Motivation!

jimmypippa

bails87 wrote:

Alpkit gourdon: http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?tar ... ory_id=295

Very, very waterproof.

Then get a pair or two of unpadded DHB Roubaix long tights from Wiggle to wear over your bibs.

Planet X do pretty good overshoes, along with gloves. Then a jacket that will keep the wind out.

I'd second that - Used it Kayaking because it is a drybag.

I tend to not use it cycling as I have waterproof panniers, but I do sometimes and works well.

The Peak District is wet, too.

Initialised

Don't get the Planet X £10 overshoes, and they only keep my shoes dry for 10-15 mins. Keep the wind off b t I've switched back to some ProRace neoprene.

Light: seems like the Magic Shine £50 jobbies are the best buy for a front light.

My SPEG Avert jacket works great for keeping out the wind and rain but I can't use it for long over 5°C unless it's raining. Cheap too.

You might need mudguards too. SKS do good kit for most types of bike.

jimmypippa

+1 to the mudguards.

I use windproofs for all but heavy rain (thin pertex, not gore windstopper).

craker

If you can't do it every day then make sure you always ride on set days- I have a friend who does Tuesdays and Fridays only and we winge at him if he doesn't. A good bit a macho banter between us cyclists works well- whosoever fails to cycle commute gets a ribbing from colleagues.

Initialised

daveski12 wrote:

You have to do it more often so it becomes routine. I used to look at the weather forecasts before deciding whether to drive or cycle, now I don't bother and just go out on the bike every day.

I did that for the first winter and gave up around this time first year back in the saddle. But since plugging through the worst winter in 30 years, selling the car because I stopped using it I have a better standard of living, am more healthy (-4.5stone) and now as my boss commented I dress for the weather rather than letting it dictate whether I ride or not. Now I get crabby if I don't ride.

I could have had a lift home tonight as Mrs ini came to pick up some bits from work, but I wanted to ride and made excuses about collapsing the bike to get it in the boot etc...

Give it time, succumb to the addiction and then you'll start seeking out bigger and bigger hills.

davis

meanredspider wrote:

Err - yes - there's progress for you :oops:

I've made some progress - the MTB is newer (3 years old nearly), the Spikers are Pros, and I've got better clothes and lights. I am a bit fitter too

How would you commute in the snow if you didn't take the bike? Have you got e.g. a 4wd with winter tyres? (This is a serious question; I'm interested in how likely getting snowed in etc is up there).

Wrath Rob

Initialised wrote:

Now I get crabby if I don't ride

This. Mrs Wrath Rob complains if I get the tube. I've made it work to my advantage as she now knows that if I don't get out for a ride over the weekend or for a couple of days she won't hear the end of it.

jamesinealing

Would it make a difference if every mile you rode was raising money for your chosen charity? I'm just setting up a website - www.apennypermile.com - with just that aim.

Can I ask a favour of anyone who reads this? Can you all head to http://bit.ly/RmHnzl and place a vote by clicking 'I Agree' so I can win some startup funding to get the idea off the ground?

And if you like the idea, please help spread the word

Thanks

roger_merriman

I do think it needs to be your own desire, I like winter I'm not a fan of high temps but am quite happy in proper cold weather ie -10 or more.

Plus my commute is though Bushy Park which tends to be glorious and even quieter in the winter months.

meanredspider

davis wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Err - yes - there's progress for you :oops:

I've made some progress - the MTB is newer (3 years old nearly), the Spikers are Pros, and I've got better clothes and lights. I am a bit fitter too

How would you commute in the snow if you didn't take the bike? Have you got e.g. a 4wd with winter tyres? (This is a serious question; I'm interested in how likely getting snowed in etc is up there).

4wd are a waste of time TBH. If the snow is deep enough for a 4wd, the roads will be shut anyway. I have a Merc (the poster child for crap cars in the snow) - with winter tyres, it'll go anywhere. The Merc on winter tyres is far far better than a 4wd on regular tyres. We get some snow up here but probably not a massive amount more than, say, Kent - at least not at the lower levels. Getting south through the Cairngorm national park is more of a challenge but, whilst my son was having cancer treatment, we did that journey loads of time in the snow in the old Merc and it was entirely uneventful.

jimmypippa

Round here, the problem is the other vehicles.

We do get snow in the Peak, but usually the roads would be OK if some numpty doesn't get stopped and snarl up the road.

I'll cycle up to the problem and walk round it.

michaelappleton

15 miles in the cold & wet winter? The car sounds a good bet to me!

itboffin

Two trains tonight with a 20 min wait for each to do a 30 min journey of 27 miles hmmmm #quickerbybike

Kieran_Burns

michaelappleton wrote:

15 miles in the cold & wet winter? The car sounds a good bet to me!

I have had some of my best rides in the Winter - cold and wet isn't a problem if you have the right kit and you get a great sense of achievement from tackling the elements and making it


I REALLY did not want to get out of bed this morning and just could not be bothered cycling in. I did though and had a really good ride. Surprisingly high avg speed - this is the motivation I need... getting past the negative and pushing myself, then getting something positive out of a simple bike ride

meanredspider

The only frustration with winter I have is the inevitable slower speeds: it's dark and wet with plenty of mud, leaves and ice on the road and the air is around 5%+ more dense. Then there's using the MTB on ice tyres. Needing to focus on just putting in the miles and burning the calories rather than worring about the average speed.

rubertoe

I really couldn't be bothered to get out of bed this morning, then the ride in was a real struggle.

But it beats £10 on PT and i have 20 position to defend on SC Stats. That is motivation enough for me.

I am also determined to find another route home tonight without getting lost, So I had to come in by bike to be able to ride home.

daxplusplus

Decide whether your going to cycle in the night before and not in the morning .. everyone sometimes feels like giving it a miss in the morning during the winter so don't decide then.

It's a case of you making a conscious choice on what you want to achieve over the longer term .. this is never a priority first thing in the morning when it's dark, cold and damp outside.

rubertoe

Just so you know, I have no motivation to do anything today.

I shall be on the small ring all the way home and looking for every opportunity to draft that I can.