Test 2016: Winter road bikes with mudguards and lights - Seven bad weather road bikes put to the test

It's pretty cold, the roads are constantly wet and dirty, by the end of the day it's pitch dark; even the short weekend days don't really want to get light - it's not easy to get motivated for a road bike ride in such conditions. It's even more difficult without the right equipment. This not only includes the right clothing, the bike can also play its part in defying the adverse conditions in winter. But for many people, a racing handlebar is part of the fun. Just a few years ago, sporty cyclists who didn't want to switch to a cumbersome trekking bike were often condemned to tinkering due to a lack of suitable options. Narrow, fragile mudguard constructions were squeezed between the frame and tyres and sometimes adventurously attached with clamps and cable ties. Tyre clearance was a foreign concept, and the lights for the after-work ride were annoying due to low light intensity and constantly flat batteries.

SHORT & SHORT

Although the test candidates are all quite heavy bikes, they are functional and offer excellent value for money. They differ mainly in the range of additional equipment - from minimalist mudguard racers to fully equipped bikes with fixed lights and pannier racks - as well as in seating position and price. What they all have in common is their rather robust design with aluminium frames and durable, inexpensive add-on parts.

You can find the entire article with all the test results of these winter racing bikes as a PDF download below:

- Bergamont Prime CX RD
- Cannondale Synapse Adventure Disc
- Canyon Inflite AL 9.0 S
- Centurion Crossfire 2000 EQ
- Cube Attain SL Disc
- Focus Mares AX Disc Commuter
- Rose Team DX Cross Randonneur 3000

Inexpensive and robust

Developments on the accessories market have not stood still - there are now really good battery-powered lights with LED technology and a selection of special retrofit mudguards for road bikes. Nevertheless, there are many arguments in favour of opting for one of the fully equipped bikes presented here. Above all, they are easy on the nerves, because the manufacturers have already thought about the proper integration of the additional add-on parts: nothing rattles or rubs on the tyres, lighting systems with hub dynamo and parking light function are neatly integrated and the pannier racks are securely attached. They are also easy on the wallet: with prices ranging from €1,100 for the Focus to €2,340 for the luxury version from Rose, the bikes are still comparatively inexpensive; thanks to functional and emphatically robust components, they should also require little maintenance and provide many years of fun.

The purchase can therefore be well worthwhile, as regular training on damp, salt-covered roads can cause extreme damage to the drive and brakes - and if you wear out your expensive luxury racer in the process, you will soon have caused major damage within a single winter.

What all candidates have in common is a robust aluminium frame, which - with the exception of Cannondale - is actually designed for cross bikes. The advantage is obvious: the frames and forks at least offer space for wide road tyres and mudguards; disc brakes - now standard on cross road bikes in all price categories - are particularly useful for use on a bike in bad weather. It makes sense to use these bikes as inexpensive and sporty commuter bikes: All the bikes are prepared for attaching mudguards without much effort, and some even have luggage racks or rear stands.

Which equipment you consider necessary is a question of what you want. Some people ride so rarely in the dark that an attachable battery light is sufficient for emergencies; others commute to work every day on a mudguard road bike and not only want a permanently mounted lighting system with hub dynamo, but also a pannier rack. The manufacturers' interpretations of winter road bikes are as varied as their wishes: Our test field ranges from models from Cannondale, Canyon, Centurion and Cube that are only equipped with mudguards to the fully equipped all-rounders from Bergamont and Rose. Focus is the only supplier to supply battery-operated clip-on lights as standard - although these turned out to be of little practical use. In view of the favourable price of the bike, however, it is bearable to buy a better light as well. The majority of the wheels roll on slightly wider, robust, treadless road tyres.

Our favourite on wet cycle paths with grit and leaves is the extra-wide but smooth-rolling 30-millimetre Schwalbe slick on the Bergamont. The knobbly tyres on the Cannondale and Focus allow excursions on unpaved paths, but roll rather slowly on the road and wear out quickly. Of course, it is possible to convert to road tyres, and this seemed more logical in the overall concept.

In addition to the equipment, the riding position on the bike should also be a selection criterion. The bikes in the test offer a broad spectrum, which is shifted a good deal towards comfort. While the Bergamont and Centurion still offer a reasonably sporty riding position, the geometries of the Cannondale, Canyon and Cube are comparatively upright. This can be an advantage in city traffic because you have a better view of your surroundings, but it's not for everyone. Less important: the weight. The rigorous calculation and selection of proven and durable components mean that the complete bike weights are far above what you would typically expect from a road bike. Ten kilos with additional equipment is not uncommon, with the cheapest models from Focus and Centurion even reaching almost twelve kilos. Accordingly, the bikes generally lack a certain sprightliness. However, this is only a minor weakness - because in bad weather, a heavy but well-equipped road bike is definitely more motivating than a light, poorly equipped one.

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