Well just bought a BTWIN Triban 3 and looking for tips on what kit to buy etc. Felt very wobbly riding on the street near me.
Any tips for tyres it has Hutchinson Equinox 2, they are full on slicks which I’d imagine would be lethal in winter.

Riding tips also, where should I put my hands when climbing, descending, flat. Also clothing, only have mtb pants and tops at the moment, but would like lucrative but want my legs covered.

First off don’t worry about slicks in the winter, never had a problem here and every roadie I know runs slicks all year round. Not sure what your tyres are like but I popped some schwalbe durano plus etape’s on my winter biker and they are bullet proof and grippy in the wet.
Clothes wise I would get some full length bibs, base layer, quality jacket, gillet, gloves, a buff and ideally winter boots but failing that overshoes. For warmer weather I would get some bib shorts, leg warmers, arm warmers, base layer, jersey and a gillet. You can add or subtract layers as the weather gets warmer or cooler.
Put some full mudguards on. They will keep your feet dry.
Get you positioning right. How you fit on a road bike is much more important than a mtb.
Carry two tubes and pump. Keep your bike maintained, you will thank yourself for this when don’t have problems out on the road and change the chain every 1500 miles to keep the gears crisp.

Don’t worry about slicks. The contact patch on <25mm tyres is so small that no surface tread pattern really adds any extra grip/ability to eject water/etc., it just makes people feel better about buying them.

When you say on the street I presume you mean you went for just a quick ride and in that case you may feel jittery, you need to get some speed up on the open road, but you will need proper clothing in this weather on a road bike, as said before, everything needs to be windproof. If your on a budget I’d try the stuff aldi sell I don’t particularly get on with it but plenty do, plenty I ride with do. Oh and yes you’ll need guards.

As far as hand position goes, general riding on the hoods (top of levers), climbing hoods or flat of bar and descending on the drops.

Lights, some merino socks such as the on one thicky socks, overshoes to help keep your toes warm, full length bib tights (DHB on wiggle), Buff to keep ears or neck warm.

Ride in a position you feel comfy but generally cruising along hands on hoods.. down hill / descending on the drops..

Road bike felt awful to me the first time I tried it. It scared me. Found it hard to grab the brakes, the position was totally alien. Really wasn’t sure if I was going to take to it, at all.

You get used it though. Most the time you’ll be riding on the hoods, or on the tops. On the tops is a nice relaxed climbing position, on the hoods you’re able to grab the brakes, and it’s a touch more aggressive. Drops for descending for me, purely because I feel more stable on the brakes. And when it comes to the brakes, don’t tune them up until you can’t get a sheet of paper between pad and rim. I almost murdered my fingers doing this. Having a good bit play helps leverage when on the hoods – my levers touch the bars if I pull them hard, and that’s the way I like them.

Slick tyres are fine, but watch out for ice, mud, or anything that isn’t tarmac!

For the winter get some fleece lined garments. Decent shoes or overshoes, and gloves.

As above.

Lycra bib longs are essential IMO – Wiggle’s DHB are good value. Also get a showerproof jacket that can be rolled up into a small ball e.g. Montane. A set of cheapish lights are useful at this time of year. Also get a Powerlink in case your chain breaks. Get a road style helmet or take the peak off your MTB helmet. A little seat pack to store tubes, tyre levers etc. would be a useful purchase.

Everything’s a lot colder on a road bike particularly at speed, so layering is crucial. Sunglasses, either photochromatic or with interchangeable lenses, are useful at all times of the year.

Mudguards at this time of the year also make the ride better – no wet bum and following riders don’t get a face full of spray and dirt. Also avoid metal drain covers and white lines during winter as they can be extremely slippery.

Above all just enjoy the experience and finding new routes!

Yeah just round the block. I think I’ve stuffed the brake. Took the wheel off (QR) And put it on like I do the mountain bike but when I tried to tighten it like I do on my mtb the brake binds badly on the rim. It didn’t when I left the shop. Gears are set up perfect.

So I need Bib tight things, base layer, a top. Got a waterproof jacket already. Bottle cage and lights.

Just to add to what has already been suggested, change the tyres.

I had original tyres on my Triban 3 and they left me sat in the middle of a roundabout with a tipper truck coming at me, changed them for Michelin service course grip.

Mudguards, I fitted SKS which are bloody tight but good. Main issue was on the bridge between the chainstays as the bolt there would just not sit straight and the guard rubbed the tyre. In the end I warmed the guard with a lighter and gently pushed it clear with a teaspoon just to give it a few mm clearance.

