Slowly getting fitter, and winter riding advice needed

ThisGirlCant

Its been about 2 months now since I bought my first road bike and started cycling regularly. I'm still slower than slow, but I'm starting to notice some improvements:

- Some hills that I used to have to walk up (mainly because once I stopped to catch my breath it was too steep for me to start off again), I can now cycle up. This is probably due to having lost 10lbs. I've discovered that swearing loudly whilst climbing seems to help. Although some hills I don't have the breath for it!
- My resting HR has dropped from 64bpm to 57bpm (fitbit is a handy tool!)
- I'm actually enjoying it and find myself looking forward to each ride.

I'm a bit sad that the Summer is over just as I'm really getting into it. I have bought some cheap lights (Moon Nova 80/Pulsar) for if I'm caught out at dusk, but not sure they'll be good enough for actually riding in the dark. Also, if I'm going to carry on riding through the winter I need to think about different clothes. I've just been riding in a lightweight t shirt and cycling shorts, and this has been fine in summer as I get really hot and sweaty. However as it gets colder I'm worried I'll get get really cold if I've been sweating and then stop. Do I need to suck it up and invest in some expensive high tech materials, or can anyone recommend a cheaper way to prevent me catching a chill since I'm such a sweaty betty? I went for a ride yesterday and by the time I got home I was chilled to the bone.

Sunglasses. I know this won't matter in winter, but as soon as I start to sweat the damn things slip down my nose. Any tips.

Lastly, I'm still riding on the pedals that came with the bike (toe clips and straps, but I took the straps off). I'm planning on seeing how I get on through the winter and will think about clipping in next year. That'll probably be a whole other post in itself as I have no idea where to start...

Thanks in advance for any advice or words of encouragement.

milemuncher1

Take a deep breath, get some cold / wet weather gear, get out there. It's only the months from December to February you have to worry about really. 12 weeks isn't much to be concerned about. Winter miles = summer smiles.

cougie

Aldi are selling winter kit on the 28th September. It's good quality stuff and very reasonable. You'll need longs to go over your shorts and then gloves a jacket and Bandana to go under your hat.

As to glasses my oakleys never slip down my nose.

It's important to keep riding through the winter - you'll have the benefit of all the miles in the spring.

ThisGirlCant

cougie wrote:

Aldi are selling winter kit on the 28th September. It's good quality stuff and very reasonable. You'll need longs to go over your shorts and then gloves a jacket and Bandana to go under your hat.

Thanks, will check them out!

ThisGirlCant

Milemuncher1 wrote:

Take a deep breath, get some cold / wet weather gear, get out there. It's only the months from December to February you have to worry about really. 12 weeks isn't much to be concerned about. Winter miles = summer smiles.

Thanks, it would be a shame for me to undo all the hard work. I just hate winter with a passion - I just get the urge to hibernate, but maybe cycling would help with that...

sungod

decathlon is also good if you are on a tight budget

artificial fibres tend to be better, cotton t-shirts, denim etc. are nasty when wet and take ages to dry

rather than one heavy garment, go for layers, until it's really cold, arm/leg warmers, and base layers can make 'summer' clothing usable into single digit temperatures (celsius), simple neck buff also helps if it gets nippy

mesh baselayers are good as they trap air next to the skin, also if the next layer does get wet the mesh helps keep it away from your skin and reduces chilling

a lightweight windproof 'shell' is good, needs to be breathable, once warmed up you can remove it and stuff in a back pocket

slowmart

@ OP, it seems your still undecided about riding through winter? There are some great days to be had as well as the more challenging conditions.

There are alternatives to riding outdoors and an indoor trainer with some structured training might be worthy of consideration. The faff factor ( washing all your kit, which there will be lots plus bike cleaning soon becomes a chore) is much reduced whilst the efficiencies of getting fitter are amplified by training indoors and controlling your environment. Yes it can be boring unless you explore ways to make your rides more interesting but your fitness will come on nicely.

Frank Wilson

OP, the best part of winter riding is that if your route includes a cycle / walking path they are a lot quieter in the winter.

meursault

Learn to love the climbs!

Clear lens glasses for winter/dark. Bolle safety ones will do, depending how much you want to spend. Neoprene gloves are really good in winter, work same as wetsuit, you get wet but not cold. I have been using them for over five years riding and commuting through the winter.

