Anyone else prefer riding in winter to in summer?

neilo23
neilo23 Posts: 783
edited February 2014 in The cake stop
I do, especially if it's dry (not that a force 10 gale a bit of driving rain and sleet puts me off) . The amateurs (cough) aren't out clogging up the bike paths and roads, I don' t want to keep stopping to try and develope my cyclist's tan lines, the nods you get from the other (masochist) cyclists are respectful "he's one of us" nods. However, I think the main reason is that my fantasy of being the youthful Bernard Hinault with his hands freezing to his handlebars seems a step closer. Should I be talking to someone about this?
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Comments

  • In answer to your title question,,


    No
    Trek,,,, too cool for school ,, apparently
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    Depends
  • ai_1
    ai_1 Posts: 3,060
    No!
  • neilo23
    neilo23 Posts: 783
    The post wasn't meant entirely seriously but I definitely think that I look much nicer in my winter gear than in just my shorts and a jersey. It isn't as embarrassing popping into a supermarket to get a drink :D
  • bianchimoon
    bianchimoon Posts: 3,942
    I see where you're coming from, winter summer, spring, Autumn I enjoy it all for different reasons :)
    All lies and jest..still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest....
  • neilo23
    neilo23 Posts: 783
    I do seem to have a masochistic streak, though, which seems to motivate me in winter more than in summer. I think to myself that if I'm already outside cold, wet or both I should try and make the most of it. A professional would have to train or race in it so why shouldn't I just get on with and and try and emulate my heroes? Anyone can enjoy a nice summer's day on the bike but training in winter makes me feel as if I realky mean business. Not that the results reflect my suffering :D Still terrified on wet descents, mind :cry:
  • antfly
    antfly Posts: 3,276
    I enjoy it, as long as it's not icy. There is a certain satisfaction to be had in beating the cold with the right gear {no balaclavas allowed}.
    Smarter than the average bear.
  • antfly wrote:
    I enjoy it, as long as it's not icy. There is a certain satisfaction to be had in beating the cold with the right gear {no balaclavas allowed}.

    Very true +1
  • I don't think I prefer it, but there are certainly good things about riding in winter, it's not all bad news.
    "That's it! You people have stood in my way long enough. I'm going to clown college! " - Homer
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,196
    You cannot replace the feeling of warm sunshine on your skin, sweat (not rain or dew drops falling off your nose) and doing a 70 mile plus ride without wearing 10kg's extra layers, hacking cough in the cold air, bike covered in mud, dirt piling up behind the brake calipers making a schhh schhh schhh sound (I have a slight buckle I haven't got round to truing), having to hose the bloody thing down after every ride.

    Warm day: t-shirt, SS jersey shorts, socks shoes, off you go.
    Winter: Socks, Shoes, Overshoes, thick tights, bib shorts, base layer, t shirt, jersey, thermal jacket, windstopper, spare waterproof, gloves, glove liners, hat... meh, knackered and overheating putting that lot on before getting on the bike, fall asleep with a hot drink in your hand and wake up to find it is raining.

    F*ck winter, it's damp, grey, cold, dark, tiresome and overrated.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • Yes, I do
  • Monkeypump
    Monkeypump Posts: 1,528
    No bloody way.

    Not only is the ride miserable, but as Piña says, the faff before and after is tedious. A nice, crisp, cold day - fair enough, can be great. Most of the winter is just grotty though.
  • marcusjb
    marcusjb Posts: 2,412
    Riding in winter can be awesome; crisp, sunny mornings are hard to beat (not that we have had much sun this winter!).

    But everything is a faff, the clothes, the cleaning of the bike. Getting big rides in (anything 200km+) is going to tend to mean riding in the dark for part of it. The dark and the cold. The ice.

    I have had some great winter rides, but nothing compared to summer.

    So, no, I don't prefer it. It can be great, but give me hooning along on a summer's day wearing just a jersey and shorts, none of this Michelin man look with 7 layers.
  • peat
    peat Posts: 1,242
    nope.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    antfly wrote:
    I enjoy it, as long as it's not icy. There is a certain satisfaction to be had in beating the cold with the right gear {no balaclavas allowed}.
    But if it's not icy, surely you can't really call it cold?
  • Give me the Summer any day. Winter riding sucks the fat one...
    let all your saddles be comfy and all your rides less bumpy....
  • arran77
    arran77 Posts: 9,260
    .....wearing 10kg's extra layers, hacking cough in the cold air, bike covered in mud, dirt piling up behind the brake calipers making a schhh schhh schhh sound

    Summer in Scotland sounds delightful :P
    "Arran, you are like the Tony Benn of smut. You have never diluted your depravity and always stand by your beliefs. You have my respect sir and your wife my pity" :lol:

    seanoconn
  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    Prefer it no, enjoy it yes.
  • capt_slog
    capt_slog Posts: 3,939
    Riding in winter. I've heard of that.


