Winter bike/ Summer bike and training

ugsparky

So a question for the sages who know about riding in the wind/rain/snow/hurricanes/lava flow etc.

I bought a Ridley Orion 1204a and I just think it's class. Been out for a few spins on it and felt that I was handling the hills a lot easier and quicker on the compact 50/34 than previously experienced on my Claud Butler San Remo with a 50/39 chainring. I have lost a bit of weight but the bike just seems to be so easy to keep ticking over up long pulls and short sharp climbs.

A couple of weeks ago I got talking to a guy on the Greg Lemond Charity cycle and he admired the bike - but he advised me to keep it as a summer bike otherwise "next year your new bike will be your old winter bike because of all the crud that it will pick up on the roads through the winter and spring and no matter how hard you try to maintain it, the bike components will rust and the gearing suffer". When I thought about it afterwoods I realised that I just wouldn't have the time every time to clean the bike - (I have to make time to go for spin) - so he was probably right. So I've decided the Claud Butler is my winter bike and the Ridley is for best wear.

I'm thinking of changing the 39T chainring to a 34T chainring and buying a decent set of mudguards. I'm figuring that if I do enough through the winter on the heavier Claud, then come the end of spring I'll be up to speed on the Ridley in no time (I really want to climb Jenkinstown Hill up to the Long Woman's Grave - still rankles with me how I failed to do this last August). A friend at work (triathlete/swam the British Channel recently and has road raced) has told me to keep in the lower chainring through the winter months and even if I feel I'm peddling like an idiot to stick with it as it will improve my cadence and technique for next years 100k/160k runs.

Just wondering if any of you guys have any thoughts or advice or if I'm thinking along the right lines. I've also thought about using a mountain bike I have for a bit of off roading along an old railway/walkway and up through some tractor passes - I can ride a figure of eight for anything up to 40K and further depending on my route. I want to keep my weight down and keep riding through the winter so I'll improve for next year - as I said Jenkinstown Hill and one or two 160k's an posts are my targets (only done the 100k's so far). Should I leave the 50/39T on the Claud ? Thanks

Coronal

Hm, I typically pay no attention to what ring I'm in so long as I'm spinning at 90-100 rpm, but I'm not exactly the world's best cyclist either...

As regards changing the 39 tooth, it depends on the bolt chainring diameter (BCD) of the crankset you have. As far as I know, the BCD on standard doubles (usually 53/39) would put the bolts where the 34 tooth ring is, making it a bit of a no-go. I'd measure the BCD and make sure before you buy a 34 ring. The other option is just pop the crankset from the new bike on the old one (assuming they're compatible). The crankset shouldn't suffer too much from the crud and salt, I'd be more worried about cassette/chain/mechs.

Mountainbiking is fun and complements road biking well, I think, since it encourages more explosive efforts and presents you with tougher climbs if you can find decent trails.

bogmanfan

I used my carbon Trek Madone all last winter, both for commuting and club spins. Just fitted mudguards. Didn't notice any wear and tear beyond tyres, and still on the original chain, cassette etc.

I did however pick up a used Trek 1.5 a few months back to use for commuting. Mainly so I could fit a rack and panniers (sick of the sweaty back syndrome). Will probably use this for club spins as well on wet days.

In summary, I see nothing wrong with using a nice bike during the winter even though many would disagree with me.

longshanks

Was the weather not crap this summer?

ugsparky

longshanks wrote: »

Was the weather not crap this summer?

It was worse than crap - I'm only saying what I was told - forgot to ask about recommended bike cleaning products for carbon frame/chains/gears etc.

Coronal

Warm water and soap does most of it, the frame anyway. For the chain, some citrus based degreaser and a rag/cleaning device like this one. Make sure you lube up the chain well, otherwise it'll wear more quickly. Check the tyres and brake pads for crud every so often and you should be good to go On either bike, btw. I don't really change up bikes over Winter, but I do a lot of my cycling on a fixie anyway, so it doesn't really matter.

John37

Coronal wrote: »

Warm water and soap does most of it, the frame anyway. For the chain, some citrus based degreaser and a rag/cleaning device like this one. Make sure you lube up the chain well, otherwise it'll wear more quickly. Check the tyres and brake pads for crud every so often and you should be good to go On either bike, btw. I don't really change up bikes over Winter, but I do a lot of my cycling on a fixie anyway, so it doesn't really matter.

