I’m on a low budget for a winter bike option, only really £250 tops. Obviously will be ‘used’ and not new..

But torn on what way to play it and what to get.

Soemthing like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200969554577?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_462wt_1399

Lovely looking SSer i rekon, but worried that i won’t make it up some of the hills on it and also if SS is a good idea for riding around West Berks. Ok, so they’re not massive hills… but looking 2nd/3rd in the middle ring for some of them i guess. But things like Streatley hill would be next to impossible on a SSer.

Then was thinking of something along the lines of this Genesis which gives me a bit more traily option for winter than just roading.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261301005365?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_766wt_1399

Or this Cannondale if it doesn’t go to silly money.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200969826828?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_192wt_1399

Other ideas/options appreciated.

But things like Streatley hill would be next to impossible on a SSer.

What is this defeatist attitude.You will be surprised what you can get up tbh not that I know the area

Also in West Berks My winter MTB is an old rigid Kona with 2:1 gearing, my winter road / commuter is a “Viking Citifix” with ~2.8:1 gearing…

I don’t think either would get my fat arse up Streatly hill, I’d just take a the longer route round…

You don’t really say what sort of riding you are looking to do with it either?

On road / Off road? bit of both?
Commuting to work? or riding for fun?

Either way Berks/Oxon isn’t the most challenging terrain and Yes I’d say a SS makes perfect sense for winter round this way…

Cookeaa,

Won’t be commuting, just a general bike to use when the trails are too muddy for me to bother with the Spearfish. Ideally a bit of on, bit of off, but as long as i’m out enjoying myself i don’t really mind. Wouldn’t restrict myself to roads by going to a full on road bike though and don’t like Drops, so that’s out of the equation.

Junkyard, it’s a 1st gear middle on a 32T front at best. I’m a big boy and dragging myself up it on a SS would be next to impossible. It’s a 9% average gradient with a 15% or so in the 2nd sector of it.

TBH once the weather gets wet and cold and the daylight hours get shorter, I’m far happier to take the SS MTB out for an afternoon or evening ride and clock some offroad/onroad mixed miles on it rather than spending all my time on the road, the fixie is primarily for road commuting use so I keep my wear and tear down generally by not using geared bikes much over winter…

My MTB loops typically take in Sulham woods, Goring common, Whitchurch, Mapledurham areas and then back through Reading via Caversham, I sometimes trundle up the Thames path to Goring over the bridge to Streatley, but then I’ll go round and pick up the Ridgeway rather than stamp my way straight up Streatley hill, I need to do some more exploring I think and try to find more cheeky to work into my routes TBH…

I’m certainly not fast on the SS MTB, but then that’s not really the point of it, it’s an enjoyable bike to ride and when I get home I won’t be bothering to clean the thing properly, if at all, so it saves my nicer bikes from such willful maltreatment…

That said the weather on Saturday was not very Octoberish at all, so I took the geared HT out instead, Global warming ain’t all bad…

If drop bars really aren’t your thing and you want minimal Maintenance during winter go with a SS, Rigid, MTB IMO…

Maybe a 29er as that sound like it’s you bag, if you can find one in the price range, Given your budget see if anyone is flogging one of those Diamondback Mojitos from a couple of years ago, that was a ~£200 Rigid, SS, 29er, but they don’t seem to have replaced it with a newer model…
I nearly bought one but assembled my kona for a wee bit less and now love riding it, but a Mojito would make be a brilliant winter SS MTB I reckon if you can find one, failing that Slot drop Inbred’s can’t be all that valuable 2nd hand can they?

I can help you out with trails/routes over the top end of Streatley fella… i know 99% of them very well. Up to top of the golf course to Aldworth is my local area.

I’m not worried about fast… i’m not that anyway at the best of times 🙂

Thanks for the info… i’m searching Ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=121186495534#ht_484wt_1399

What you rekon gents ?

29er would be nice, but quite fancying the SS route now for ease of Maint etc.

Used Genesis io ould be my choice. See if one turns up. You can always walk up big hills. There is no shame on a SS.

You mean like that one above 🙂

He’s walking distance from me too… What’s a reasonable price on it ?

I’m not far away in ‘Old Berkshire’ and singlespeed does most stuff for me round here on or off road

You mean like that one above

Nah, that’s geared – the IO is a SS 😉

I live at the Kent end of the North Downs & thought I’d never cope with a SS – took a while but there’s nowt I walk up these days. Just stuck some rigid forks & the mud tyres back on the On-One in preparation for the winter months.

I’d be looking at kona unit (29er) myself, can be converted to gears, and seeming available on ebay within your budget going by completed listings

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=121186495534#ht_484wt_1141

IT’s not geared LOL.

I can help you out with trails/routes over the top end of Streatley fella… i know 99% of them very well. Up to top of the golf course to Aldworth is my local area.

I might have to take you up on that fella…

Edit:

That Genesis looks good too…

My bad, didn’t spot that linky & was looking at the one in your first post. 😳

Looks quite tidy.

Double post

A rigid 29er SS is perfect for winter duties
I run 32:18 with 29 wheels, which is similar to 2:1 on 26

maybe tricky with your budget, but maybe doable.

Is there an appropriate tyre i can run on something like this lads ?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141081343242?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_1376wt_1399

Or better with the Genesis ?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121186495534?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_484wt_1399

So guys,

This is currently winning in the ‘want’ list… it’s also only 2 mins from my office, so good in that way…. What i don’t know is an appropriate price ?