    The older I get, the better I was.

  • diamonddog wrote:
    Prefer it no, enjoy it yes.
    +1
  • bobtbuilder
    bobtbuilder Posts: 1,537
    You cannot replace the feeling of warm sunshine on your skin, sweat (not rain or dew drops falling off your nose) and doing a 70 mile plus ride without wearing 10kg's extra layers, hacking cough in the cold air, bike covered in mud, dirt piling up behind the brake calipers making a schhh schhh schhh sound (I have a slight buckle I haven't got round to truing), having to hose the bloody thing down after every ride.

    Warm day: t-shirt, SS jersey shorts, socks shoes, off you go.
    Winter: Socks, Shoes, Overshoes, thick tights, bib shorts, base layer, t shirt, jersey, thermal jacket, windstopper, spare waterproof, gloves, glove liners, hat... meh, knackered and overheating putting that lot on before getting on the bike, fall asleep with a hot drink in your hand and wake up to find it is raining.

    F*ck winter, it's damp, grey, cold, dark, tiresome and overrated.

    WHS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  • Like everyone else I don't prefer winter riding but for me the gap between the two in terms of enjoyment is probably not as wide as it is for others. I guess it's because I've always had a sporting hobby on the go that involved being outside in the winter months, I'd go crackers if I didn't get out in some way at weekends regardless of the season.
  • mugensi
    mugensi Posts: 559
    I only go out in winter because i start to feel guilty if i dont. If i had a choice I probably wouldnt. It takes me forever to try and decide what level of clothing i need whereas in summer/spring/autumn its a simple case of jersey and shorts and a fold up rain jacket for when it rains.
  • Gazzaputt
    Gazzaputt Posts: 3,227
    Hated this bloody winter with it's constant rain. Lanes full of shite, bike covered in said shite.

    Roll on summer. :D
  • Winter is for running, apart from on a very nice day without any rain and not much wind. Or to the pub on a hack on a cold Saturday evening.
    Summer is for cycling, especially if there is a pub along the way on a sociable Sunday afternoon.
  • antfly
    antfly Posts: 3,276
    bompington wrote:
    antfly wrote:
    I enjoy it, as long as it's not icy. There is a certain satisfaction to be had in beating the cold with the right gear {no balaclavas allowed}.
    But if it's not icy, surely you can't really call it cold?
    It's usually blowing a gale here on the Lancashire coast, so lots of wind chill but rarely any ice, at least this winter anyway.
    Smarter than the average bear.
  • I've had a couple of cracking rides this winter which brought home the pure pleasure of riding as a small self-reliant group of like-minded souls. But by Chri$t there are some bloody awful road conditions out there as all the ripped tyres will testify.
    Not encountered ice so far, but obvs it's nasty.
    Wind though.
    "Consider the grebe..."
  • snowley
    snowley Posts: 149
    I quite enjoy it but its different to summer. The main thing I like is the fresh air going into the lungs!!!
  • ai_1
    ai_1 Posts: 3,060
    Cycling in winter can be very enjoyable when it's dry and crisp and the wind isn't too bad but that's been a rarity this winter. Last year was much better. The main problem with winter riding is the extra effort needed to get yourself out the door. The extra clothing is part of it but the psychological part is what gets me most. Looking out the window at driving rain being blown horizontally against a dark grey sky on a cold winter Sunday morning it gets very tempting to go back to bed or grab a nice hot cup of coffee and sit down in front of the TV.
  • mr_goo
    mr_goo Posts: 3,770
    Last winter was quite enjoyable as down here it was relatively dry and not overly cold. Even managed to get out for night time rides 2-3 times a week for 20 - 30 mile rides. Certainly made the summer more enjoyable.
    This year haven't been out at night at all, as roads are torn up with heavy rain, and even during the day roads are flooded or littered with debris. Roll on the spring.
    Always be yourself, unless you can be Aaron Rodgers....Then always be Aaron Rodgers.