Are you thinking about building or buying a bike for winter road riding?
BikeRadar’s experts have immense combined experience of winter riding. In this guide, we’ll discuss some different approaches to choosing a bike for winter road riding, and which components and accessories matter the most.
Whether you're looking to buy a whole new bike, revive an old one or adapt your current machine, this is the guide for you.
Although our pick of the road bikes we've tested for winter riding aren't all billed as winter bikes and some do not come with mudguards, all have the mounting points to enable you to add them retrospectively.
Our buyer's guide at the bottom of this article highlights what to look out for in a winter bike and the different approaches you might take to set yourself up for winter riding.
Best road bikes for winter as rated by our testers
Kinesis Tripster AT
- £1,850 as tested
- Great protection from extra-long mudguards
- Robust but sprightly
Kinesis adds big mudguards to big gravel tyres for a go-anywhere winter build for its versatile alloy bike. There’s clearance for 45mm tyres and bolting points for luggage, extra bottles and a rack. You can alter the steering geometry to change the handling to suit your riding style too.
At 11kg and with a frame that weighs 1.9kg, the Tripster AT is built tough, but it doesn’t feel that way to ride, thanks to its stiffness, which gives a responsive ride feel. The quality wheels and tyres provide comfort, along with a lively ride.
We rated the Apex 1 drivetrain and the Fend-Off Wide mudguards highlights for a winter bike - the latter amazed us with how clean they kept both us and following riders.
Ribble Endurance Ti Disc
- £3,299 / $4,568 / €3,843 as tested
- Quality, corrosion-proof titanium frameset
- Good component spec for all-weather riding
Ribble’s titanium mile muncher has discreet mudguard mounts, enabling you to spec guards via Ribble’s Bike Builder. It’s really well finished and the full internal cable routing makes for easier cleaning.
We liked the slightly racy ride position and the backsweep of the Level bars, as well as the well-built wheels and wide Continental Grand Prix GT tyres. The Ultegra groupset is an asset too.
The Endurance Ti Disc handles poor surfaces well and is built to last, whatever the weather. The flaps on Ribble’s mudguards are a little short to keep your shoes clean though.
Triban RC520 Disc
- £850 / $1,400 / €850 as tested
- High spec for the price with Shimano 105 and TRP disc brakes
- Tyre clearance up to 36mm without mudguards
The Triban RC520 Disc, sold by Decathlon, offers a great spec for your cash. It doesn't come fitted with mudguards, but there are mounting points on the alloy frame, and carbon fork legs and plenty of clearance around the 28mm tyres, which are mounted on tubeless-ready rims.
It has an 11-speed Shimano 105 groupset with an 11-32t Microshift cassette, so you're not losing gear ratios on your winter rides, while the TRP HY/RD disc brakes combine cable operation with hydraulic actuation of the calipers.
We've also tested the Triban RC500 with the same frame but equipped with 9-speed Shimano Sora, which shaves £200 off the price tag.
Boardman ADV 8.6
Great comfort and versatility from Boardman’s big-tyred all-rounder.- £750 as tested
- Tough build with good spec and plenty of versatility
- Rolls well on-road as well as off
It's part of Boardman's gravel-oriented ADV range, but the ADV 8.6 has mudguard and rack mounts, making it a competent road option that can also take you off the beaten track. The 38mm tyres fitted roll well on tarmac and offer plenty of grip, as well as being able to keep going off-road.
The ADV 8.6 is tough, comfortable and handles well. We'd just have liked to see more effective disc brakes than the fitted Tektro mechanical calipers.
Cannondale Synapse 1
- £1,900 / €1,995 as tested
- Comfortable position and comprehensive fixtures and fittings
- More expensive than its rivals
The Synapse 1 is Cannondale's top-lined aluminium model that thrives on the road and beyond. We found it to be suitably quick with bucket loads of comfort.
Although Cannondale says there's room for 32mm tyres, it points out there's "6mm room on either side", so you could squeeze in 35mm rubber for a bit of rough-stuff riding without mudguards.
There's most of a Shimano 105 R7020 groupset (with the exception of the non-series crankset and chain) and the stock Vittoria Zaffiro Pro tyres would need to be upgraded if you wanted to run tubeless.
Condor Fratello Disc
- £2,500 as tested
- Steel frame gives a lively ride feel
- Quality spec, but the mechanical disc brakes aren’t the match of hydraulic
Condor has been a fixture of London cycling for over 70 years, so it knows steel frames, with the Fratello made of custom-shaped, triple-butted Columbus Spirit tubing.
With flat-mount disc brakes and 12mm thru-axles, it’s up with modern trends, while the carbon fork has internal routing for the brake hose and for a dynamo lighting cable.
