Winter bike

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
ipcookson
Posts: 26
Joined: 19 Apr 2018, 9:28am

Winter bike

Post by ipcookson »

Looking for some expertise from everyone. I've got a Cannondale Synapse with sora groupset. Good value for money bike, done me well over the past couple of years, but I've ridden through the winter and it's got a bit battered. It's white, which makes it worse.

Question is, if looking for a second bike, would you keep that as your "winter" bike, and replace the cheap components regularly as I've been doing, or buy something more durable/suitable for winter commuting and keep the lighter cannondale for summer? My commute is 13 miles, usually on roads although if the beelines project comes off, there may be more cycle paths involved.
whoof
Posts: 2519
Joined: 29 Apr 2014, 2:13pm

Re: Winter bike

Post by whoof »

If you can, find something with a square tapered bottom bracket.
My weekend winter bike has external bearings and they lasted 3 -4 years. My commuter has a UN71 tapered bottom bracket that has done over 20 years including approximately 37,000 miles just in the last 7 years at my current job.
ipcookson
Posts: 26
Joined: 19 Apr 2018, 9:28am

Re: Winter bike

Post by ipcookson »

WOW! 20 years?!?!
whoof
Posts: 2519
Joined: 29 Apr 2014, 2:13pm

Re: Winter bike

Post by whoof »

If you pick up a slightly older bike to use in the winter that runs say 8 speed the consumable components are pretty cheap as well.
Cassette £10
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-cs-hg41 ... -cassette/
Chain £8
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/kmc-z8s-8-speed ... 116-links/
and if you keep you eye out for offers you can often do better than that.
ipcookson
Posts: 26
Joined: 19 Apr 2018, 9:28am

Re: Winter bike

Post by ipcookson »

Would you go steel frame? Or is that a bit unnecessary?
whoof
Posts: 2519
Joined: 29 Apr 2014, 2:13pm

Re: Winter bike

Post by whoof »

I had steel winter bikes and also aluminium.
I would go with whatever is available second-hand, in the style of bike you want that's the right size.
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fossala
Posts: 1369
Joined: 21 May 2013, 8:29am

Re: Winter bike

Post by fossala »

whoof wrote:If you pick up a slightly older bike to use in the winter that runs say 8 speed the consumable components are pretty cheap as well.
Cassette £10
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-cs-hg41 ... -cassette/
Chain £8
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/kmc-z8s-8-speed ... 116-links/
and if you keep you eye out for offers you can often do better than that.

9 Speed can be bought almost as cheaply. Within a few quid.
gxaustin
Posts: 890
Joined: 23 Sep 2015, 12:07pm

Re: Winter bike

Post by gxaustin »

Can you hang mudguards on the Synapse? If so I'd keep it for winter and get a new summer bike. If you ever think its worth swapping the external bearings for square taper you can get a used chainset for buttons on fleabay and a Shimano BB isn't expensive.
ipcookson
Posts: 26
Joined: 19 Apr 2018, 9:28am

Re: Winter bike

Post by ipcookson »

gxaustin wrote:Can you hang mudguards on the Synapse? If so I'd keep it for winter and get a new summer bike. If you ever think its worth swapping the external bearings for square taper you can get a used chainset for buttons on fleabay and a Shimano BB isn't expensive.


Yes I managed to get some SKS raceblades for winter. Not perfect but keep the worst of the muck/water off.
Sorry I don't know what you mean by external bearings?
whoof
Posts: 2519
Joined: 29 Apr 2014, 2:13pm

Re: Winter bike

Post by whoof »

On older style square taper BB screws into a frame the axle sticks out both sides and you bolt the chainset (front cranks and cogs) to this.

https://www.randombikeparts.com/product ... 50-34t-new

External BB the bearings are screwed or pressed into the frame and the chainset has an integrated axle attached to the left crank that passes through the frame and you bolt the right crank on. As the bearing are external they are more susceptible to water ingress.

https://bicycles.stackexchange.com/ques ... lowtech-ii

According to a description I've found the Synapse Sora has n FSA Vero chainset that uses a tapered BB.

