NyoGoat

I ride a CAAD10 through the summer. I rode it through the winter last year as well, but it gets tricky sometimes. My commute is 14 miles each way.

Option 1:
Re-invigorate my old raleigh mountain bike and winterize. ~ $150 for new chain, cassette, fenders etc
Pros - Cheaper option. No tire restrictions
Cons - Not ideal geometry for long commute

Option 2:
Purchase used bike (such as a surly crosscheck or similar) and install winter tires and fenders
Pros - Better geometry.
Cons - $700 - $1000

Would I rather a sturdy steel road bike or a mountain bike? My goal is to commute every day by bike. With my current ride there about 14 days a year where there is just too much snow or ice. I also use my CAAD10 for racing, so I want to keep it in good shape.

ksryder

I have no idea which you would prefer -- it's so dependent on personal preferences and local conditions.

If it was me, I'd get the new bike. Commuting on a MTB for 14 miles at a time would not be fun.

Also, N+1 is always the answer

1nterceptor

Since it's cheaper to modify the MTB($150 vs. $1000); I'd try that first.
If you find the distance is too much work; then go with a new commuter bike.
SNOWBOUND by 1nterceptor, on Flickr

mcours2006

If your wallet will allow it then go for the n+1 road bike with winter tires, especially since your commute is relatively long, and you are used to riding a road bike anyway. That long on a MTB is not ideal nor fun.

I've got this one for my winter beast:

image.jpg

2_i 

1nterceptor and mcours2006, how to the drop bars work for you in winter conditions? I thought that the stretched out grips of MTB bars were quite essential for generating sufficient torque to maneuver across piles of snow, but clearly the drop bars work for you. Could you comment? When I was getting fed up with straight MTB bars and switching to more angled ones I already sensed some change in the torque in practical circumstances, but I went with the mild compromise.

mcours2006

With the tires I'm running during winter months (35mm Schwalbe Marathon studs) you can't really plow through any kind of snow accumulation, so it's an issue in that when there's more than 2-3" of snow you find another way to get to work. If you need to plow through any snow you are better off with MTB bike with 2"+ tires, or fat bike.

Generating power is not a problem with drop bars. They work for me because that's what I ride the rest of the year as well, and even during winter most of the time the road is cleared of snow and ice, wet or dry. You might have a handful of days where it's dicey. When that happens I'll drive. It doesn't make sense for me to have a winter bike that I might ride a only handful of times.

Aubergine 

In my experience old mountain bikes (without suspension) can be turned into good touring bikes for not too much effort, so I would expect that it also can be a good commuter. Got a pic of yours?

Choctaw

Get a Redux!

2_i 

I fully sympathize with having a bike that one is comfortable with all year round. I do the same but my optimization is weighted more towards winter. I never skip a day due to weather, but then the bike has to get me through the harshest conditions and the performance in good weather becomes of secondary concern. The terrain I ride over is not particularly accommodating so there is some tilt towards considering performance under challenges even in good weather. In open road it is quite obvious that my bike is not at its best.

CliffordK

I'm a roadie commuter. But, winter commuting takes its toll on bikes too. I'm now realizing the full force of winter riding, chewing through a chain every couple of months in the winter. Maybe a couple extra cassettes, etc.

There are many people who also like MTBs, especially if you choose to ride studs. Here, snow is infrequent enough that I can just stay home for snow.

Peruse the drop bar MTB thread.
Show Your Vintage MTB Drop Bar Conversions - Bike Forums

If I was in your shoes, maybe hunt for a cheap frame to build up, or a cheap Cyclocross bike to ride for the winter. Can I use cheap and cyclocross in the same sentence? Or, do a drop bar conversion of a moderate quality used hybrid.

BobbyG

Years ago I put bar-ends on my non-suspension, mountain-bike based commuter. But I put them inboard, where they approximate "riding on the hoods" (You can get a really cheap pair at Wal-Mart).

I ride my road bikes when it's dry, and in icy or snowy conditions I take the mountain bike with studded Suomi/Nokians.