We loved the flowing feel over rough surfaces and the well-balanced ride position. We drooled over the shifting quality of the Campagnolo Centaur groupset too, although the TRP Spyre cable-operated disc brakes don’t quite match up to hydraulic options.
Cube Attain SLX
- £1,600 / €1,599 / AU$2,499 as tested
- Fast, lively-feeling frame with room for mudguards
- Limited to 28mm tyres and the stock tyres aren't tubeless-ready
Cube claims the Attain SLX strikes "exactly the right blend of pace and comfort" and we'd say it broadly lives up to its billing. If you're after a fairly light, fast and comfortable bike for year-round riding, this bike delivers and then some.
The full-Shimano 105 R7020 groupset is a real highlight, undercutting the competition at this price point.
The only downside of the Attain SLX is that its relatively narrow 28mm tyre clearance means this bike is more at home on tarmac than the rough stuff.
Forme Monyash 2
- £1,000 as tested
- Modern features including thru-axles and internal cabling
- Quality ride feel, despite the 10kg weight
We really enjoyed the ride quality of the Forme Monyash 2 and it has clearance to fit mudguards and still take 32mm tyres. The wheels are good quality and come fitted with 26mm Schwalbe tyres, and there are rack mounts and three sets of bottle bosses, making light touring an option.
Spec-wise, the Monyash 2 comes with Shimano Claris 8-speed shifting and Tektro Mira single-piston mechanical disc brakes. They both worked well and there's enough low gearing to handle steeper climbs in the saddle.
Giant Contend AR3
- £1,099 / $1,250 / AU$1,599 as tested
- Comfortable for long rides
- Plenty of gear range and tubeless-ready wheels
Mixing a lively geometry with a longer wheelbase for stability, the Contend has room for 38mm tyres, so you can easily fit mudguards with the specced 32mm tyres. We enjoyed its quality handling and hour after hour of comfort, even on broken winter backroads.
The groupset is 9-speed Shimano Sora, but there's plenty of range to handle steep rises, while you can set up tubeless to increase your chances of avoiding punctures on debris-strewn surfaces.
Kinesis R2
- £1,680 as tested
- Quality, versatile frame and fork
- Full Shimano Tiagra groupset including hydraulic disc brakes
Designed in the UK, Kinesis bikes are geared to year-round British conditions. The R2 alloy frame comes with mudguard mounts and a full-carbon fork. We reckon it will appeal to those looking for a fast winter trainer, with a geometry that's sportier than many all-rounders.
We tested the 10-speed Tiagra spec, complete with its hydraulic disc brakes and a 1:1 lowest gear. The bike came specced with 32mm Continental Grand Sport Race tyres
Planet X London Road
- £800 as tested
- Single-ring groupset lowers complexity, but also top gear range
- Robust spec to handle poor conditions
The Planet X London Road comes fitted with a single-chainring SRAM Apex groupset, removing the front derailleur and alleviating one source of potential winter mechanical problems. There's gearing down to 1:1, although if you like to push a big gear you'll miss the top end offered by a double chainset.
The London Road comes kitted out with 32mm Panaracer tyres and has the necessary mudguard mounts to keep you more comfortable in wet conditions. The tyres' reflective sidewalls offer increased presence in low light and their durability should help keep you rolling.
Specialized Allez Sport
- £1,600 / $1,800 / €1,750 / AU$2,500 as tested
- An inspired geometry and easy-to-love handling
- 35mm tyre clearance, mudguard and rack mounts
Specialized's latest rendition of the Allez will suit cyclists looking for a slightly more relaxed ride with its composed handling and respectable weight for the money. The Allez Sport impressed us in pretty much every situation, with plenty of stiffness without being harsh. The bike feels stable at speed, while remaining reactive when asked to flick through a corner.
The only downsides to the build are the uninspiring wheels and lifeless tyres, but they can be upgraded down the line.
Shand Leveret
- £1,995 as tested
- Quality steel frame and carbon fork
- Gates belt drive and 8-speed hub gear
The Shand Leveret comes with an 8-speed Shimano Alfine internal hub gear and Gates belt drive, thus removing the main source of winter mechanical problems, but still offering plenty of gear range.
We loved the quality of the Leveret's steel frame, its responsive ride feel and the comfort offered by its 35mm tyres. It comes ready-fitted with alloy SKS mudguards too, making it a great poor-weather mile muncher.
Buyer's guide to winter road bikes
There are a number of approaches to getting a bike that's equipped for winter conditions. Which works for you will depend on your resources and how keen you are to continue your riding into poorer conditions.
The premium option: a dedicated, purpose-built bike
The ideal image of a winter road bike is one built from the ground up with poor-weather riding in mind.
For many years, the archetypal winter bike was a cheap aluminium-framed road bike with a low- to mid-range groupset, skinny tyres, rim brakes and full-length mudguards – something such as the Ribble 7005 Winter or the Dolan Preffisio.