https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Cannon ... -2016/9GX7

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/fsa- ... d|464301UK
Bowedw
Posts: 359
Joined: 22 Feb 2011, 10:26pm

Re: Winter bike

Post by Bowedw »

If the 13 miles is one way then it's a fair old distance every day, If the total daily commute is 13 then you could have something a bit robust with hub gears and a full chaincase. Probably disks but I found a wash to the rims almost daily was ok for me with rim brakes. Proper full mudguards are good as well.
Winter takes a heavy toll on bikes no matter what the quality/price of the components, chain and cassette suffer the most. Buy modest price replacements and renew as needed but beware of over renewing as the drive train will function for longer than you think.
I used one of the front rings constantly and even then it lasted thousands of mile and a Stronglight replacement together with chain and cassette amounted to about half the amount I would have spent in a month on petrol had I driven to work.
Cycle paths generally can be a dirtier option than roads due to the mushed up leaves, mud etc.
Having retired I do miss my 25 mile a day commute, that in all weathers except when icy.
gbnz
Posts: 2554
Joined: 13 Sep 2008, 10:38am

Re: Winter bike

Post by gbnz »

ipcookson wrote:Looking for some expertise from everyone. I've got a Cannondale Synapse with sora groupset. Good value for money bike, done me well over the past couple of years, but I've ridden through the winter and it's got a bit battered. It's white, which makes it worse.

Question is, if looking for a second bike, would you keep that as your "winter" bike, and replace the cheap components regularly as I've been doing, or buy something more durable/suitable for winter commuting and keep the lighter cannondale for summer? My commute is 13 miles, usually on roads although if the beelines project comes off, there may be more cycle paths involved.


If you enjoy riding it, just use it (Nb. For winter use).

You'll have loads of ..... stating it can't "do" it.

But the reality is that bikes are so simple from a mechanical perspective, you can do anything on them. My former alloy road frame, flat handlebarred bike, c/w soro components. Totaly unsuitable for use as a day to day bike, riding along old railway lines, carrying loads of 10-25kg, using "temporary P clips" to fit a pannier rack and carry daily loads (Nb. Including a lawnmower once). Used daily over thousands of miles, hundreds of miles over roads "blocked by snow drifts" et al.

I only replaced it with a "proper bike" (Nb. Steel framed bike, c/w pannier mounting points, mudguard clearance) during a period when I briefly had £6k of annual income I had to get rid of.

In short, it's only the rider who limits the use of the bike :wink:
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LinusR
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Joined: 24 May 2017, 7:27pm
Location: London
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Re: Winter bike

Post by LinusR »

ipcookson wrote:would you keep that as your "winter" bike, and replace the cheap components regularly as I've been doing, or buy something more durable/suitable for winter commuting and keep the lighter cannondale for summer? My commute is 13 miles, usually on roads although if the beelines project comes off, there may be more cycle paths involved.


I would suggest a winter bike with cable disc brakes but a basic groupset like the new Shimano Claris (8 speed) and with fittings for full mudguards. Beware that some of the cheaper disc brake calipers (like the Promax Render that came on my Cannondale CAADX) don't perform very well, but Avid BB7s or Sram TRP Spyres work very well in all conditions and are far better than rim brakes in the wet. Save your money for decent tyres with comfort, grip and puncture resistance.
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CyberKnight
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Joined: 18 Dec 2009, 4:44pm
Location: Derbyshire

Re: Winter bike

Post by CyberKnight »

I agree with the above
For winter commuting i am using my "Dropway " aka carrera subway drop bar conversion , cable discs, 26x1.5 road tyres.
Built like a tank and parts are cheap to replace if the road grime and grit destroy them.
John Wayne: "I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on... I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."
Greystoke
Posts: 482
Joined: 8 May 2018, 7:41am
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Winter bike

Post by Greystoke »

My all year round bike is an old converted 90's MTB, 15 speed gears mudguards, rack, dynamo etc.....ace, really robust and reliable.

If you have a bike, use it. If it wears out fix it.
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