I don't own any of the long ballet short things, bibs with knee warmers work fine. Keep feet warm, once cold impossible to get warm again. Maybe not impossible but...

bonk_king

For me there's something about riding on a cold crisp autumn/winter day that beats summer riding hands down (if it's too cold though and you're going early morning watch for frost/black ice patches). Your toes and hands usually feel the chill first, and for us bald chaps, the head too. If you don't prepare for this you will very quickly learn from it as your ride will be ruined. Good gloves, light overshoes and light balaclava look after these three i've mentioned, the rest of my body is usually fine through the heat generated through the effort. At one time i used to put my bike away for 3 months and start back up again in spring. This way is no good because all your fitness as gone. Then i started turbo training which keeps your fitness at a reasonsble level but indoor training is not everyones cup of tea, certainly not mine. So that left carrying on riding outdoors, which is what i do now.

jgsi

Frank Wilson wrote:

OP, the best part of winter riding is that if your route includes a cycle / walking path they are a lot quieter in the winter.

Yup, proper gritted when black iced over ... Council has money to burn.....lol

kajjal

Riding through the winter is fine just be very careful of ice and high gusty winds, this makes it very dangerous and not worth the risk.

As above get a few thinner layers than you can control your temperature much better, bib tights are very good in the winter as they keep you warm and getting cold on the bike is no fun. Also allow more time for cleaning and maintaining your bike as the extra mud and wet etc. makes it more work than in the summer.

If you do keep going through the winter you will carry a good level of fitness into the spring which means you can really go for it as the weather improves.

cougie

Lately winters round here have been very mild. You can happily ride on all but a few days.

simon_e

Great to hear that you're enjoying it and seeing progress. With better fitness and more confidence you should be able to enjoy riding at any time of year and it will mean you already feel good when Spring comes round. As others have said, Autumn is a wonderful time to be out riding and there's a real sense of satisfaction getting back in after a nice ride on a winter's day (and you've earned extra pudding).

Lights - try using the ones you have for now. If you ride in the dark regularly, especially on unlit lanes, then you will really benefit from having something brighter on the front. Even in town a bright front light gets attention amid all the car headlights. If you're worried about being noticed from behind get a second rear light, run one constant and the other on flash. 3M Scotchlite spoke reflectors are great and so easy to fit.

Clothing - while technical fabrics are good you don't have to pay the earth. I've been using a pair of £8 cycling jerseys from Tesco daily for years, I can't seem to wear them out! I find pairing a short-sleeved jersey with Planet X merino armwarmers is better than trying to decide whether it's cold enough for a long-sleeve jersey. A windproof/showerproof jacket is a must and when it's cooler a merino baselayer goes underneath (Howies or Endura). Polaris 3 Quartz 3/4 length are good down to about 6 deg C, less faff than knee/legwarmers. Any colder and it's Altura Stream tights over Endura undershorts. A cycling cap keeps the rain out my eyes and keeps my head dry. Following others on here, Bollé Contour safety glasses (£9, smoke or clear). Galibier Roubaix gloves are ideal on milder days. For thicker gloves try a good number on, including at the outdoor shops. My kids both use a neckwarmer/buff/tube to keep draughts out.

keef66

I love night rides in the winter; the urge to hibernate is clearly strong in others because I can sometimes be out for 2 hours and not see a car. Lots of wildlife though. Give way to anything with antlers.
Decent lights front and back, and a second, backup at each end too in case one fails or drops off. Plenty of reflectives, and dress according to the weather. As above, layers are best / more versatile. Avoid cheap waterproofs; you'll poach in your own sweat. Better to get a bit damp from the rain but stay warm. Softshell jerseys / jackets are good, especially windstopper and the like at the front and something more breathable at the back. And get some bibtights for your lower half. Overshoes are a godsend if you go out in the wet, as are proper mudguards. HTH and good luck!

MiddleRinger

Winter riding eh?

Well you could always ..... Zwift!





*runs away quickly*

dannbodge

MiddleRinger wrote:

Winter riding eh?

Well you could always ..... Zwift!





*runs away quickly*

That's my plan this year.

I can do cold and dry, warm and wet but not cold and wet.
If I plan on a ride and it's raining, I'll Zwift instead.

However I quite enjoy being out in the cold as long as it's dry.

Pituophis

Pretty much all my winter riding is done in the cold, dark evenings!
As has been said already, Aldi do very good base layer sets for both men and women. Dhb (Wiggle) do very warm Roubaix bib longs for about £65, and these suit me much better than shorts and leg warmers.
My big must are proper winter over shoes. Your feet will not stay bone dry, but they will stay warm. Cold feet/hands will put you off riding through the colder weather pretty quickly. Again, I use the Dhb ones at about £25, but I bet there's not a lot of difference between brands.
When riding in the dark, I'm also happy to look like one of those mental, florescent people in their bright yellow jackets, and good lights are really a must.!
Not for everyone, and other opinions are available.

chrisaonabike

Pituophis wrote:

My big must are proper winter over shoes. Your feet will not stay bone dry, but they will stay warm. Cold feet/hands will put you off riding through the colder weather pretty quickly.