They are that tight I have to take the rear skewer out to clear the mech when taking the wheel off but it works.

Regarding the brakes, have you set the lever thing on the caliper back pointing down ?

Tyres will be fine. although, having said that if you MUST upgrade the bike tyres will make the biggest difference for your money. (Weight, rolling resistance and comfort).
As with mtb tyres simply learn to respect the boundaries of grip for the conditions and tyres you’re using. No tyre compound will help keep your wheels upright turning on wet/greasy drain covers/ice/Diesel spills etc.

You don’t say where, when or how long you plan on riding it.

Mudguards obviously aren’t essential if you’re only going to be a fairweather road cyclist. Otherwise it’s a no brainer. A rear LED is a good idea this time of year too.
If you are only planning on riding on your own lycra isn’t essential at all but in a group it’d be daft not to simply from a wind resistance point of view.

The only ESSENTIAL kit you NEED to buy is a spare tube (pref x2), a pump and possibly some sort of multi tool.

I carry on my road bike :-
1 saddlebag containing 2x tubes, tyre levers, CO2 pump + 2 spare canisters, multitool, chain tool, quick link, chain tool, few patches + glue.
1 pump on frame.
Set of small but decent lights (exposure flash/flare set).
May be a little overkill for many rides but it means I’m prepared for most eventualities.

Change chain every 1500 miles to keep gears changing nice??
Cheaper to just check chain for stretch, and adjust gears as required I’d say.

Almost 9500 miles this year on same chain. Don’t make riding a bike more expensive than it needs to be.

No matter what tyres you use in winter, ice and wet slippery roads can have you off.
Full guards are good. Especially a very low front guard that deflects the water off your feet.
On one merino thicky socks are very good.
Cheap wooly gloves with a fleece lining are good in very cold days. Not found a good waterproof set of gloves yet though.

Keep the tyres then. Done 10 miles this morning. I’m still very wobbly on it but was also keeping a cautious eye out for ice. Wearing my mtb gear at the moment and can now see why it’s not ideal wearing baggy clothing.
Plans are just to get out riding when the trails are a mudfest. Sick of scrubbing half a field off my mtb after every winter ride.

And I’m hoping it will improve my cardiovascular fitness.

A few more ideas:

MTB helmets are fine but ditch the peak.

Get a decent (or half decent) track pump with a pressure gauge and pump your tyres up to at least 80psi. You will hear people insisting that road bike tyres should be inflated to 100-110psi but this is only if you want low rolling resistance for racing. Icy/wet roads at the moment should mean you can reduce the pressure a bit for a tad more grip and comfort.

You can use MTB pedals and shoes, there is nothing wrong with these and they will work fine…until you go round a corner while pedalling. After your first encounter with the dreaded pedal strike you will then understand why road pedals are one sided and have a lower profile. Cheap shimano pedals and basic DHB road shoes are a wise investment.

Ride with your hands on the hoods if you are new to drop handlebars. Don’t touch the brakes (especially the front) while pedalling hard out of the sadle…road surfaces are hard and unforgiving, you will learn this painful lesson quickly.

Hi-vis clothing is a matter of personal preference but bright colours and lots of scotchlite/reflectives are probably a better idea.

Get a really good, bright taillight. Use it in the daytime too. A good front strobe is a very good idea as well.

Work on the assumption that all other motor vehicles can’t see you and even if they do, get used to the fact that a sizeable minority of road users really are trying to kill you.

Beware of White vans or worse, a fleet van from a medium/large firm (usually with three people in it, one asleep/reading the Daily Star, one driving and one to give the driver ideas: “go on, nudge ‘im”)…see above.

Taxis, ditto.

Learn to ride primary. If you don’t know what this means, look it up. It does work, even for for the minority of drivers who think that this then means its open season on cyclists.

Bells are great on kids bikes, yelling is far more effective.

Now, if that hasn’t put you off:

Find some good quiet roads, lanes, etc.

You can bunny hop, wheelie and manual road bikes, they are rather good for this too, just watch Peter Sagan.

Be staggered at the speed you can go and the distance you can cover compared to your mountain bike.

Don’t be disheartened by achieving a 4582nd placing on the local Strava hill segment

Finally:

Wave at other cyclists, roadies tend not to hang around for a chat especially if they are going in the opposite direction but will wave, even if it’s raising one index finger off the bars for a second or two in acknowledgement of your passing 🙂