Rules for winter commuting 25%Urban/75%Rural

Stevehall00

Having done some fettling today I thought it time to share tips for winter riding especially as tomorrow is the start of the 'Long Dark'

1. Make sure your machine is functioning on all mechanical and structural levels before riding at speeds of up to 30mph on slippery traffic plagued streets. Afterall, there is not a hairs difference between being hit by a car and brake failure causing YOU to hit a car apart from the difficult insurance situation.

2. Unlike in summer when beer and cycling are best friends it is less adviseable to load up on stella artois and chivas regal before weaving alond dark country lanes where black ice can stay ALL DAY. If you must drink after work before the commute the drink should be either orange juice with vodaka or 12year old whisky.... to dull the comming pain.

3. Ensurer your electrics are functioning properly, for those who 'ride rural' only need the horror of an uncharged battery coupled with unlit roads filled with tractor wielding teenagers ONCE.

4. Avoid any hubris or vanity that suggests you should not wear a helmet. Those that whizz around with cloth cycling caps and suggest you do the sam are not on your side.


5. The playing of any 'game' involving who is latently faster should be engaged with with more vigour than in summer months. This may seem counter intuitive but if you spin up behind someone minus weather in the dark even if they are on a brompton chances are they MEAN to be there and may off thier carbon and lycra to preserve them for summer. Beware of these fraudsters.

6. And possibly most importantly NEVER admit to work colleagues that you are EVER cold, sore, unhappy, unmotivated unfit or in dire need of vitamin D. To them you will be king of the MTFU and not to be tested. This may also spill over into you work life in a positive way.

ooermissus

So it's OK to drink vodka and go 30 miles an hour through the dark and wet, but only if I make sure to wear a helmet.... :?:

Stevehall00

Only if you want to 'dull the comming pain' which will inevitably result in taking such a foolhardy decision.

Other options for pain inducing then reducing mixes are donner meat and strongbow (for those riding BSO's or tapas and port, for those riding fixies with trousers that make them look like a tim burton character.

gb155

I feel this winter there will be more of a need for some MTFU Juice than ever before, I cant wait :-)

cyberknight

Stevehall00 wrote:

Having done some fettling today I thought it time to share tips for winter riding especially as tomorrow is the start of the 'Long Dark'



3. Ensurer your electrics are functioning properly, for those who 'ride rural' only need the horror of an uncharged battery coupled with unlit roads filled with tractor wielding teenagers ONCE.

.

Always carry a back-up or have more than 1 light also helps cover this as well, i will have 3 front and 4 rear lights soon.

Initialised

gb155 wrote:

I feel this winter there will be more of a need for some MTFU Juice than ever before, I cant wait :-)

I recommend sugar free Red-Bull.

@cyberknight will see if I need more lights tomorrow evening. Might pick up a set or two of those cheap'n'cheerful 3W Crees.