Winter Road Bikes

Winter is notoriously hard on bikes, the bad weather, mud, salt, and potholes combine to coat the moving parts in a layer of black gunk that prevents the drivetrain form working efficiently. Therefore, any winter road bike should be capable of getting you through the worst of winter with more comfort and less chance of mechanical mishaps.

Rather than ride their pride and joy through the depths of winter, many cyclists will invest in an N+1 bike that is equipped for winter riding. These commonly include disc brakes, mudguard mounts and clearance for wider tyres.

Endurance bikes are a popular choice of winter road bike. Their slightly more relaxed riding position is perfect for clocking up the winter miles. Most models are now equipped with the enhanced braking power and control of disc brakes and include mudguard mounts and clearance for tyres up to 32mm.

All-road machines also make for superb winter bikes. Built to handle a variety of terrains, their robust frame construction and generous tyre clearance for tyres as wide as 45mm makes them ideally suited to handle wintry conditions.

In a word, yes! As long as it is equipped with the essential features that a winter bike needs - namely mudguard mounts and clearance for wider tyres. It’s also important to have a drivetrain that can handle the worst that winter can throw at it. The moving parts can quickly become coated in a layer of black gunk which prevents them from working efficiently.

Winter rides tend to be slower paced affairs, after all they are more about getting the base miles in the legs, rather than riding all-out for PB’s. Which is why most road cyclists tend to opt for a bike that’s constructed from aluminium or steel. Sure, they may be a little heavier than their carbon counterparts, but they are perfect for rolling along with the group.

Of course, if you place a premium on high-end performance, there is still carbon and titanium. Carbon frames are lighter and stiffer overall than any other material. Whereas titanium may be little heavier than carbon, they have the highest strength to weigh ratio of any frame material available. They also offer the famously compliant ride quality that is synonymous with frames made from steel for a lighter weight.