Winter Road Bikes

Were I in the UK I'd get a Spa Audax. Unfortunately they won't ship to the states.

I want a cheap frame that’ll fit 28c and guards

kinesis 4s

PX Kaffenback

Probably the wrong place for this, but I'm refreshing my long distance winter frame bag kit list.

Other than puncture repair stuff, was considering:

• spare AXS battery
  
• wax lube
  
• glove liners
  
• emergency sugar/gel
  
  

Anything obvious I am missing. This to have for 4-6 hour rides through the dark cold months.

A cheap blinky light just in case?

I was also thinking about one of those gel hand warmers with the little thing inside that you click which makes it harden and get hot. Too many instances in the past of trying to get a punctured tyre off without any feeling in my fingers and wondering if that was it now, I just live on the street, I'll never get home.

Ooh like it.

Forgot:

• spare chain links
  
• contact lenses
  
• £5 note for booting/places that don't take card
  

I've done loads of winter riding and definitely experienced more than once the same hypothermic existential crises as Phil... until now I'd never thought of having a bigger bag of winter-specific emergency stuff, and am not quite sure why!

Good call, might have to look at a barbag of winter goodies for those serious situations :)

Shakedry jacket. Fits in my frame bag and good to always have it on every ride and not have to decide each time whether to take a waterproof.

Full size allen keys/tyre levers so that cold hands have a larger tool to use, rather than a fiddly multi tool?

For sure. Might even keep it in a separate bag to stop it getting fouled by anything inside my frame bag....stupidly expensive/fragile kit (but great at intended purpose).

I now carry a spare coin battery for the axs shifters. Yeah, they last years, but of the three sets of axs shifters I have, one of them has started draining the battery in a matter of weeks and it goes dead without warning. Its outside of warranty so I've just accepted that I'll change the battery frequently and always carry spares on the bike.

Even if you don't have this issue, it doesn't hurt to keep one in the bag.

I now carry one of these in my winter jersey.

1 Attachment

Highly recommended for Sunday rides by our CC.
Recently, we found a lost rider who felt on a bank aside of the road nearly in a hypothermia state....these foils are very handy and in emergency life saver too!

I was thinking a cheap actual AXS battery! But yeah coin cell definitely a good shout, I have used one for a dead HR monitor and separately power meter mid-ride in the past!

+1 on survival blanket.

Also those blue medical gloves are tiny / weigh nothing and good for mechanicals without getting crap over your fingers in winter. They also double up as glove liners in an emergency - I used them under some sodden perfetto gloves when I was soaked to the skin on a v cold ride and close to hypothermic and i was surprised how much they helped keep heat in and meant I could continue to brake / hold the bars…

I prefer these for mechanicals/emergency gloves. Last for ages. Come in other colours - including pink. 💅🏽
https://www.workgloves.co.uk/portwest-a120-blue-pu-palm-gloves.html

Definitely a fixed wheel for winter rides. Constant pedalling keeps you toasty warm. You are limited by terrain of course. Where I live there are many flattish rides. I reckon that riding into a strong easterly headwind straight off the north sea is equivalent to hills anyway.

Or just constantly pedal your geared bike...I keep coasting to <5% and that's steep downhills where my knees would be complaining fixed.

+1 on survival blanket.

Highly recommended for Sunday rides by our CC.

How do you mean? As an emergency situation as you described or are people also just chilling in them after a ride?? I've thought of getting one, but not sure what the use would be or the effectiveness aside from emergency.

For dirty fingers after mechanical I find winter easier as I just stick my gloves back on 🥴

For emergency yes

Full list here:

SRAM quick link
Contact lense
dynaplug and spare bacons
levers with co2 head
Co2 x 2
Albion burner
Pump
Multitool
Spare drip wax in bottle
Spare tubeless sealant in bottle
2 x TPU tubes
patches
£5 note/boot
AXS battery
CR2302 battery
zip ties
spare derailleur hangar
latex gloves
core removal tool and spare core + extender
Extra base layer when it's proper cold/effort ride

ok, ta I'll pick one up as they are pretty cheap/small.

Does the multitool include a chain tool? I often consider carrying one. I don't think I have ever broken a chain...🤔

Yep, has a chain tool (and another dynaplug)

Unfortunately I have managed to twist one so that it needed links replacing. Not quite sure how but back then I didn't have a chain tool. Of course nothing chain related has gone wrong since I started carrying one.