Winter is coming - what wheels are you gonna ride?

[Hellgate]

What is this winter you speak of???

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[AJS914]

When we have slippery wet leaves all over, I'll hang up the road bike and switch to the gravel bike for the rest of the fall until it snows.

I have 40mm Clement Xplor MSO tires on it. I probably could have gotten away with the 36mm version just fine but the 40s are nice. I will also hit more gravel and trails and stay off the roads.

[Nefarious86]

Ergott and Cal killing the winter setups.

[Alumen]

I am thinking about buying a pair of Mavic Aksium's with Schwalbe Durano tyres, or just continue to use my current training wheels (Vision Team Comp 35) and do a trainingwheel upgrade after the winter.

[bm0p700f]

My commutor wheels 24 spoke Velocity aileron on novatec D711/2 hubs, they just keep on rolling. I am hoping a spoke goes but sadly one has not but I am trying by loading up the pannier regualrly. I want to replace the wheels with a dynamo setup, so they need to hurry up and die horribly. I also use my FIR tubular rims on chorus hubs, Pacenti SL23 V1 rims on Royce Carb/ti hubs in the winter months but i do use my carbon clinchers alot too. I dont have winter wheels and frankly it can be winter in July. This is England after all. 4 seasons in one day, regardless of the season. All wheels are for all year round no exceptions. Nothing is too precious to keep for dry days. I used the 88mm deep carbon tubulars on 12 spoke DA hubs a few times this winter.

I forgot to mention the MTB wheels for off road riding (LB carbon tubulars on miche hubs and Velocity blunt 35's on XTR hubs) .... There are many more. Very wet days I take the two bike out that have guards though I am not a complete loon. The commutor bike wheels get the most use though.

All the bikes are in the garage so no photos. All the bikes are quite dirty too if anyone on here likes cleaning bikes they are welcome to clean mine.

[Svetty]

Archetypes on Hope Hubs, Laser and Race spokes, GP4Ss

[willmac]

Been using archetypes the last couple of years on custom builds. Winter has a lot of different meanings as you can see from the responses. Do you have rain? Salt? Ice? Biggest issue in DK is salt. It makes a horrible grinding paste and destroys rims. I'll be switching to discs for winter most probably before this one

[bm0p700f]

I know the feeling rims i use over winter get worn out in 5000km. Hense i spend alot of time on the commutor or on carbon rims as they dont seem to wear as fast.

[TonyM]

If I am not buying a rain bike like the Tarmac disc, then Mavic Ksyrium 25 y.o. or my new Fulcrum Racing Quattro LG CX. Vittoria Open Corsa Pavé 25mm or Conti 4 season 25mm.

[willmac]

I know the feeling rims i use over winter get worn out in 5000km. Hense i spend alot of time on the commutor or on carbon rims as they dont seem to wear as fast.

I've never had the urge to test this but interesting reading. I get about the same life out of alloy. How long does carbon last in the same conditions?

[Lelandjt]

Farsports carbon clinchers with CX-Rays on EdHubs, 1320g (ish, going from memory). 23mm wide, 50mm deep rear, 38mm deep front. Winter in Hawaii just means less wind and bigger waves.

Out of curiosity do you guys use different wheels because you need better bearing seals or is it because the wet and grit could wear out the braking surface on your good wheels? Maybe there's another reason I haven't thought of?

These wheels only cost me $650 including shipping so maybe not a bad winter wheelset for you guys with nasty weather. Even if you wear through hubs and rims they're inexpensive to replace and this way you can still ride light, fast wheels rather than having to hang up your nice wheels and ride comparative dogs for several months.

[3Pio]

Last winter i used my Shamal Ultra. Planing to do the same this winter as well...

[Multebear]

Out of curiosity do you guys use different wheels because you need better bearing seals or is it because the wet and grit could wear out the braking surface on your good wheels? Maybe there's another reason I haven't thought of?

Yes. In northern europe the winters are wet all the time. Sometimes the roads are wet for weeks even without rain for several days. The dirt gets turned into this gritty paste that just clings to the whole bike and especially the brake track, which wears down components very quickly. Everything above Shimano 105 is just a waste of money. Especially wear parts. Goes without saying that a bike wash after each ride is mandatory. Especially rims, brake pads and drivetrain need cleaning.

Group rides just make matters worse, even though we have a nazi mudguard policy. Something like Calnagos fender setup is the standard here. I'd say he needs to drop the rear mudflap even more. 4 cm from the floor both front and rear would be acceptable. If you hear your mud flaps touch the ground when running over curbstones and potholes, it's about right.

[Lelandjt]

Yikes! Well, chapaeu for riding in those conditions. I don't think I could bring myself to do it. Along the lines of what you said, I don't think I'd want just a different wheelset but an entirely different bike, like the £200 Btwin model Cycling Weekly showed in their aero/non-aero comparison. The thought of my drivetrain being ground to bits while my bearings rust out would make me shiver. I think a disposable one season bike would be my solution.

[jorryt]

I live in Holland and if it freezes even slightly they gonna make sure the road is an ocean of salt. So my wheels will be campagnolo scirocco. Did great for the last 2.

But winters here are usually with a lot of rain and -5 to +7 degrees celcius. All hail to the mudgards.