So … being the wuss that I am, cba’d riding off road right now so little country lanes are a-calling.

My fave bike has tubeless mud tyres so that just sounds like a real draggy slog. FS is wearing Summer tyres, rear shock can be locked out but totally over-biked.

Option is to switch wheels and put a Summer tyre on the fave leaving a rear mud tyre to drag along.

Final option is to remove mud tyre on the ss front wheel and replace with Summer tyre. Rear always has a Summer tyre.

What bike for the easiest riding? 😉

Thanks. 🙂

A new one? CX maybe, so you can still explore if you want, I hear the latest STW mag has a small article or two…
😉

Put the lightest/fastest tyres on the lightest/fastest bike, simples.

Good work z1ppy! Not sure about the cx but *I think* I may need a touring bike. 😀

I’m currently avoiding the mud by riding an old hardtail with slicks on.

Its surprising how swift a humble mountain bike with 1.3″ slicks is compared to slogging along on 2.3″ Hans Dampfs at 30 psi. Makes riding around on the quiet roads after dark quite good fun

just bought mrs ton a surly troll, for pootling and touring duties.
nice big comfy slick treads, guards, rack, low gears, comfy bars, tiny frame.
hefty…so what when you are pootling.
perfect… 8)

Am technically inept so my tubeless wheels have to be done by my lbs. The ss has tubes though.

Pleased that I’m not the only wuss person who’s had enough of mud. 🙂

Judging by most of the well pootled lanes round me you’ll definitely be needing on of these:

Is part of the question to do with the hassle of changing tubeless tyres? If so, you could always invest in a cheapish pair of wheels with some narrow tyres. You could even investigate the likelihood of getting some 700/29er wheels in your frame and forks. Really depends on how much use you are going to make of them in the longer term.

Not sure about the cx but *I think* I may need a touring bike.

in a recommend what you ride shocker

Salsa vaya does both well

Ribble had their Alloy winter trainer bike for £575 this week.

They’re meant to be very good for the price.

BTW Hatter, you can’t pootle on that it’s not got Di2, can’t be faffing around with manual gears at 8mph.

Lol at the Pinarello!

Very practical reply from scotroutes, thanks. Certainly food for thought there. I guess we just don’t know whether we’ll be getting more of this type of weather in years to come. I don’t mind mud obviously but there is a limit!

ton- can I hijack a moment and ask how you got mudguards on the Troll? I would love to get some on mine but haven’t figured out the best way yet…

Are we going to get more rain in years to come? 🙂

Look at it this way – if you buy a set of 700 wheels and tyres and then find you actually like pootling along country lanes then they would fit onto a touring/trekking frame in the future.

I’ve been having similar thoughts. I keep being drawn to the planet X CX bike. If it had mudguard/pannier mounts I would have already bought one.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXXLS105/planet-x-xls-shimano-105-cyclocross-bike

To answer the OP- ss with slick tyres def better than geared with mud tyres imho! It’ll be a draggy ride and you’ll wreck the mud tyres as well 🙁

I actually think that moutain bikes make pretty good country lane pootlers tbh! Especially if they are rigid, but not necessarily.

shermer, length of flat alloy bar drilled for the front to lower it down, and zipties for the rear behind the bb.

BTW Hatter, you can’t pootle on that it’s not got Di2, can’t be faffing around with manual gears at 8mph.

Excuse me, I posted a bike appropriate for pootling at this time of year, no St Albans based hedge fund manager worth his salt will be riding his SUMMER Pinarello right now.

CG, I shall be popping in to a well known Sarum cycle purveyor tomorrow morning. Shall look and see what they have on the touring side of things for you!

(FWIW, I’d go for a CX type bike, but fitted with full length SKS and a rack)

Excuse me, I posted a bike appropriate for pootling at this time of year, no St Albans based hedge fund manager worth his salt will be riding his SUMMER Pinarello right now.

I stand corrected.

As the yoofz say; SOZ

😳

Salsa Fargo …with some woodchippers bars

Nice one thanks ton!