Wino Ryder

I was in the exact same situation as you, commuting on my 17 year old road bike. At the time, it was the only bike I had, and commuted four years on that bike, racking up about 8000 miles on it just riding to and from work. I was no fair weather rider either, commuting in the rain and wind, and even tropical storms a few times. I never put fenders on that bike, mainly because I couldnt see putting fenders on a 17 year old Tommasini that was pristine. I just toughed it out, making sure the bike was well lubricated and such. I could've got some old beater to ride, but the whole point of me commuting was to get in shape and enjoy riding my road bike more. I did that in spades.

It was different for me because I live in Florida, so there's no snow. But you live in snow country, with salt on the roads, so you need another bike to save your pride and joy from the elements. If your commute is performance oriented then try to find a decent, inexpensive road bike from a yard sale or Craigs List or something. If not, then any old bike would suffice.

murphstahoe

Cyclocross bike. You can probably find a used one for reasonable money and it will be excellent in the wet and you can mount a cheap fender. Rides "almost" as fast but has much better traction.

datlas 

Tate,

You read my mind. In a perfect world, I would get a new bike and make this old one my nice beater. But economics (and my wife) dictate otherwise. Sigh.

But I like the way you think!

Doug

indianatrails

You will only fuss over the rain bike as much as the dry bike anyway because no one likes to hang a crapped-up bike in the garage. This is one of cycling's sacred mysteries. Do not reveal to your non-obsessed spouse.

datlas 

Yeah, I just need a way to skim the books....and she handles the finances, so it's not going to happen....$100 for an old beater, I can swing....but not the coin for a new bike.

Doug

Gabbo

I'm a road bike rider who commutes, too. +1 on raceblades. If you don't plan on riding in all out rain, but don't mind riding in the damp, and just want some spray coverage (which is pretty much what I do) they work pretty darned good.

Advice: If you go with race blades (or other strap on fenders) make sure that they mount correctly and stay mounted that that way. Otherwise, they can be a real PITA. Best to buy from a local shop, put 'em through their paces and return 'em if they won't stay put. Heck, maybe you can find a used set. Even better.

Heathenix

Keep road surface in mind. I have a fair and a foul weather bike - my foul weather bike has much wider tires which are a lot safer on a wet gravel road (especially downhill). I live in the Pacific Northwest, so I don't worry *too* much about snow - only a few times a year...

RogerB

Whatever you decide, two bikes gives you the freedom to optimize each to its intended purpose. I've commuted on a nice old road bike and an MTB. I enjoyed riding the road bike, but didn't really like having the commuter swag hanging off of it all the time. Now I've stripped the road bike back to its essentials--even the (inop) computer is gone--and I love how it looks and feels on weekend training and group rides, and I'm upgrading my fully rigid MTB in stages to be a better ute bike than that roadie ever was.

Ka_Jun

I didn't read all the responses, but I know someone else will say it, +1 on get a beater.

caloso

Get another bike, but don't buy a beater. Buy a new bling bling race bike and turn your trusty old steed into your rain bike.

datlas 

Caloso I would love to, and in a perfect world that's exacty what I would do.

But the "boss" aka the missus, would have my head. So I am keeping my eyes open for a cheap used beater. Another idea I am considering is buying a cheapo BD bike (that's bikesdirect) to use as a new beater. Their SS "moto messenger" comes with brakes and a flip/flop hub and is pretty reasonable....I would only need to change to slightly wider tires for messy weather.

BCRider

If you can swing with that SS option and if you don't have any killer hills on your route you'll love the SS. I had not realized just how much power loss there is and noise that comes from a derraileur along with the oddball shaped rear cog teeth until I made up my first SS bike. It's like I was suddenly 20 lbs lighter. And the Messenger has lots of room for some truly good fenders AND a rack if you want it. Raceblades may be OK for rainy training rides but as a commuter option they don't provide full coverage and are open at the brake calipers so you're constanty washing those down with muddy, gritty water. Not a good setting for a nice long healthy life of any mechanical part.

