Winter Trainer Recommendations

mirrormatrix

Am currently in the market for a winter trainer and looking to see if anyone has some good recommendations. My lists of wants is as follows:

• Road bike, probably with more of an endurance than race geometry
• Must have eyelets for mudguards
• Tiagra or 105 equivalent groupset
• Steel or aluminium
• Ideally threaded bottom bracket
• Rim brakes preferred (due to price, weight and maintenance)

My budget is 1000-1300 Euro. So far, some ideas I had were

• Genesis equilibrium - lovely looking bike, ticks all the boxes but i'm not sold as the ride feels quite harsh
• Tifosi CK7 (can't find a B&M bike shop that stocks this, so would have to buy without trying)
• Cube Nuroad
• Ribble CGR 105 (same point as Tifosi)

Anyone any thoughts on the above, or suggestions on other bikes that might fit the bill?


Thanks
MM

mirrormatrix

Anyone have the Tifosi Ck7? Seems to tick all the boxes for me, just looking for feedback from someone that owns one that they are a decent investment for a winter trainer/commuter.

Mefistofelino

I don't have the CK7, but if you found the Equilibrium harsh I'd have thought that a large-tubed alloy frame like the Tifosi isn't going to help matters. In the past I've had the older Ribble 7005 winter trainer and it was definitely more harsh (and dull-handling) than the Genesis

One point to bear in mind with the CK7 - Ribble claim it will only take 25mm tyres when running with mudguards. FWIW, I've run 28s and guards on the Equilibrium.

OleRodrigo

Cant speak for the other models but I don't find the Equilibrium harsh at all. Good tyres at the right pressure should mitigate any perceived harshness.

mirrormatrix

Hmmm. I get that these things are all subjective, but that was not my experience with the Equilibrium at all. I actually took two separate spins with two versions of the bike to be sure (Equilibrium 10 and Equilibrium 20 Disc). My experience was that the vibration going over any sort of bump really rattled the bones in comparison to pretty much any alumium frame with carbon forks that I tried.

I really wanted to like the Equilibrium (it ticks all the boxes for me!), but did not like the feel of it at all

mirrormatrix

Maybe i'll give it one last go just for the sake of fairness based on your comments. I don't like the idea of ordering a bike that I have never tested.

magicbastarder

the equilibrium 20 disc would be way above budget for you, unless you've been lucky to find one on sale.
the non-disc versions use long throw brakes which probably aren't as effective as standard calipers.

Whyner

For my winter bike I'm considering the new Cube Attain, 105 with hydraulic brakes for €1399

https://www.cube.eu/uk/2019/bikes/road/road-cyclocross/attain/cube-attain-sl-disc-greynorange-2019/

mirrormatrix

magicbastarder wrote: »

the equilibrium 20 disc would be way above budget for you, unless you've been lucky to find one on sale.
the non-disc versions use long throw brakes which probably aren't as effective as standard calipers.

You are absolutely right. Sorry, I should have been clearer. I tried the Equilibrium 10 rim brake bike. The model they had on display was a size too small for me. A more local bike shop stocked Genesis, but only had the Equilibrium 20 Disc in my size, so I gave that a shot for test purposes.

I can get the Equilbrium 20 rim brake for about 1300 with full 105 groupset and mudguards. Price and specs are absolutely spot on for what I am looking for. However, based on my test rides, I came to the conclusion that it must be that steel frames just have a harsher ride than aluminium ones. I have never ridden another steel framed bike for comparison purposes, so I could be way off here.

I really want to like this bike. But it doesn't make sense to me to spend over a grand on a bike that I don't feel comfortable on.

CantGetNoSleep

Whyner wrote: »

For my winter bike I'm considering the new Cube Attain, 105 with hydraulic brakes for €1399

https://www.cube.eu/uk/2019/bikes/road/road-cyclocross/attain/cube-attain-sl-disc-greynorange-2019/

Paul's Cycles in the UK had the 2016 version of this up to last week for 829 GBP. You might see the 2018 version dropping over the next few weeks

mirrormatrix

Whyner wrote: »

For my winter bike I'm considering the new Cube Attain, 105 with hydraulic brakes for €1399

https://www.cube.eu/uk/2019/bikes/road/road-cyclocross/attain/cube-attain-sl-disc-greynorange-2019/

Appreciate the suggestion thanks, but mudguard eyelets are a dealbreaker for me. Don't want to be fiddling about with SKS raceblades.

Donie75

I have a Genesis Equilibrium 725 Frameset that I built up with full 105 11 Speed and handbuilt wheels. The wheels are H+Son Archetypes and they are a wide rim. I run Conti GP4 Season 28mm tyres and it's a very comfortable setup.
If you are running 23mm or 25mm tyres at the full recommended pressure, it could be a harsh ride alright.
Can't fault my Equilibrium at all. The carbon is being neglected since I do most of my cycling in autumn, winter and spring.

Whyner

mirrormatrix wrote: »

Appreciate the suggestion thanks, but mudguard eyelets are a dealbreaker for me. Don't want to be fiddling about with SKS raceblades.

It has mudguard mounts. You've got me thinking though, maybe they are not the same as eyelets. I think they're for Cube mudguards

Maybe something like this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ3tOwhRU2w

Mefistofelino

Whyner wrote: »

It has mudguard mounts. You've got me thinking though, maybe they are not the same as eyelets. I think they're for Cube mudguards

Maybe something like this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ3tOwhRU2w

Because of the rear-facing mounts and the absence of a rear brake bridge on the Attain, you'll struggle to use anything else other than the CubeGuards without a significant amount of bodging. I believe the CubeGuards are tricky to get hold of in the first place, too.

CantGetNoSleep

If you were going for the Genesis, there's a good deal on it here (most sizes still remaining). I've bought from Rutland before with no issues. I'd have already clicked order if it was the disc version

https://www.rutlandcycling.com/bikes/road-bikes/genesis-2018-equilibrium-20-steel-road-bike-white_382413