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Due to a totally unexpected windfall (ppi i didn't even know i had) ive decided to bring forward the purchase of a new winter road machine, to replace the croix de fer which I'll be relegating to gravel duties.
The croix de fer was not bad, but a bit heavy for a road bike, and the steel fork vibrations were ruining my recently surgically repaired wrist. As such I've been thinking of getting something a little nicer to put the winter miles in on, given I spend so much time riding in cold and muck every year. Requirements of new bike below.
-Not massive budget, up to 1500 quid.
- Doesn't have to be featherweight, so any material acceptable however the lighter the better
-need to be a dedicated road bike - I have a couple of gravel bikes already
- needs to have disk brakes...hydro or semi hydro
- needs to have full guard mounts.
The last requirment rules out any cheap carbon from px, and what would have been my preferred choice the giant defy.
Currently forerunner is a ribble 782. What else is out there? Looked at.the synapse but a bit pricy. Happy to buid something myself if any great deals available on frames.
Ta
I know it’s a gravel bike, which you have already, but my answer to a similar question was a PX Tempest.
Other folk will disagree.
The Ribble is a great shout.
Have a play on the Condor bike builder site and see what you can spec a Condor Fratello Disc for - would have to be the QR version rather than the new thru axle version to be in budget.
(Yes, I'm recommending what I've got!)
The synapse is actually quite heavy - even a fancier specced Carbon one. I looked at them and went with a caad 12 instead - much lighter. But it fails on your guard mount requirement.
Ribble are probably a good option tbh.
Or put a carbon fork on the Croix De Fer ? I have a CDF 30, the one from around 2016 that came with a carbon fork, 105 group set incl hydraulics and it’s set up with 35c Clement Xplors. Makes a comfy, light and reasonably nimble bike for winter road and light touring.
If you are looking for a winter road bike then I guess that means you already have a best summer bike? If this is dedicated winter bike I would sell the Croix and get a spesh diverge with two wheelsets. It could be your winter road and gravel bike at the same time.
2019 carbon Synapse with 105 were being sold within your budget but not many about now.
Hargreaves cycles have 58cm for £1399 which is a steal if it fits you.
https://www.hargreaves-cycles.co.uk/m39b0s412p8530/CANNONDALE-Synapse-Carbon-Disc-105-2019
Kinesis? Not sure if there is anything in their range thats in budget?
I have a GF Disc and its an amazing winter bike, rides like an utter dream. I have had a few winter steeds and they are not a patch on this bike. A friend has their non-ti version and he loves it too
I really do t understand why you need another bike?
Just use one of the CX bikes, fit wider tyres and relax knowing that your working slightly harder now means you will be awesomes when you get back in the proper road bike.
My CX bike is now pretty heavy and has 36 tyres on but it’s as safe as house on Shropshire country lanes and even though they are road oriented tyres they can handle anything gravel
If you are ~5'10", https://www.paulscycles.co.uk/1400/products/cube-attain-gtc-race-disc-road-bike-2018-greygreen.aspx with a set of the updated Cube mudguards is a decent spec for £1200.
Cube Attain geo is a bit odd https://www.cube.eu/en/2018/bikes/road/road-cyclocross/attain-gtc/cube-attain-gtc-race-disc-greyngreen-2018/
Or put a carbon fork on the Croix De Fer
Thought about that. After market fork costs 350 quid. I paid less than that for the frameset new.
I really do t understand why you need another bike?
Who said anything about need??! It's cash i didn't think it have and as such it can be spent on something non essential.
Pinnacle Arkose? It is my go to winter bike now, 42mm road tyres and full mudguards. So much more comfortable than my other winter bike which can only accommodate 25mm tyres with full length mudguards.
For the money, I'd go upgrade path. Carbon monocoque forks with mudguard eyelets and decent light disc wheels. Your budget is too low for "nice" winter bike.
You can fit guards to a Defy - The PDWs will fit.
Given how absolutely dreadful the roads are now I'd want something that would take guards and 32mm tyres. I'd also look for 10spd over 11 for cheaper consumables. Trek Checkpoint AL4 would be worth a look (although technically a gravel bike it comes with 32mm slicks out of the box)
Your budget is too low for “nice” winter bike.
Wow, £1500 is too low for a decent winter bike? 😳
Although saying that, if you can stretch your budget a little bit I really like this. Or wait for a sale or buy on c2w scheme.
https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-endurance-sl-disc/
The SL frameset has discreet mudguard mounts and tyre clearances for up to 32c tyres (model dependent) ensuring that the Endurance SL can be ridden in all season and weather conditions.
Its probably good enough to be a summer bike too!
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"decent" as in improvement over what he has already.
Wouldn't be afraid of the alloy Ribble Endurance disk - I've got one and I like it a lot.
What I would say though is clearance on the front fork (which I'm guessing is similar to the full carbon frameset) is pretty minimal and needs a rounded mudguard - Blumels works, the more angular SKS Chromoplastic didn't, and my Michelin Pro 4 Endurance in both 28c and 25c wouldn't fit with guards.
Can the spesh roubaix take mudguards? Im sure i read somewhere the new ones could and i can get a 105 equipped 2019 model with the futureshock stem (which would be ace for my bust wrist) for my budget.
Alternatively the boardman slr disk definitely takes mudguards and I like the look of that alot..sneaks within my budget..just
Do any of them have carbon bars? As someone nursing the after effects of a triple-plane comminuted wrist fracture, plate and 12 screws, I find that carbon bars provide excellent insulation from the road (above and beyond fancy gel bar tape). As I said, a good carbon fork upgrade (I have an Enigma bought used off here), carbon bits and light wheels would be a good solution. I took that route for my fixed wheel Kona Paddy Wagon, and only the frame is now original. It owes me over £1000.
