Weight Weenies

A bit of a off season question sorry.

I'm renovating my Canyon CF winter bike which is running Duarace 7800 and used for the first time as winter bike this winter, which it didn't manage well. It is like the spring in the rear derailleur is no linger strong enough to overcome the friction in the cables and 'internal friction' probably from corrosion. I also had issues with the brakes, they grow all stiff from corrosion.

So question is what should I replace it with? What is the most robust group for winter use? Winter here is freezing and lots of salt on the roads that I don't always have a chance to wash of (mainly due to the freezing temperatures).

I've been using my old MTB in similar conditions. This has a composite SRAM 7.0 derailleur and has never had any of the Shimano DA issues. I'm thinking composite = no corrosion. Are you aware of similar solutions for road use?

Likewise old alu bike with Dura ace 7700 survived winter conditions so much better, but it is not easy to find a good 7700 group anymore.

I'd say just find the cheapest stuff you can. The crappy conditions mean that you probably aren't looking at super lightweight, ti hardware, etc.

Over here people are blowing out 6700 groups for peanuts (like the same cost of a higher end pair of shifters)... Another thing about winter gear is maintenance. You have to maintain it, otherwise it will expire quickly whether it's cheap or expensive.

Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com

Get new frame and forks first, with mudguard clearance, the mudguards will make a massive difference. All that salty rubbish ends up dripping straight onto the floor. Rather than getting sprayed all over you and your bike.
All it needs then is the driveline cleaning and a quick hose/bucket every now and again.

The groupset on my training bike is pretty much untouched in 4 years, other than a once a year clean/service, and occasional pads, chains and cassettes, it's still original. (Well, second hand. It came off my cross bike after 2 seasons).

Kit lasts longer too (and you don't get so cold when training)

As above, mudguards & maintenance work wonders!

If the gear cables are stiff... change them?

+1 for more frequent maintenance.

I use older Ultegra and 105 stuff for commuting. Apart from consumable items (cassette, chain, cables, brake pads, etc) I've only had to replace a bottom bracket (FSA) and wheels which were 17 years old. Interestingly, it was the rims that gave out on the wheels (corroded through at numerous spoke holes)... the hubs (Shimano 600) are still silky smooth. My chainrings are on their last few hundred miles though...

A good winter bike would e one with:

1. single speed
2. fenders
3. disc brakes
4. all seams sealed with rubber sealant
5. all bolts are either titanium or stainless bolts
6. anything that might rust should be greased with waterproof grease.

I agree with most of that. I think geared is OK, but ideally the gears should be internal... ala Nuvinci, Rohloff, Shimano Alfine. My next commuter will be internally geared.

Add belt drive to the list and fat(ish) tires... 32-35mm.

No maintenance ever = fixed or internal hub gears, disc brakes
Some maintenance occasionally = fine with proper gears and rim brakes.

And FWIW, fixed/singlespeed would be all but impossible to train on in many places in the world. Unless you picked your route carefully! For riding around, commuting, most club runs etc, you'd probably be ok.

Well, a sealed cable system will generally do better in the winter...Most mountain bikes run full length housing these days, which is a big advantage over the cabling on most road bikes (A full liner would help quite a bit for the road). Hydraulic brakes would also tend to hold up better, which are also pretty common on mountain bikes.

Lots of salt will corrode anything it touches though. So you either have to keep the salt from getting into the cables, or clean them regularly.

To me, it sounds like you just got corrosion in your cables on your old bike, which may have been old and marginal anyways. I'd just recable the bike with something with full length liners, pay a little attention to keeping the salt off, and see how that works next season before going with a different groupset.

Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com

Most cables are stainless right? They will hold up to salt and water a lot better.

The things that break down on a bike due to salt and water are:

1. anything steel
2. aluminum rim brake surface due to grime getting scratched on the surface by the pads
3. bottom brackets not sealing (none are waterproof)
4. wheel bearings (cartridge and non-cartridge)

So grease up anything non moving steel part and leave the grease on there. Sure it will attract dirt in the beginning but it will not rust.