New Winter bike ideas

[Calpol]

Chaps - I need your expert input
I'm starting to think about a new winter bike. A few years ago you might remember I built a chinese frame into a winter bike. It served me quite well but I sold it earlier this year. I'll keep the Supersix HM for best for a few years (prob until my 50th) when I'll aim to get a Colnago or something italian and sexy. I still have the Wilier Izoard on the turbo but realistically I am going to retire it as it has quite a bit of chainstay gouge.

I also have a hankering to do an event that mixes road and off road. Maybe something like the Dirty Reiver.

Requirements for a new winter ride would be something along the lines of

Disc brakes ( hydro or cable)
Wide tyre clearance and option for off road tyre
Aluminum frame preferred but not deal breaker
c9kg max weight
non- compact geometry if possible

Any thoughts?

 

[Shadowness]

Something titanium

Enigma or Van Nich perhaps?

I ended up with a Ti Enigma for £3k. Doesn't help you haven't specified a budget either.

 

[PermaBanned]

You don't mention a budget which is pretty important usually. SRAM 1x can be nice for stuff like this though.

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/boardman-cx-team-bike

https://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/73718/Whyte_Saxon_Cross_Cyclocross_2015_Bike

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/vitus-energie-vr-rival-2017-cyclocross-bike/

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXFMAPEX1/planet-x-full-monty-sram-apex-1-hydraulic-disc-gravel-bike

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXXLAAPEX1/planet-x-xla-sram-apex-1-hydraulic-disc-cyclocross-bike

https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-cx5/

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road/inflite/inflite-al-8-0.html

 

[Calpol]

Great start thanks @PermaBanned
Budget has a degree of flex I guess. Max £1400 ish. Not averse to a build either - if there was more info on the Bowman Pilgrims Project x I might be tempted that way. Boardman looks very good value (if I can see past the brand)!!

 

[Vonhelmet]

I built up a winter/cx bike from a mango point AR frame set earlier this year. There's pics in the main thread. It's ludicrously bright green. No idea on weight, but I can check it when I get home. It's got sram apex and trp spyre cable disc brakes on it. Cost me about a grand all in.

Edit: my £4 Asda luggage scale says it weighs about 9 and a half keys, but that's with bottle cages, chunky wired cx tyres and a load of mud on it.

 

[SoliD]

Pinnacle Arkose could be a good shout for that budget. Mines served me well for cx as well as winter/commuting duties.

 

[Jonny ///M]

Was gonna say Kinesis 4S disc but the 5t may be a better shout.

£500 + 105 groupset + aksium disc wheels + whatever brand of finishing kit you like Pro/Easton/Ritchey/Zipp/3T.

 

[Calpol]

Thanks guys - as always the OCUK crew throws up some great options. More ideas welcomed. I'm off to research some of the above.

 

[Roady]

I've not checked prices/availability but still got my list of disc brake 'endurance' bikes I had before buying my Diverge.

Specialized Diverge!
Trek Domane
Pinnacle Arkrose / Pyrolite
PlanetX London Road
Mango Point AR
Genesis Croix de fer
Whyte Sussex/Devon

 

[SoliD]

I've not checked prices/availability but still got my list of disc brake 'endurance' bikes I had before buying my Diverge.

Specialized Diverge!
Trek Domane
Pinnacle Arkrose / Pyrolite
PlanetX London Road
Mango Point AR
Genesis Croix de fer
Whyte Sussex/Devon

Chunk of those aren't really applicable if he wants to do Dirty Reiver though. Definitely need some chunky tyres for that.

 

[Calpol]

Ok chaps -I have spent a week or so doing some further research but to be fair haven't quite reached clarity of thought on this. Up for some consideration is the Cannondale Slate. You can currently get the SRAM apex 1x version for c£1100 and it ticks a lot of boxes

- ability to take fairly wider tyres - up to 45mm
- Hydraulic brakes - albeit apparently the Sram ones are a patch on Shimano
- lockable lefty fork for accommodating moderate levels of offroad and tarmac riding
- something fun to ride

It's a do it all bike that clearly won't do anything particularly well but might just be good enough for blasting around on/training through winter. I'd prefer if it had 700c wheels but 650b seems widely enough supported by the tyre manufacturers and the rims can run tubeless. Apparently Ted King won Dirty Kanza on one in 2016 so its got some racing pedigree too! I could probably sell my MTB which gets about one outing a year at present. Anyone else got one or tried one out?

 

[SoliD]

I just think the Slate is a look at me bike rather than being very good at one particular thing.

 

[Lethal`]

I just think the Slate is a look at me bike rather than being very good at one particular thing.

I'd agree with that. I rode one for some 70 miles or so in North Carolina on gravel. I'm not convinced the suspension gave any noticeable difference. The really rutted parts still killed my arms.