Cheap winter bike?

There’s a lot of salt and mud on the roads round here so starting to feel reluctant to take the gravel bike out on the road. I’m about to fit some mudguards but even then I’ve seen quite a few bikes suffer from corrosion from the local conditions.

It got me thinking about what can be done to help protect the bike, or just get a cheap winter bike?

Is singlespeed an option? The only bit of mine which suffered from the salt was the drivetrain, ss is so much lower maintenance. It’s also a lot of fun.

Rather than cheap and cheerful I’ve gone the other way on my winter bike/commuter though, Chris King hubs and headset, square taper BB, TRP Hylex brakes, basically just chosen the moving parts for reliability and I can’t fault it. I do have the luxury of keeping it in the office at work though, it’s not outside on a rack or anything. I realise it’s the complete opposite of what you asked but I think good bits (mine were all second hand so good doesn’t necessarily mean expensive, eg £200 for a pair of CK R45D hubs on Stans Iron Cross rims) which last is cheaper in the long run than replacing cheap bits all the time.

Having decent seals on anything with bearings means a blast with hosepipe or jetwash is fine, a spray of the chain and that’s it done.

Voodoo Marasa, £350 before using something like 8% British Cycling membership discount.

If it’s salt you’re worried about, full guards and a wash do miracles.

I’ve just picked up a specialized road bike, steel frame and carbon forks for £90 on Facebook to use during winter instead of my carbon frame summer bike which is now in turbo trainer. It’s a few years old but pretty much unused.

If you just want something to keep riding going over winter can pick stuff up really cheap second hand at moment

Another that will say full guards and a wash after. Bit of lube and bob’s yer uncle. Leave it, it will go orange.

Yeah, gravel bikes are meant to have a hard life, just get a decent set of full mudguards, something from kinesis of velo orange. As above, just hose down and look after the drivetrain and it’ll be grand. Maybe even invest in mudflaps, RAW make decent ones.

I had an original Arkose that I used all year round and on manky winter roads for years. After 8k miles there was no sign of corrosion, and nothing out of the ordinary maintenance wise with cables etc.

I do have a single speed mtb  up it’s no fun on the roads here. I’d have to change the gearing. Though could put a second smaller gear on the back…

My winter road bike has done four full winters and this is it’s fith. Zero corrosion on it, gets washed after every ride and chain is waxed every 250km.

At worse replacement drivetrain will be less cost than a substitute bike?

I ride in all conditions and a simple spray off and lube keeps everything running ok. And that’s in grinding paste like mud and plenty of linking up on gritted roads.

Cheap winter bike?

Get a “second hand” bike, loads out there. Recycle Reuse.

Just got one of these for my new winter bike.

old rim braked bike finally died.

stuck some mudguards and 35mm slicks on for winter, then gravel tyres on for the summer.

good deal for the money

https://www.merlincycles.com/felt-breed-30-grx-gravel-bike-boxed-bike-316151.html?utm_source=PHG&clickref=1101lzXNRorH&app_clickref=1101lzXNRorH&source=PHG&utm_medium=Affiliates&utm_campaign=genieshopping

The only issues I have in winter are chain maintenance and lower headset bearing replacement/maintenance (as I don’t use mudguards and bearing gets water hitting it as it does in summer if roads are wet!)

Rinse off after a wet ride, dry chain, lube chain. If not wet ride then same as any other season, i.e. pretty much nothing.