The old beater would be a nice way to go as well but you'd want to do your homework to learn about what tubing sets are desireable and which older bike models are nice. And then just start haunting the online ad's and look at the local used or consignment sport shops. I've gotten some great old finds for cheap that way. An old ratty looking early 90's Canondale touring bike for $160 was one such find. Fixed 'er up with a better wheelset (also used) and a few other options and it's a great commuter bike with low bling appeal so no one gives it a second look. All in all I've got about $400 into it now but I've been riding it for a decade and it's still going strong.

caloso

'Nuff said. I have to run big purchases past the family CFO myself. I think a SSFG bike is a great choice for a foul weather commuter. I built up an old Trek (eBay bargain) into a FG rain bike. I have full fenders on it, but had to do some McGuyvering with p-clamps and zipties. Whatever you get, you can make it a lot easier on yourself if you make sure it has proper fender bosses.

dwr1961

I think it's important to be able to run appropriate tires for winter use.

If your gonna be out in ice/snow/slush/muck then life will be better on purpose-built tires. If your current frame can accomodate them, then fine. Otherwise you might want to consider an MTB or 'cross bike. I have one of each for just such occasions. My road bike can (barely) take 700x28's, so it's my "fair weather" ride.

I'd also agree with earlier posters who pointed out that you've got some nice vintage components on your bike that will be hard or expensive to replace and felt that that was an important factor, too.

datlas 

Thread hijack alert - but it's my thread, so that's ok.

Still looking for a cheap beater on craigslist, but now considering plunking down some medium-size coin and getting a bikesdirect SS to use for a foul weather commuter. SS should be ok as there are only some mild rollers between work and home.

The roadie in me says to get the road/track bike, the "messenger track," and put on some wider tires and fenders. But the frame does not have fender bosses etc. The more practical side of me says to get the "FantomCross Uno," which has these dorky brake levers but wider rims/tires and also has fender bosses.

How much of a hassle will it be to install fenders on a frame that does not have fender bosses?

caloso

It's not too bad, but it did take a bit of experimentation, a couple of trips to the hardware store, and a bit of patience.

I used p-clips in the place of fender bosses. You can find them in the electrical aisle at the hardware store.



My frame doesn't have a bridge behind the bottom bracket, so I created one with zipties.


And to get the maximum space under the brake calipers, I drilled 4 little holes in the fenders and ziptied it directly to the rear brake bridge.


And here's a picture of the whole bike:

mjw16

I use my Cross Check as my year round commuter. Last weekend I winterized it with: full fenders, lights, etc-I'll put CX tires on it when snow comes. Even with additional precautions (rust proofing bolts, frequent brake pad changes) winter wear and tear is pretty extreme. I replace; rings, chain, and cassette every year, go through several sets of brake pads, and wheel braking surfaces show significant wear after a couple of years. That said, my road bike (an 87 Centurian LeMans) sits in a garage only seeing the light of day on nice days. If you don't want the wear on your "nice" bike don't ride in winter conditions, get a beater.

mrhedges

What people don always realize is low end isn't necessarly crappy. Avoid Walmart find a old road bike and fix it up. I have a lovely 1977 raliegh grand Prix as foul weather bike.I made it a SS and put fenders on it. Don't think of it as a beater but a foul weather bike and as something to tinker with. My other bike is a trek 400 I built up as a touring bike it isn't that much "higher end" it just has much better parts on it and no room for fenders cuz its fatter tires. Neither bike cost me any money bother were gifts because my friends know I love bikes (the trek 400 was because my schwinn world got stolen) there are always old road bikes out there that need love just find one and start tinkering.

you can buy a new bike and have a bike for a while or learn to fix old bikes and always have lots of bikes around.

X-LinkedRider

I should have also mentioned that I have a 74 LeTour that I will use on somedays like that and a MTB for snow along with quite a few others for fun. But while on tour for over a month of straight rain, you learn that rain is only wet and if you maintain properly which you should do as a strong rider anyway and you dry it off, you shouldn't have problems. Could always get a second set of tires that are better for that sort of thing. The Specialized Nimbus Elite (Armadillo Skins) are great for exactly this kind of riding. Rain, dry, gravelly(Not trail Rocky) and they are some of the best puncture proof tires I have seen or ridden on.

I myself will usually use a combo of tires a more sleek higher presuured one up front and a more treaded lower presuured rear tire.