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Winter bike changes!?!

firefightergazfirefightergaz Posts: 132
in General Chat
Just wondering what changes people make to their bike now that the weathers turning nasty....I only ask as I went out the other day for a scheduled 3.5 hour ride, got 12 miles in, 1 puncture, 1 new tube, then 1 more puncture in the driving rain later decided to ring the wife for a ride home.
Sat there thinking what I'd change....... take off Schwabble Blizzards and fit new Continental tyres (are they any good??), take tri bars off and fit lights.

What other changes do people make???? (to make riding a bit more enjoyable!!)

Comments

  • TRIumphantTRIumphant Posts: 850
    Ride my winter bike.
  • antonyfromozantonyfromoz Posts: 87
    Attach my bike to the turbo trainer and add some sweat protection
  • risris Posts: 1,002
    to add a little to conehead's post, when they start gritting and salting the roads it may be best to steer clear if you are going to use your race bike. partly because this suggests the conditions are going to be pretty treacherous, but as conhehead says it eats chains, chainrings and cassettes. i also find it really gums up road-bike caliper brakes, particularly if you haven't got some mudguards that go through underneath them.
  • bathtubbathtub Posts: 280
    My Triathlon bike gets put into hibernation during the winter.

    I brought a new Ribble winter training bike about 6 years ago cost about £500, wasnt sure at the time about the Tiagra groupset but its been a brilliant bike, replaced the wheels with some LBS built Mavic open pro's and its still going strong, also use it on the turbo .

    Good advice from Conehead, I would add its worth fitting mudguards, and also to regularly check your brake pads for grits and bits that could wear or damage your rims.
  • gaterz1981gaterz1981 Posts: 233
    Mudguards and warm clothing. 90% of my cycling is done fixed so big chains, two gears.... less to clean/replace. Last few years I cycled through winter on a geared bike, nightmare for killing the groupset.
    My race bike will be used on the odd mile cruncher this year, i have crud mudguards to try out for that.

    If rain, wind, cold or bad weather is going to stop you then you won't have much luck training in the uk!
  • firefightergazfirefightergaz Posts: 132
    Cheers guys some top advise there. I'd love to put my summer race bike to bed and bring out 'the winter bike' but finances say otherwise!! I'll defo take on board what was said about lubing chain etc and preventing salt and grit eating in to the bike.
    Don't know about you lot but I find anything over 45mins - 1 hour on the turbo boring!!

    Anyway of to the magical world of Wiggle know to look up some new tyres!!!!
  • simondo3333simondo3333 Posts: 77
    Some useful tips and workshop featrues on Bikeradar....here's one for example

    http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/article/20-winter-tips-to-save-you-money-13983
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