What do you do when winter comes?

rozzer32

I'm another one who came down on the ice in January. Wasn't very nice.

This winter I will be on the turbo and hopefully out on the weekend. Also just started training for triathlon so will be swimming and running. I think the winter is a good time to do some cross training, makes a bit of change for you rather then just cycling all the time.

Pseudonym

Paul E wrote:

I will be getting some crud road racers this autumn mainly to keep the cr@p off my bike more than me

they won't. Even running full guards in the worst of winter will not keep your bike clean - but they will keep most of the crap from reaching the rider - which as far as I'm concerned is the main thing. If you are buying mudguards to keep a clean bike, then save your money...

Pross

I'm not quite sure why people worry so much about getting a road bike wet and dirty. Ultimately the frame and components are made from exactly the same materials as a mountain bike which people don't think twice about getting messy. The biggest issue in the winter is road salt but a wash and re-oil after the ride should protect against this plus (last two winters aside) there's not that many days each winter in the south of the country were the roads need salting. Just wrap up warm (remember you will warm up as you go so I tend to start out feeling slightly colder than comfortable) especially your extremities so overshoes and gloves are particularly important.

ddraver

Spinning and CX is great...

No one has mentioned Cross training yet - It's a good time to try something else to improve some other spects of fitness, try a bit of running or swimming or dig that old Tennis/Squash/'minton racket out and have a look at that. Improving your all round fitness is well worth the effort and it's something new to keep your interest up too (plus some of them happen indoors which is even better)

rozzer32

ddraver wrote:

Spinning and CX is great...

No one has mentioned Cross training yet - It's a good time to try something else to improve some other spects of fitness, try a bit of running or swimming or dig that old Tennis/Squash/'minton racket out and have a look at that. Improving your all round fitness is well worth the effort and it's something new to keep your interest up too (plus some of them happen indoors which is even better)

See my post above :roll:

lucus_j

hibernate

Monty Dog

Probably the best cross-training for cycling is XC skiing for those lucky enough to live in snowier climes - although I have been tempted to order a pair these past winters. I do have a pair of offroad inline skates which when used with XC ski poles is a really good all-over workout - relatively low impact in comparison to running once you get the balance and technique and consumes more calories than running too. The best solution is to have a range of options to suit the weather - keeping active regardless of the weather helps maintain fitness.

hammerite

Monty Dog you can do inline XC at Hillingdon http://www.londonnordic.org.uk/ (you probably knew this already).

Chris James

Monty Dog wrote:

With modern lights, if you stick to riding on unlit roads it's probably safer than riding the same roads in daylight as you can see the lights of approaching traffic. Because of the power of modern lights (but not blinding oncoming traffic) they aren't sure of the size of your vehicle and tend to give way more - particularly on narrower lanes.

Maybe the other posters have better roads where they are? I don't like winter night time road rides much, I have no problem seeing other road users and them seeing me.

My isssue is that I live in a rural village with unlit roads, but steady traffic across the moors and lots of potholes. Oncoming car headlights can dazzle you and destroy your night vision which makes it more difficult to avoid potholes.

I have a turbo and use that in winter during the week. Like the other posters I get out at weekends on a bike fitted with guards, and me fitted with roubaix tights, windproof jacket (if v cold), overshoes or oversocks.

Fat-Boy-Roubaix

LeicesterLad wrote:

My Biggest mistake last year was putting the bike away in october, and digging it out again in april, I started the old 'oo, weather looks bit naff today, ill get the bus', before long it didn't matter what the weather was doing, i couldn't be arsed to get the bike out, i got miserable, and depressed, i missed cycling, but couldn't be arsed to cycle, sounds weird but thats how it was. This year im determined to MTFU, spend a packet on decent clothing, and do more winter miles than ive covered this summer.

That was me last year, and to your tail of woes, getting the commute fitness back was a real pain barrier seemed to take 6 weeks until it wasn't near on killing me.. Rather hoping the memory of that will ensure I ride all but the snow and ice days!

rick_chasey

I cry.

Scrappaman

Thanks for your replies guys - they've all been really helpful! I am going to stick it out, invest in good clothing, and see how it goes.