I'm impressed with the PDW mudguards, £80 was a lot, and I went for the narrowest grey ones as they are on offer from Condor. I've fitted a LOT of brands and models, and have been particularly impressed so far.
Historically the clubman's answer to winter road bike has always been "Ribble" - a blue alloy one, of course. I guess you can now get a carbon black one for a little more money.
Doesn't the CAAD13 take mudguards? If so that must be a serious contender so long as you're not looking to run a big tyre.
If this is dedicated winter bike I would sell the Croix and get a spesh diverge with two wheelsets. It could be your winter road and gravel bike at the same time.
I have a Diverge and do this, makes an excellent winter road bike. I'm surecthe Roubaix would too but not sure it can take proper guards. The future shock really is very good
I've got an equilibrium, which sees lots of winter miles. The build is probably around £1500 (105 with skyrim elite wheels), it's a lovely ride, can take full guards, and doesn't weigh a tonne.
I built up my Kinesis 4S Disc for about £1,500, and still very happy with it after a good few winters. I think prices may have crept up a bit since then, and I don't like the colours on the current frames.
The Defy will take Giant's own full length guards and has hidden mounts for them. I contacted Giant to see if the new design would fit my frame but sadly not as it doesn't have the hidden mounts. I used to have the previous version of the full length guards fitted, they worked very well until they sliced right through the seatstays! Mine was one of those that led to the guards being withdrawn though I noticed they never issued a recall which they really should have done.
Funnily enough I went to that to be an all year round road bike as I wanted something a bit lighter and quicker than my Croix de Fer.
The new CAAAD13 will take big tyres. Im sorely tempted to get one as I sort of need a new road bike and it ticks all my boxes for both summer and winter.
Had a Ribble mail shot this morning, the r872 is reduced another ton.
My winter bike is a Specialized Diverge, they have lots of models at various prices.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49176646888_aec0e32430_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49176646888_aec0e32430_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2hVzaQd ]2019 Specialized Diverge Sport[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
I've been using a Carbon Synapse Disc for the last couple of winters and its been superb. Full length guards with 28mm tyres (although it takes larger), and with a pretty slammed stem the position is identical to my summer bike. The slightly relaxed head angle also makes it noticeably less twitchy on slippery winter roads.
I've seen 105 and even Ultegra ones within your budget (maybe at Wheelbase?)
Caad 13 has hidden mudguard mounts and will fit 28s. Its almost my ideal winter bike and would have got one however nowhere had my size in stock when i was looking a couple months back.
What about a Boardman ASR 8.9 ?
[url= https://www.freewheel.co.uk/genesis-2018-equilibrium-disc-20-md-ex-display-gna43mp002 ]Equilibrium Disc 20 medium £1300[/url]
Hey Guys! Love the topic, This is the cycling season for me and my mates is just beginning! My winter commuter bike is a CX bike and includes studded winter snow tires.
Trek Crockett 2020 will take mudguards.
But otherwise go Ribble.
In the spirit of picking on the OP, why do you need more than one gravel bike anyway? Different types of gravel?
😛
need to be a dedicated road bike – I have a couple of gravel bikes already
Just to extend on this, I was very much of the same opinion. I've got a dedicated winter bike (an old PX), but due to starting the winter riding season on a weekend away trip, I decided to use my gravel bike instead...and I'm still using it! Why? Well, because it's a lot nicer to ride, for one. The G-One Allround tyres are versatile enough to use on a club group ride on the Saturday and then take off-road into the hills on the Sunday. I've even dug out the Ridley OEM guards which I bought with the bike but never fitted...and, with the addition of some long flaps, they are also superb.
Given a bit more budget, I'd probably run a second set of wheels on it (and probably will sort for next winter) so I'm not quite so disadvantaged on the road, but otherwise, it's really lit-up my winter.
Not a very useful recommendation, I appreciate, as you said you weren't interested in using your gravel bikes, but for me, it's turned a glum winter into one where I actually look forward to going out riding.
I would consider re-framing [see what I did there?] your question a little, so as to end up with the answer I am about you give you...
I do about two thirds of all my riding on a Shand Stooshie, which - for the frame and fork - cost the same as your budget. I've had it over 2 years and thousands of miles and it's been absolutely spot-on for my needs. It's spec'd at "one below most expensive" level, which means it's wearing brilliantly without being overly bling. Although it might count as a winter bike, I basically use it whenever I think it might rain or when the ground is damp... which is all the time really.
You might want something else, but my point is that a versatile custom frame might serve as a posher winter and gravel bike to replace another bike in your collection.
[img] 
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(Shown here just before a tour to France)
I’m looking for a new winter road bike too, but want to be able to run 32 tyres with mudguard. So the Ribble CGR-AL looks like the front runner.
The Cube Attains, like the GTC i linked to earlier in thread, will run 28mm GP4000S IIs... Which in the real world measure at least 31mm wide, if not a fraction more.
Swapping out the Fulcrum Racing Sport 77DB wheels; butyl tubes; 25mm Grand Sport Race tyres; alloy seat post for Hunt Aero Disc Light; latex tubes; 28mm GP4000S IIs (which are too big for a good aero transition from rims); Selcof carbon post got the pre water bottle weight down to ~8.5Kg on my 2016 GTC model.
My Diverge is running 28mm conties which measure up at 32mm plus mudguards and room to spare.....
kinesis G2 is worth a look and in budget.
I’ve just bought a Vitus zenium Carbon disc for commuting duties. No mud guard mounts though, so just going to use some sks clip on ones. Cracking bike for the money!