How many of you run separate wheels for winter and summer? I need new wheels and can’t decide what to do, having just run one set all year round since i got my road bike so thought a poll might help me decide 🙂

What do you do energy drink/gel wise for races around 25m? I’m doing my first APR next month which is only 25m and not sure what to do as normally i’d not use anything on a ride that length but i guess it’ll be all out speed/effort so i might want to use something? For rides over 50m i use high 5 4:1 but its not a noticeable quick boost – i just don’t tire on long rides (but it is designed for endurance i guess) whereas i tried a friends SiS stuff the other weekend and it worked really quickly in comparison, but seemed to give me sporadic bursts of power/energy.

I wouldn’t worry about wheels or drinks and gels for rides of 25 metres. For the rides over 50 metres you might want a sip of water at around the half-way point.

Most folk use different bikes, not sure if there’s any benefit to different wheels, even if you want to run wider tyres, decent hubs like 105 etc are all well sealed for winter use.

I wouldn’t use anything in a 25 bar maybe energy drink – it’s only going to be psycological so use what you like!

I have a separate bike for summer and winter – cheap ribble winter bike I got second hand) and a nicer carbon bike with nice wheels for dry weather/summer 🙂 Oh and 2 MTB’s for all weather 😉

Yes to winter wheels, but only because I’ve lots of wheels to use. The salt and general dirtiness of winter riding does mess up any wheel, particularly at the rim-spoke junction unless you are very good at washing and drying them after each ride.

25 miles? About 300 mls of whatever you want just for comfort; it’s too short a time, probably less than an hour for whatever you drink to make any difference at all.

For under 2 hours I just use electrolyte and maybe a gel or chewy bar – I don’t do it on miles as one ride could be 1500 ft of climbing whilst another would be 4500 ft – I’d do it on time in the saddle ? I use energy drink on long rides over 2 hours i.e. 4+

Well I have a few sets, but they’ve accumalated over time. I’d not bother. Rims don’t last a year but hubs can go on. I’d get one set and rebuild when required.
Half a bottle of water for a short race, and at least a 500ml one for a longer race.
I’ve never eaten in a race, or been able to.

What is an APR?

I’d read a bit about nice carbon fibre Summer bikes and cheap alloy Winter bikes. I went out and bought a cheap alloy winter bike and rode it over winter fine.

Then the clocks changed in March and we got some nice weather, took it out for a ride and it melted in the sun. Wasnt happy.

I then had a moment of madness and bought a carbon planet x this summer. It was great, but I was a bit scared it would get washed away in the rain over winter. It turns out its water proof and can be ridden in any weather, I can recommend one of these.

Australian Pursuit Race

Thought that but was starting to wreck the Ultegra chainset in the really mucky back roads so opted for the winter bike with full mud guards which I use also for commuting – don’t regret it at all!

APR = Australian Pursuit Race I think.

Slowest set off first and so on, and hopefully all groups come together at the finish.

They used to run the Eddie Soens Aintree race like that.

What is an APR?

Australian Pursuit. 4th Cats go first, then 3rd etc and (if you’ve worked it out right), all the groups should just about be together at the finish. Good format when done right, gives everyone a fair crack of the whip without the 4th Cats being shelled out the back in the first mile.

TBH I wouldn’t bother with anything other than energy drink for 25 miles, you’ll do that in an hour. Have a gel maybe 10 mins before the off, have a 500ml bottle of quick acting energy drink on the bike and that’s it. Have a bottle of water/recovery drink/food etc waiting back at the car for when you finish.

Oh and re wheels: retire your current wheels into winter use. Buy shiny new wheels for summer. 🙂

energy drink only and you may get away without if you drink a pint or two before the start- you may not like that feeling though!!
I would have different bikes if I seriously raced [lighter faster etc]otherwise no real advantage to winter/summer wheels IMHO.

I had a winter road bike but sold it because i ended up using my nice carbon one all the time. Its the rims and rear hub thats knackered on my wheels from lacking of looking after over winter. I was thinking that maybe a cheap of set of wheels would be ok for winter with better ones for summer/racing when i’m actually going to clean the bike. But now i read it, i’m not so sure now. 🙄

I’ll use an energy drink but maybe not the 4:1 since i don’t notice the difference over 25m. Has anyone noticed the same about the SiS drink ie sporadic rather than sustained?

I wouldn’t bother with anything other than energy drink for 25 miles, you’ll do that in an hour. Have a gel maybe 10 mins before the off, have a 500ml bottle of quick acting energy drink on the bike and that’s it. Have a bottle of water/recovery drink/food etc waiting back at the car for when you finish

sounds right. I have never raced on the road mind.

Can’t believe I’ve not done one.Subtley different to a handicap.

My winter bike has separate wheels to my summer one, does that count as a yes? 🙂

If I had one bike I’d get some cheap wheels with fatter puncture resistant tyres on for winter. Nothing worse than fixing a puncture in the rain and cold.

Separate bikes is the way to go. Carbon race, Aluminium Training, Steel fixed winter steed.

If you have some posh carbon tubs then winter wheels make sense. IMO if you just run alu wheels then it’s not really worth worrying about, unless you do the whole winter bike thing.

I’ve done both, a new Dura Ace chain/cassette annually on the race bike is still cheaper than a winter road bike, and nicer to ride, so I’m not totally sold on the idea! Same with wheels, you can re-rim even posh alu wheels for less than the cost of some spare winter wheels.

So in conclusion, I don’t really have one.

Why do people always recommend the one material most likely to rust in bad/rainy weather (i.e. steel) as an ideal winter bike?

Only real advantage of winter wheels is you can fit some really heavy ones with big clodhopping tyres on them for winter training, then pop on the nice light ones for a race and feel the (tiny) benefit. Apart from that I’ve plodded round quite a few seasons with the same set. Depends if your up with the cleaning malarky or happy to trash a pair and rebuild regularly.

My winter bike is also my commuter with full muddies so I don’t have to clean it and my butt so much 🙂

I’m fast conming to the conclusion that fewer bikes, and fewer parts are the future.

If I was starting again, I’d never have listened to the nice man who encouraged me to buy a winter trainer. I’d have bought that Cannondale Caad8 I wanted, and fitted raceblades.

Oldgit has had the right approach for a while: road bike for training and racing; corss bike for training and racing; MTB for training and racing.

EDIT: two set sof wheels on one bike isn’t a bad option. consider if you’ll run two cassettes (and therefore two chains).

Use old wheels and wire beaded tyres for the winter and save the Kysrium Elites and pro 3 ‘s for March onwards.
Big problem is the salt which tends to corrode the nipples(especially on the above as they would then need drilling out) Also only interested in good puncture proof tyres not weight in the winter

OMITN
That’s because I’m a msdcap retarded luddite, if you do what I do it’ll be wrong.

*cough* CX bike with a low (single) gear.

Mine cost me £350 and I’ve been having a blast in all conditions, and all trails.

It remains to be seen if this will help my summer road riding though…

Why do people always recommend the one material most likely to rust in bad/rainy weather (i.e. steel) as an ideal winter bike?

Alu can corrode as well, adn it’s rarely a problem for steel; cf and ti are too pricey.

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