant one using the spare parts off the mountain bike at the moment, but having trouble finding a suitable frame.

Could I keep up with a club ride on a crosser?

If its a propper club winter run rather than just a chain gang smash then yes no sweat if your fit enough for it.

Sounds like you have the winter bike and need the race bike….. Justnthink of the increase innyour ave speed 😉

Ps i take it your back on your mtb now…. Not many road miles this last week from ya

That’s right trail rat. Not many mtb miles either (50k) works got in the way…. No road bike at the weekend as I’m volunteering at the club open TT. Might try to get a HIIT ride or two in during this week but that’s it – think ill end up at 600 – 650k this month, plus 200 on mtb.

I might aim for 1000 on both bikes over May eh? What a about an STW “1000 for May” non commuting challenge?

I ride with a guy in the winter who’s a bit of a beast. He’s on his cross bike with 33mm tyres and me on my 23mm tyre-d road bike and the bastard still has me begging him to go slower every time. Last ride with him was a 120km affair with 32kmph average for the first hour after which I almost started to vomit and cry at the same time.

If you need a winter bike that also doubles as a commuter then I can’t see how you could go wrong with a cross bike.

You don’t need a winter trainer/hack…you need two.
There’s winter. And there’s winter winter.
For winter a well set up sturdy bike, that mimicks the race bike. Little things like older 10 speed Ultegra with the exposed gear cables, saves re taping. Non BB30 frame, 25c’s, basic cassette and chain, standard wheels, space for race-blades and in my case a Ti frame.
For winter winter, single speed, permanent guards, tough tyres, no carbon anywhere. Oh and this year a dyno front hub.

Then the race bike never gets touched except for races and I know it’ll not miss a beat.

This is what I’m thinking old git

Classic. The old Ribble is still a club favourite.

The old ribble was a favorite cause it was cheap . Its alwAys rode like it was made of chedder

That racelight is lovely !

I don’t race, and only have 1 road bike. I really don’t mind using it in the wet.

But, I hate having to switch out the rear wheel and clamp it to the turbo when I need to. I was thinking of just getting a turbo bike, but everyone is trying to sell me a winter bike. Not sure what to do really.

Little things like older 10 speed Ultegra with the exposed gear cables

😆 mine has 8sp Ultegra DT levers! Oh and it’s on one of those cheap Ribble frames, and cost far less to build up than the Racelight Kryton is looking at (the original donor of most parts was a 531c race bike I bought s/h in ’93 for £300)

I got crud roadracer guards on this winter

As I said, “if you can fit guards on yours, either it’s not a proper full-on race bike, or the guards you’re fitting aren’t proper ones”

I do have to admit that I also have a dedicated turbo bike, which was my nice road race bike until I got a new one of those a few years ago!

If you’re happy to trash your best bike in rain, grit and salt and soak your clubmates, then have just the one bike…
Riding in a group in the wet without full length guards is dangerous for the rider behind…

Personally I like the fact I have a cheaper bike that I don’t worry about getting filthy from October to March