These were sturdy, unpretentious machines that made up for their lack of glamour by being incredibly cheap and very functional.
This breed of machine has all but disappeared in an age of disc brakes and big tyre clearances, but the principle remains valid.
The sensible approach: a gravel bike
It’s well worth considering a gravel bike for winter because these often have useful mounts for mudguards and accessories, and can adapt to both road riding and rougher stuff with minor spec adjustments.
The line between gravel bikes and fatter-tyred endurance bikes is very blurry in any case, with the differences sometimes more about spec than the underlying frame.
There's also considerable overlap with more traditional touring bikes and it's worth considering one of these, particularly if you're interested in carrying lots of stuff.
The budget approach: an old hack
If you don’t want to subject your ‘best’ bike to the indignities of winter riding, you can of course use any old clunker you have lying around, or cobble something together from parts.
The downside to this approach is there will inevitably be compromises – old road frames typically have limited tyre clearance, for instance, and many won’t accept full-length mudguards.
You’ll also likely be stuck with rim brakes, which can be perfectly adequate but, as we’ll discuss later, aren’t ideal for the purpose. On the other hand, there’s great satisfaction to be found in repurposing old things or assembling a unique parts-bin special.
If you have a top-end bike, you may choose to invest in a more affordable road bike for winter riding.
The non-conformist: a fixed gear
Legend holds it that, in days of yore, road cyclists would flip their rear wheels around and fit a fixed gear sprocket for the winter, citing various probably mythical advantages.
Despite our scepticism, we’re big fans of fixies here at BikeRadar and there are valid reasons for choosing to ride one. They’re ultra low-maintenance compared to geared bikes and consumable drivetrain parts (chains, cogs, chainrings) are comparatively affordable.
They’re also loads of fun, but most of us wouldn’t choose to ride one full-time because having just one gear does have drawbacks, and of course it deprives you of the pleasure of freewheeling.
If the simplicity of a fixed-gear bike appeals but you don’t want to pedal ceaselessly, a singlespeed with a freewheel is also an option, one that offers similar advantages from a maintenance perspective.
But I can’t afford/don’t have space for another bike
Plenty of us ride our one and only road bike through the winter, and that’s a valid approach too, particularly if you can easily fit mudguards (more on these below).
If you’re fond of your bike, the challenge will be protecting it from the onslaught of muck and salt that winter brings. That means staying on top of cleaning and lubrication.
It’s also worth considering if there are specific components you might want to change…
Key components and accessories for winter bikes
Mudguards / fenders
In many parts of the world, the roads don’t really dry out for long stretches in the winter, and that means there’s a continuous spray of moisture coming off your tyres even when it’s not raining.
As a result, mudguards (or fenders for North Americans) are an essential for winter riding. Full-length mudguards with mud-flaps front and rear are the ideal because these will reduce spray to a minimum, both for you and anyone riding behind you, and also help protect your bike’s components.
For a frame to accept standard full-length mudguards, it needs to have mounting bosses or eyelets to bolt on to, and sufficient clearances that the 'guards won’t catch on the tyres, get in the way of the brakes (on rim brake bikes), or cause toe-overlap issues.
Most rear mudguards require one boss at each dropout (or on the seatstays), one at the front of the chainstays, and a seatstay bridge of some sort to anchor the top of the 'guard (this will also be a brake mount on rim brake bikes).
Front mudguards need a mount at each fork dropout (or part-way up each fork leg), and either a brake bolt or a dedicated mount at the fork crown to attach to.
If your bike has clearances but no mounts, it's possible to get creative with P-clips or aftermarket accessories such as Axiom's Axle Runners.
If your bike won’t accept full-length mudguards full-stop, there are various alternatives, with long clip-ons being the next best thing. Head to our mudguards buyer's guide for more.
Drivetrain
Winter is hard on components, and so there’s a good case to be made for running cheaper kit that you won’t mind wearing out relatively quickly.
That might mean opting for a more affordable groupset such as Shimano Sora, Tiagra or 105, SRAM Apex or Rival, or Campagnolo Centaur (while it's still available).
Even if you choose higher-end components, consider whether you need the wear items to be groupset-matching. For example, if you have Shimano Ultegra R8000, there’s nothing to stop you fitting a cheaper 105 R7000 cassette and chain – both are 11-speed.
You might also choose to go with third-party parts to save money, such as a chain from KMC.
Brakes
There’s no question that disc brakes are the better overall choice for winter riding, although that does come with some caveats.
Disc brakes typically go hand-in-hand with larger tyre clearances, they offer consistent performance whatever the weather, and they’re easy to operate safely even if your hands get cold.
