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

steel or alloy

Carbon.

😉

CFH, if someone did a decent winter carbon frame with long reach, a low stack and mounts for guards, I’d be all over it. You think it would be the material of choice for winter really.

Planet X Uncle John, with full mudguards.

Hmm… might have to revise my choice to the Giant Defy 0, don’t think I can afford a fancier custom build.

Can any of the Defy owners tell me:

Any problems with the press fit Shimano BBs? I really wanted a threaded BB for the winter.

Can you fit 28s? I’ve got some lovely 28c GP4000s sitting doing nothing as they were a tiny bit too neat in my Synapse.

How are the Giant mudguards, decent coverage?

Ta…

CFH, if someone did a decent winter carbon frame with long reach, a low stack and mounts for guards, I’d be all over it. You think it would be the material of choice for winter really.

Any problems with the press fit Shimano BBs? I really wanted a threaded BB for the winter.

Alloy Defy frames have threaded BBs (or at least mine have been). I’ve also had no trouble in my carbon Defy (or Propel). I ride with Vittoria Pave 27s and they fir my Defy Sl with room to spare. I imagine 28s will have no difficulty. Not used the Giant mudguards. I have used SKS raceblade longs and they have been very good. I’ll probably fit PDW for a more permanent fix to the CAAD8 this winter.

Thanks TINAS. Why don’t they just publish stack and reach 🙁 Shall get my calculator out later. Looks like it might be a bit short.

I can see why they soften the geo a bit for commuters, but I really don’t want that for a winter trainer having worked hard to adapt to a good racing position.

Pinnacle Arkso 3 – taking off the nobblies and adding some road tyres and mudguards.

Same as in summer, boardman hybrid… 35C tyres, full mudguards, brakes that work, comfy riding position, light, and cheap to run (it finishes off old mtb parts). Ideal really

If I can get my filthy little hands on one I think a Genesis Datum will be my next winter / commuter / do it all bike. Carbon with Di2 and plenty of room for wide tyres and mudguards.

Alloy Defy frames have threaded BBs (or at least mine have been).

Interesting, the specs for the 2016 models suggest press fit, shame if they’ve changed it!

Seem to remember race blades being a bit of nightmare, lots of movement and rattling from the ones that strap to the seatstays with the rubber bands anyway.

Can never be too careful.

More (but not a lot) seriously… This, with guards.

Hmm, these seem to tick all the boxes for me, aluminium, threaded BB, 105, space for 25c tyres with mudguards (and potentially space for 28s with mudguards if Bikeradar is to be believed) doesn’t seem much heavier than my summer bike either 😳

The aluminium Giant Defy 0 beats this on spec (and apparently has better wheels) but has press fit BB and apparently relies upon Giant’s own slightly rattly mudguards.

Hmm… might have to revise my choice to the Giant Defy 0, don’t think I can afford a fancier custom build.

Can any of the Defy owners tell me:

Any problems with the press fit Shimano BBs? I really wanted a threaded BB for the winter.

Can you fit 28s? I’ve got some lovely 28c GP4000s sitting doing nothing as they were a tiny bit too neat in my Synapse.

How are the Giant mudguards, decent coverage?

Ta…

My Defy 1 has a Pressfit bottom bracket which lasted just under 12 months, so I ended up replacing it with a Hope BB which helps to address some of the inherent flaws of the Pressfit design. One year later it’s still spot on 🙂

The Giant mudguards fit the frame closer than anything else I could find, but they do have some minor issues. They fit very closely to the frame & tyres so they can rub. They’re a bit fiddly to put on, have taken a bit of paint off the frame and fork bosses and they make annoying noises just like a lot of other mudguards do. A necessary evil and it’s such a nice feeling when you can take them off in spring!

One of these

Cotic X, I just need to sort the brakes so they actually work

My CAAD 8, same as I ride the rest of the year round. Might even fit mud guards this time but I say that every year.. I won’t be riding in the ice/frost again though following a 25mph crash on ice last year involving bruised ribs! No worth the risk to me, I’ll just ride my old Raleigh on the frozen fields instead!

Day to day just the fixed as usual, for training rides my tank-like Ribble winterer, unless I find a Racelight for a good deal less than RRP whereby I’ll swap everything over.

39 ring only from clocks back to clocks forward, concentrate on the spinning.

Mainly this…

Lovely morning for a commute! by Simon Barnes[/url], on Flickr

and this…

IMG_20150905_192410 by Simon Barnes[/url], on Flickr

and this…

Bank Holiday spin by Simon Barnes[/url], on Flickr