What are you going to be riding on the roads this winter?

Maybe it’s my mid-life crisis … who knows … either way, I fancy dabbling with the dark side after several years away from the scene. Like the idea of mixing up some early morning pre-work road sessions (which I no longer enjoy as much on the MTB) along with the odd 4-5 hour weekender.

Thinking about 105-specced Allez/CAAD/Defy vs the more sportive type beasts such as the Synapse.

May instead go for Tiagra spec and get a second hand set of Kysriums or equivalent, should I feel the need for more speed.

The 105 triple I mentioned at the weekend is still an option, although I’d still want to switch it to double ASAP.

Not yet smitten enough with CX. And not a fan of winter hacks – perhaps next year if I get bitten this time round.

So, what are you guys going to be running?

My car.

The same bike I rode on the roads in the summer.

The same bike I rode on the roads and trails in the summer.

Will be on my Diverge! Fitting some mudguards, though.

Road bikes are for the summer days for me. Nowt more depressing than a road slog on grotty wet days IMO.

Mountain bikes in the slop however, are funny as.

Just upgraded my 2013 Defy 3 (sora) to 105. I’ll be riding that – it has full guards – again. I’m hoping to do many winter miles this winter.

Will be on my Diverge! Fitting some mudguards, though.

Ooh …

**Looks up Diverge and wonders how I didn’t even know this thing existed.**

Me likey.

Pictures available if you’d like, spacemonkey! 🙂

Mountain bikes in the slop however, are funny as.

sometimes, theres a lot of “why the **** am i doing this moments”

My aluminium Synapse Disc with some guards.

This is also my August bike due to the effing shyte English summers.

Kinesis 4S or my Kinesis Decade singlespeed.

Tricky question. I might put some wet tyres on the Malt-R, but if it gets really shitty, I’ll go for hybrid/road tyres on the Malt-2.

Pictures available if you’d like, spacemonkey!

Yes please sir. Some pleasant aesthetics may be all I need before being seduced 🙂

Nowt more depressing than a road slog on grotty wet days IMO

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Depends how many days are like that over the dark months.The last few winters up here have been dry on the commute (and night rides).I love riding on the cold crisp days,which will mostly be on a ridgid steel hardtail and an old carbon road bike with bodged up guards. 😉

In new, skinwall shod mode;

Fitted some pimpy Challenge Strada Biancas. Lovely tyres, but I may change to something from Conti or Spesh for the winter.

Designed for lots of post, to allow flexy comfiness. Seems to work. Takes full guards, and racks if you so desire (Including lowriders). Can also take a SWAT toolkit on the downtube below the bottle cage. There are three bottle cage braze ons, allowing for a fit further up the tube if need be. Mine just has the SWAT chain tool in the head tube, replaces the SFN assembly with a chaintool. Cleverness!

Mine is the crabon fribe frame, as per the pimpy S-Works version, but with Ultegra. FSA crabon fribe chainset, though.

Commute and training: Heavily customised Kona Paddy Wagon fixed wheel 8)
Club rides: CAAD8 with mudguards
Snow: Catrike Villager recumbent trike 8) 8)
To and from Imperial Winter Series races: Giant Propel SL 8) 8) 8)

The same bike I rode on the roads in the summer.

+1 8)

Dreaming up a Kinesis 4S build or a Genesis Equilibrium build.

Kinesis wouldn’t be far off the weight of my summer bike but with 28c tyres, seems like a win-win 8)

This

Saddle angle, Lodders! Saddle angle!

Think of your plums, old chap! And your old chap, old chap!

Cannondale synapse adventure..

Mines a recently purchased Genesis Equilibrium, in a very fetching matt ginger (copper) with hope/Alpha 400, 28mm Schwalbe the ones (tubeless) and a full centaur groupset.

Just debating if to purchase some Portland design works mudguards or leave the plastic P35’s on. ❓

Will be on my Diverge! Fitting some mudguards, though.

Ive never even taken mine off lol

I consider a motorbike to be safer around greater Manchester. So not me for. I wont be investing.

Contrary to many people, I prefer riding on road in the winter than off road. I just can’t be arsed getting covered ins sh*te week in week out, and you can do more in less time. I’ll be riding a Dirty Disco mostly but tempted to go back to the single speed roadie (formerly a fixie but too hilly round here for that) this winter.

Tripster + Mason-Hunt wheels..

The Xlite will be literally wrapped in cotton wool until the week before Mallorca.

Mines a recently purchased Genesis Equilibrium, in a very fetching matt ginger (copper) with hope/Alpha 400, 28mm Schwalbe the ones (tubeless) and a full centaur groupset.

Pics please! I haven’t seen any pictures of a fully built Equilibrium frameset yet.

I was planning a slightly less exciting build of 105 with Easton carbon bits and Ultegra on DT 460 rims.

My CX if I need gears or my old fixie. Most of the time I’ll be off road though away from the traffic.

My CX bike with road tyres.

Ribble carbon sportive 365, full guards.

I go to about 80% road in winter. Quite enjoy it tbh.

This…

I was planning a slightly less exciting build of 105 with Easton carbon bits and Ultegra on DT 460 rims

105 is eq to the centaur and mine has Easton carbon bits as well.

Untitled by eastham_david[/url], on Flickr

it has open pros and Conti 4s in the Photo

On-One Pompino. Fixed gear, dynamo lights, full mudguards and rack.

Nice and eclectic so far. As expected 🙂

CFH + firestarter: how are you finding the Diverge on climbs?

Liking the Equilibrium.

I bought a cheap Saracen roadie last year that takes full guards. They’ve been off over the summer but will go back on soon. I do all my riding before half 8 in the morning so the mtb is no fun at all road bike isn’t much better though tbf 😕

I think I’ll be mid week rollers or turbo, then weekend on the road if 5°+ or mtb if it’s colder or snowing

This

Diverge look better in the flesh, very nice version in my LBS.

I’ll be cherry picking a few clean rides but mostly in the garage on a turbo this year.

A triggers broom of a cheap Trek frame. Not overly relishing the prospect of getting back on it after a summer of riding and racing the TCR. Thinking of treating myself to something nicer considering the amount of cold, wet, dark winter miles I do on it.

Like that Shand ^^^. Keep checking out the Skinnymalinky, would make a lovely winter bike 🙂

My fixed gear.
Or my kona dewdrop.
Or my dawes kingpin if its to the shop.

Or possibly a ribble 525 frame because I kind of like it. And its cheap.

I think I’ll be mid week rollers or turbo

Good luck with that! Managed a few tabata sessions on my Tacx 2200 before getting bored. Lovely bit of kit and I really should get some Sufferfest vids. Still can’t get my head round being ‘locked’ in a room though.

EDIT: BTW, you’re not the same Prawn that used to hang out in Surrey’s finest Hills 10 yrs ago are you?