How often during the winter should you lube/degrease your bike say if you were using it on a 55km round trip to work 3 times a week

NeedMoreGears

I average about 200km a week and clean/relube the chain/cassette and jockey wheels every two weeks. I clean crap out of the brakes and elsewhere every month or so.

John37

NeedMoreGears wrote: »

I average about 200km a week and clean/relube the chain/cassette and jockey wheels every two weeks. I clean crap out of the brakes and elsewhere every month or so.

What do you mean by Jockey wheels:)

John37

What do you mean by jockey wheel?

Tonyandthewhale

The jockey wheels are the wee wheels in the rear derailleur that the chain wraps around.

ugsparky

[QUOTEAs regards changing the 39 tooth, it depends on the bolt chainring diameter (BCD) of the crankset you have. As far as I know, the BCD on standard doubles (usually 53/39) would put the bolts where the 34 tooth ring is, making it a bit of a no-go. I'd measure the BCD and make sure before you buy a 34 ring.][/QUOTE]

If I buy a 34T with the same BCD as the 39T is it not just a case of swapping one for the other ? Will I need to shorten the chain as I'm using a chainring of smaller circumference ? ( never did any bike maintenance except fix punctures and raise saddles:o)

Plastik

You'll need a shorter chain. The outer diameter of the chainring is smaller by 5 teeth. It doesn't make any difference that the inner mounting points are the same BCD.

C3PO

Plastik wrote: »

You'll need a shorter chain. The outer diameter of the chainring is smaller by 5 teeth. It doesn't make any difference that the inner mounting points are the same BCD.

Your big chainring / big cog on the cassette remain the same so you still need the same chain length! Not sure that you can get a 34t chainring that will work!

Coronal

ugsparky wrote: »

If I buy a 34T with the same BCD as the 39T is it not just a case of swapping one for the other ?

This is the hard part - the BCD on a standard double (assuming your crankset is a standard double size) has the bolts where the teeth are on *most* 34T rings. Measure your BCD and see if you can find a 34 with the same one. It's possible that with a 50T on the front that you do have a compact crankset, so it might be fine.

shaka

Not sure I buy into having a winter and summer bike, think if your cycling in the summer here it's getting as much crap off the roads as in winter -our winter is Jan to December

on_the_nickel

Excellent casual name-dropping there.

"Oh yea, so when I was talking to Greg last week...."

Coronal

The main thing that concerns me in Winter is the salt on roads. I don't know what kind of state salting the roads in Ireland is at, but I know my chains get really mucked up with rust from salt over here if I'm not careful with cleaning the bike. I wouldn't like to be pulling a lovely Dura Ace/Red/Record group set through that. Replacing a cassette/chain/mechs from those gruppos is reasonably pricey business (though admittedly not as much as a new bike) and your arse is gonna get pretty wet from cycling in the rain. Maybe calling it a 'wet weather' bike might be more appropriate? Nice things are even nicer when they're clean. For me, anyway.

ugsparky

on_the_nickel wrote: »

Excellent casual name-dropping there.

"Oh yea, so when I was talking to Greg last week...."

... indeed I was ... we spoke of shooting/hunting - where I work and how I'm checked for my blood lead levels ... and then he scribbled all over my jersey in thick black marker ... the missus doubts that she's going to be able to get it out in the wash :mad: ... so he owes me the price of a new jersey :P

ugsparky

C3PO wrote: »

Your big chainring / big cog on the cassette remain the same so you still need the same chain length! Not sure that you can get a 34t chainring that will work!

Thanks guys for thoughts and advice - only revisiting this post now - I think you were right C3PO/Coronal - when I looked up 34T chainrings I could only find BCD's of 110 - my crankset has 130 BCD - so I got a Shimano 2350 50/34T crankset (basicaly a straight swap) - should be able to change it from the advice and posts/articles read here and elsewhere - hoping that I can just slide the crank off of the shaft without the need for a crank puller - if not - more cash required :rolleyes: - seems I should be ok for the chain length (same size outer chainring) - may need to drop front derailleur down stem (although this will still be same measurement for 50T outer ring ?).

Starting to enjoy bike maintenance/learning about my bike - with more confidence I'll invest in some tools/stand and try a few other adjustments - thinking about experimenting with cassette sizes - replacing BB etc. - I want to change my Wife's bike set up so I'll work on my own first to make sure I'm capable.

I really enjoy/admire reading about the boardies building/upgrading their bikes - some magnificent specimens on view - some day maybe I'll chance building a bike from scratch - must be great to assemble a "thing of beauty" and then go out and enjoy it ...