Disc brakes also have the advantage that they don’t chew through rims – traditional rim brakes wear rims out rapidly when you throw abrasive filth into the mix.
If there’s a downside to discs (aside from extra weight and up-front cost), it’s that they can be noisy and irritating at times, and also liable to suffer pad contamination.
In wet, gritty conditions you may experience continuous low-level noise as muck finds its way between the rotors and pads, and some brakes are also prone to howling when wet.
Most annoyingly, disc brake pads can become contaminated by oily substances from the road surface, rendering them far less effective (if not useless).
If this happens, the best cure is to clean your rotors thoroughly with brake cleaner and fit new pads, although some riders advocate baking the pads in the oven (or on the hob) to burn off contaminants. This isn’t a practice any manufacturer would endorse and BikeRadar staffers have experienced mixed results, so proceed with caution.
Nevertheless, if you’re starting from scratch, discs are unquestionably the preferred option for winter riding, and hydraulic discs in particular are ideal because, unlike their mechanical counterparts, they don’t need frequent adjustment to account for pad wear.
Wheels
You can ride any wheelset in the winter, but some will take the abuse better than others.
With rim brakes, accelerated rim wear is an issue in the winter and so you may not want to be riding your expensive Sunday best wheels.
The effectiveness of rim brakes also suffers dramatically in wet conditions. It’s not too bad on aluminium rims, but even the best carbon braking surfaces are typically less effective than discs in rainy conditions.
There are other reasons not to use more performance-oriented wheels.
Racy wheelsets often save weight by using hubs with small, minimally sealed bearings. These will wear out quickly if water and grit find their way inside, and then you’ll need to buy new bearings and potentially pay someone to fit them.
Lightweight wheels also frequently feature aluminium spoke nipples, which are more susceptible to corrosion. Given the option, brass nipples are the better choice for winter.
If you’ve got disc brakes, rim wear isn’t a particular issue, but much of the above still applies.
If you’re shopping for winter wheels, now might be the time to consider if you want to try road tubeless, which brings us on to...
Tyres
With more debris on the roads, punctures are more of a problem in the winter, and also more of a pain – no one wants to be wrestling with tyres when they’ve got stiff, cold hands or it’s raining.
That means it’s a good idea to choose more puncture-resistant tyres for winter riding – head to our winter tyres guide for some options.
If you’re shopping for new rubber, this might be the moment to consider trying something new. Would you, for example, enjoy the comfort benefit of fitting slightly larger tyres? (Check you have the necessary clearances before committing).
If your wheels are suitable, it’s well worth considering road tubeless for winter riding because the risk of punctures is reduced by the sealant, and you can run lower pressures for added grip on greasy roads.
Lights
Lights are an absolute essential in the winter, even if you’re technically riding in daylight, when the sun will be low in the sky and overall light levels will be reduced.
When searching for the best bike lights, your choices will depend on budget and specifics, such as whether you need lights solely to be seen, or also to see with (if you’re riding on unlit roads in the dark).
The Rolls-Royce option for a dedicated winter bike is permanently fixed lights powered by a dynamo. These give you the advantage of never being without a light as a result of flat batteries.
The downside is cost and, in the case of a dyno hub, the need for a specially built wheel.
In any case, it’s always best to have some redundancy in your lights – we’d advise running at least two fronts and two rears so you have a backup for each in case one dies unexpectedly.
Spares and other accessories
In cold weather, getting stranded by a mechanical failure comes with more serious consequences and so we’d recommend taking a more belt-and-braces approach to spares.
You want to be in a position where punctures won’t leave you high and dry, so it’s worth carrying a couple of inner tubes and/or a tyre repair kit if you’re running tubeless.
Mini pumps can make fixing punctures hard work, so some riders opt for something a little bigger (a frame pump or a longer ‘mini’ pump) and mount it to the frame.
A multi-tool with a chain tool on it (plus a quick link for rejoining) is a good idea too, as is extra clothing for unanticipated changes in the weather.
All this means it’s worth thinking about on-bike storage when you’re speccing a winter bike. Do you want mounts for a bento box top tube bag? Or rack bosses? Will you be running a bar bag (for maximum trendy points)?
Specialized’s SWAT (Storage, Water, Air, Tools) system deserves a mention here – bikes such as the Diverge offer generous in-frame storage, so you don’t necessarily need lots of luggage.
It’s not (just) about the bike
Enjoying your winter riding isn’t just about the bike, it’s about mindset too, and also having the right kit.
We’ve got useful inspiration to get you going, and some great advice on general winter riding and riding in the rain.
If you’re taking your training seriously, have a read of elite cyclist Tom Bell’s advice and watch Jack Luke and Joe Norledge talk through some of their favourite winter kit.
Can’t face any of it? Maybe indoor training is for you. Our guide to the best smart trainers is here.
