Looking forward to carrying on riding even in the winter? Looking for a bike for the rough weather? If you are a dedicated biker, cycling is a year-round commitment. You don’t have to use your $3000 road stallion or a full-suspension mountain bike in the snow. The conditions can cause permanent damage on your bike.
Using your usual hybrid bike may not be the best idea as it will undergo far more wear and tear in the rough winter weather. Sand, salt, and grit can destroy suspension and gears on your usual bike given the adverse effects they have on the components.
And because you can’t use your usual bike as it is for winter cycling, you might have to adjust it a lot to make it suitable to ride in the snow. Imagine how tedious and inconveniencing it would be to use one bike swapping parts on and off.
That’s why you need to get yourself the best bike that you can use to commute in winter. Let’s look at some of the bicycles you should consider.
But First Things First
What should you look for in a winter bike?
You’d want to protect your bike from the adverse effects of winter weather by fitting it with protective components. Mudguards for instance will help reduce mud splashing all over your bike components and shields you from getting wet.
Wider tires will ensure that you have stability and a good grip when you are riding on snow. You’d also want to get puncture resistant tires for riding around the mud or potholes. A robust frameset allows for fitting mudguards considering there’s enough space under brake calipers for the same. To avoid a sloppy saddle you can fit it with material that is water-proof.
Ensure your bike has good brakes. Disc brakes are a great choice on winter bikes and are suitable in wet terrain because of the precise and assured braking they offer.
Winter bikes are usually heavier due to the steel frameset and all the protective components they are fitted with. They are mostly slower that your usual bike and would be a good idea to fit lower gears so that you are more comfortable biking up hill.
A good winter bike should also be fitted with bright lights, winter wheels, and fenders.
Diamond Clarity STI-8 Women’s Bike
This one is a hybrid bike for winter commuting that comes armed with internally geared hubs. This is a great feature that encloses shifting components inside the hub to protect them from adverse conditions and element as you ride on the snow.
It might not be the best to ride in severe snow or ice, but the hybrid 8-gear fitted with the internal gear system makes it a perfect ride for casual winter cycling.
The bike is built with an aluminum frame and fork that is solid and robust make it an easy ride in winter. The front hub is made of an alloy 32h while the rear hub is built of Shimano Nexus, 32h. It weighs 26 pounds which makes it light to control in snowy conditions. The hybrid-8 gear bike boasts of 700c wheels with puncture resistant Kenda Kwik Trax Tires.
The bike costs $649.00 making it a good buy given the features it comes with for winter riding. To make it more winter-friendly, you can swap its tires for studded wheels for a firmer grip on the ground while riding in the snow.
Trek Farley Hybrid Bike
This is another hybrid bike made from the best bits of a mountain bike and a fat bike. Its forward-leaning frame design is robust making it a good option to maneuver the snow. It boasts of wide tires and a suspension system that makes it suitable to ride in the mud and grit.
The bikes frame is made of aluminum hence its light weight. It is fitted with a 1×11 gear system for super-light simplicity. To protect the bike components from adverse winter elements, the Trek Farley hybrid bike is armed with an internal derailleur routing. Its E2 Tapered Head Tube is built to provide stiffness without adding extra weight to the bike.
The price of this bike varies with the model. Farley 8 goes for $3149.99. You can opt for the much cheaper Farley 6 which goes for $1869.99. Either way, this hybrid bike makes for an awesome winter ride. Its light weight and fat tires makes it perfect for winter cycling.
Keep in Mind
Instead of a new hybrid, you can choose put together a decent winter bike and spend much less by going second hand. It all depends on your preference and budget.
Bottom line is if you are a year-round biker, start shopping around for a winter bike. The earlier you prepare for it the better. So start looking today and who knows, you might just land that perfect winter bike that will transform your two-wheel adventure in winter.