^^ This. A million times this.

I started in October 2012, and rode the whole winter without overshoes. I was super-keen, and the novelty factor was strong, but as my feet thawed out, the pain was often indescribable.

Then I discovered overshoes, and that made it a bit better.

Then I discovered Northwave Winter Boots. Similar to these - expensive, but worth every penny. I went a size up, so that I could wear two pairs of socks, and I got some overshoes for them as well.

Unbelievable the difference. Feet don't even get numb, now, on the coldest of days. I must have been bonkers that first winter, never again.

burnthesheep

MiddleRinger wrote:

Winter riding eh?

Well you could always ..... Zwift!





*runs away quickly*

For most anyone that lives somewhere with true winter, meaning cold/wet/dark a disproportionate time.......this could mean the difference between arriving to the spring that fitter and happier or having spent winter being ill and angry.

Imagine gaining 15 watts through winter instead of losing 15 watts. That's 30watts difference in 3 months, and probably at least 5 to 10 lbs body weight difference.

Matthewfalle

burnthesheep wrote:

MiddleRinger wrote:

Winter riding eh?

Well you could always ..... Zwift!





*runs away quickly*

For most anyone that lives somewhere with true winter, meaning cold/wet/dark a disproportionate time.......this could mean the difference between arriving to the spring that fitter and happier or having spent winter being ill and angry.

Imagine gaining 15 watts through winter instead of losing 15 watts. That's 30watts difference in 3 months, and probably at least 5 to 10 lbs body weight difference.

I agree - imagine that.

Matthewfalle

Decent lights and a cx bike for the winter - keep up the fitness, improve bike handling, have a brilliant laugh.

Job jobbed.

step83

Basics for winter,

Warm gloves (invest in liners too)
Layer not thick items (layers trap heat better and protect you from the wind better)
Light tints on lenses or clear (its usually overcast so you don't need a dark lens an it keeps the wind/rain out your eyes)
Head gear (keeps your head warm)
shoe covers (keep your feet warm)

In terms of cost it shouldn't be too bad you can usually get away with a couple of long bibs or leg warmers a decent jacket or gilet gloves a neck tube an foot covers. Aldi, Decathlon an the like are very good. I would get the basics try it an then decide what else you need as everyone's different.

burnthesheep

Step83 wrote:

Light tints on lenses or clear (its usually overcast so you don't need a dark lens an it keeps the wind/rain out your eyes)

You can get safety glasses very cheap (industrial or hunting). They make them in "sport" look in either clear or with a very small amount of tint. Much cheaper than sun glasses if you don't need the UV or darkness.

Matthewfalle

Go for yellow or orange lenses - really good for low level light conditions.

ThisGirlCant

So many helpful replies I can't reply to everyone individually. But thank you everyone!
I'll check out Aldi and also decathlon. See if I can find some bargains.
Think a turbo trainer is a bit out of budget right now but I'll bear it in mind. It's certainly be nice to cycle even when it's icy (and my asthma would probably appreciate being out of the cold air). I may also try some spin classes...

Again, thank you all!

Stupot07

Hi, i'm also interested in this as only really got summer kit. Would some of the wool planet x leg warmers / arm warmers be better than getting a pair of thermal bib shorts and thermal jersey? Has anyone tried FDX kit? Looks quite reasonable for a thermal set.

dannbodge

Thermal bib tights and jersey are much warmer than arm warmers and leg warmers in my experience.

bungalballs

I would second the idea for indoor training, but with a slight twist. I struggle for motivation to work hard on the bike in the winter, especially when I feel I 'need' to go out to maintain some fitness.

I would suggest investing in a turbo, a basic speed/cadence sensor and signing up to Trainer-road. Do turbo workouts during weekdays (to suit what time you have), then do leisurely outdoor weekend rides. If weather is bad or icy, don't bother. This way you keep the motivation with a proper ride, but fitness will progress too.

haydenm

Dannbodge wrote:

Thermal bib tights and jersey are much warmer than arm warmers and leg warmers in my experience.

This, but those planet X arm warmers are very good

dannbodge

HaydenM wrote:

Dannbodge wrote:

Thermal bib tights and jersey are much warmer than arm warmers and leg warmers in my experience.

This, but those planet X arm warmers are very good

Oh I know, I have a pair of them too