So, I’m in the process of about to begin of making a winter training/commuting bike.

What do I need? I have an old Trek 1.2 that I’m going to use, what makes a winter bike a winter bike?

What mudguards do I get?

Cheers

(and yes that is a GoT quote)

Winter is Coming

cheered me up no end.

Did it ever leave?

🙂

So, I’m in the process of about to begin of making a

Grammar police to the forum!

SKS race blade long (the long part is key if you ever ride with friends or like your toes to stay warm).

25mm Schwable Blizzards make good cheep winter tyres, reasnobly light and puncture proof, grippy enough and very cheep.

Sealed cables are a definate winter bike win too, unless you’re man enough to go singlespeed?

Ohh and get some of that stuff motorcyclists use to protect the frame from corrosion, some kind of aircraft maintenance spray that leaves a waxy residue but I can’t remember the name. Makes cleaning easier as dirt doesnt stick and avoids aluminium frames going furry or corroding, my cannondale I just noticed has some bubbling paint arround bolts and the headset, not terminal but unsightly.

I built myself up a steel hardtail frame as a winter bike a few months back.

There’s a lot to be said for going singlespeed and fully rigid with a set of very cheap wheels when you’re riding on freshly gritted and salted roads, however briefly.

Full length mudguards and mud flaps

More relaxed riding position than a race bike if you want.

Reliable, fat, puncture proof tyres. More rubbish on the roads in winter and it is no fun mending a puncture anytime but especially in cold rain. I used to run 25mm but I’m thinking of 28mm + this winter as it doesn’t make that much difference.

Full length cables.

Cheap or easy to maintain drive chain as it will wear out faster.

Sturdy wheels (see tyres) that either rdon’t need maintenance (let me know the make) or are easy to do (hope) or are so cheap you can just buy new ones each year (budget shimano like RS500.

Was expecting a Game of Thrones thread 🙁