Put away for the winter
 

This is new for me, and I am not sure if it accomplishes anything, but I am putting my carbon fiber light-weight road bike (Fuji Transonic 1.3) in storage for the winter. It just seems the tougher riding conditions of winter are hard on this expensive bike, so I will put it on the rack and ride my steel bike (All City - Mr. Pink.) May also drag the single speed onto the road more often.

I also have a "foul weather" bike. While it's still carbon, it has Sram Rival 1 and 32mm tubeless with hydro disc. I can replace the cassette, chain and RD for much less than the Red cassette alone on my Emonda.

The fatter tires and higher spoke count wheels really soak up the bumps and potholes. The disc brakes will not fade in cold and wet conditions.

I picked up 2 hybrid bikes by "accident" this fall & I'm hoping to ride more this year. Maybe riding unpaved trails will extend my personal season

My fair weather friend is my Bianchi. My friend in foul weather or on rough roads or trails is my Schwinn mountain bike.

I like having a rain bike for winter use. The bike has fenders and tires suited to rainy weather or gravel.

The road bikes will still see some use on those rare warm and dry winter days in the St Louis area, but the damp or muddy weather bike is more useful.

My foul weather bike is my vintage steel Eddy Merckx. If it weren't for foul weather he'd just be hanging in my garage, and he hates that.

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Downtube shifters because they can't get clogged up or frozen like brifters can.
Alpine gearing because climbing is harder in the winter.
SPD pedals for winter shoes.
And tubulars... because tubulars.

Nope, it doesn't accomplish anything. It's no more harder than what it does to your steel bike (in fact, it might be "harder" on steel as carbon doesn't rust). On either bike, regular wipe downs after rides, and keep an eye on the bottom bracket. That said, most people tend to keep their "nice bike" stored for the winter, which is fine too.

Keep in mind also that on many carbon road bikes, it's more difficult to find full fenders for the them.

Fendered bikes become almost a necessity in the PNW.
October is looking to be the wettest Oct on record in Seattle and maybe Portland, too.

Winter?

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BikeA, the All City is brand new as well? You get any snow down your way?

What tire width you running this winter, Olds? I have the 2.10's on right now, but I should probably have 2.25s for winter.

I just installed a new set.

My road bikes go into maintenance and secondary, for use when the wx is nice enough, status during winter. Primary bike through snow/ice season is an Electra Townie.

My commuter bike rides all winter long in all weather (Chicago 'burb). My commute is short-ish and on streets only, but a buddy commutes on some trails that don't ever get cleared. He's looking into fat tire bikes (Surly stuff like Pugsley, Wednesday, etc). I might follow him in that direction. Cool.

Especially Vittoria Pave tubulars ;-)

Gears and salt don't bode well in my experience so the gears are tucked away over the winter months and the single speed is brought into play. Sad as it may sound I really enjoy the challenge of the single speed, longest ride was a lumpy 89 miles with 4121 feet of elevation

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