Thanks again

cyberknight

Chris James wrote:

Monty Dog wrote:

With modern lights, if you stick to riding on unlit roads it's probably safer than riding the same roads in daylight as you can see the lights of approaching traffic. Because of the power of modern lights (but not blinding oncoming traffic) they aren't sure of the size of your vehicle and tend to give way more - particularly on narrower lanes.

Maybe the other posters have better roads where they are? I don't like winter night time road rides much, I have no problem seeing other road users and them seeing me.

My isssue is that I live in a rural village with unlit roads, but steady traffic across the moors and lots of potholes. Oncoming car headlights can dazzle you and destroy your night vision which makes it more difficult to avoid potholes.

I have a turbo and use that in winter during the week. Like the other posters I get out at weekends on a bike fitted with guards, and me fitted with roubaix tights, windproof jacket (if v cold), overshoes or oversocks.

My commute is along unlit country lanes and i work shifts so i do a lot of commuting on pitch black roads all year around, i only missed maybe a week or so when we had that bad bit in winter as i ride on 23 mm slicks so the snow that had compacted into sheet ice on the cycle path bit i have to use was not safe.

My helmet for winter commuting has a peak which helps to stop dazzle,i use the yellowish lenses in my glasses even in winter as they reduce the glare from headlights and do not reduce your vision enough to be a concern.
Versatile clothing is a must so i wear multiple thin layers that you can carry easily in panniers when you get to hot.
I normally have a long sleeve base layer, ss jersey and windproof along with padded shorts and ron hill bikesters.Add winter gloves ,overshoes, thermal socks and a buff to keep the extremities warm and carry some armwarmers and legwarmers just in case.
With the above clothing i am ok in all but the most severe cold, i start to think about it when it hit - 10 .
Plenty of reflectives on your bike and clothing to help increase your visibility on those unlit sections always helps and a good light set up.

My current light set up for winter commuting is smart superflash on the seat post and 1 on each pannier loop and a helmet flasher as backup.On the front i run a 100 lumen light as back up and light for normal roads along with a Magicshine light for the unlit parts of my commute.
The magicshine is bright enough so you can cycle at full speed on unlit sections will total confidence and it also is so bright that ohter road users tend to think i am a motr bike and dip their beams eliminating the dazzle effect.

woodbloke

I've done winter riding on my Trek 7.5 hybrid over the last few year, mainly to commute to work and also to get into town if needed at the weekend. Riding in the bitter cold is not a pleasant experience whichever way you slice it...perhaps the worst thing is the icy wind round my eyes and the effects of the cold on the ends of my fingers (even with thermal gloves on!) I don't have overshoes but do fit panniers so that dry socks and shoes can be carried in it for when I get to work.
For riding in the rain, I use some cheap waterproofs from the market which seem to do the job, but you still end up sweaty underneath which isn't pleasant when you have to spend a day at the desk.
My Trek has slick tyres on it so it's not too bad in the wet...but lethal on ice and snow, so if there's even the least hint of the stuff, I stay off the bike. I'm going to get my sons old Carrera Subway fitted with some big knobblies this year and head off up into the woods behind the house during the wet season...at least I can jump into a hot shower when I get back, so the road bike will only get used in fine weather - Rob

meanredspider

I've done two Highland winters now and I think I'm optimising it. First year I came off my road bike within a mile. I then stuck full-blown Ice Spikers on my old MTB and commuted on that. Last year I bought a new Cube Reaction Race MTB and fitted folding Ice Spikers - much better but still quite hard work. This year I'm going the disc-equipped CX route - with some Marathon Winter studded tyres fitted so I can get my average speeds up a bit. We have ice regularly for 4 months (and the snow at the top of Mt Eagle stays for a long time). Wet weather makes road brakes really crap and the potholes obviously get a lot worse with ice - hence the CX bike. Studded tyres are amazing - as much as a revelation as winter tyres were on my car.

The cold is rarely an issue for me - it's just about wearing enough clothes. Layered up Assos winter glove system is perfect - even down to -11C.