If there is any snow, I find the wide mountain bike bars help. (I also have an aero bar)

fietsbob

"Cross"/Hybrid is the half-way point.. 700-35~42 tire capacity . which has studded tires offered in those widths, (but not narrower)

1989Pre 

I disagree that (in winter) the MTB is not optimal. You get a lower center of balance (on 26" wheels), which means better stability. As already noted, the flat (or riser) bars on an MTB offer the best torque and control in snow. Fourteen miles should not be a problem on a light MTB if you have it set up correctly and it fits you. I use my suspension forks and a softer seat in winter to counter the relatively hard road surfaces.
Maybe you aren't going to break any world speed records, but I don't think a hybrid, cyclocross or road bike are as stable or able to take as much punishment as an MTB. Put fenders on it and have two sets of wheels, one for dry, one for wet.
You'll be situated a little farther back on the MTB, too, so if you go down, legs and arms will be more involved than head and neck. You'll be closer to the road (on 26" tires), too, so you won't have as far to fall. If I had a CAAD 10, I would save it for the good weather, not all-weather commuting.

rumrunn6

I'd opt for a used drop bar road bike. no way would spend that much tho. some kind of cross bike wold have more room for tires & fenders. hard to find used for cheap tho

mcours2006

From a cost perspective I would just opt for the old MTB. Perhaps get a set of smooth rolling tires like this one:
Schwalbe Marathon Plus 26" Bike Tyre - SmartGuard | Chain Reaction Cycles. It's cheaper than a new bike. You can throw a set of studs on them for those icy mornings. Fourteen miles is doable on those tires.

On good weather days take your CAAD.

Viich

I do drop bar in snow & ice. I use a wider bar than in the summer, but I use a narrow bar - it's still a 42 I think.

I have no issues with leverage. I mostly ride shwalbe winter 700x35 on ice & slush, but I also used 700x30 cx pro tires up to the hubs once last year. It was powder to do that, obviously, but I don't see what flat bars would give me over the drops except for more trouble getting down when I have a headwind.

Viich

I just threw drop bars and bar end shifting on a hybrid I got for free (shifters were busted), I run 3×7 because the parts are cheap and get used up fairly quick in the winter. Bottom bracket is noticably lower than my road bike, helps getting feet down. Last year I ran with cross levers on the tops only - that was stupid. This year I have some TRP levers from an old build I took apart because the frame was too small. Old inner tube as winter bar wrap was slick though.

Sunrace 7 sp stem shifters are really cheap if you can't find a good used set of bar end.

gregf83 

Must have been awfully fluffy powder! I don't often ride through much snow but last winter I tested some new 35mm Schwalbe studded tires on fresh snow about 4" deep. It was very hard work (>300W) to go 12kph for the short stretch in the picture below.

I have about a 20 mi commute and have a couple of drop bar bikes for commuting. I've never tried my MTB but think it would be too much work. Any headwind and I'm riding in the drops.

rumrunn6

uh oh just dawned on me I seem to have an extra old hybrid kicking around in the basement I haven't ridden since spring

mcours2006

I tried the same thing myself under similar conditions a couple of winters ago. I think I went 100 m before turning back. I don't know about watts, but it might as well have been a 1000.

Two inches of snow, maybe it's doable. But those tires are really made for ice and very light snow.

Viich

I was using narrower and knobbier shwalbe cx pro (700×30) that day - I only biked in snow I could cut through like that once.

Carbonfan.com

Why not a fat bike? with 80mm or 90mm or 100mm wide wheels.
Another name of fat bike is just snow bike. Just for winter use.

salad_goat

Go for the MTB build. Look into some Compass Tires

CliffordK

Perhaps fine for those snow days, but I don't think I'd want to ride one 30 miles a day on a regular basis

I also don't like the wide Q-Factor on my wide cargo bike.

But, it could be good if one is riding on snow and powder.
Nice

This was from a couple of years ago. I don't do much snow riding, but this was a short 1/4 mile road, out and back. Gravel base, I think. 25mm tires with very minimal tread. Snow was old, but not driven on.

Slight decline was fine.

Then I turned around for an ever slight rise. I think power was fine, but I didn't get any traction... and flop... right over

Colnago Mixte

You're too far to the right, Cliff. Take the lane!!!