Winter Cycling Tips

The day light hours are short, the wind and rain are cold, your bike is nice and clean, there's a good film on TV... It's not difficult to find excuses to not get out on your bike in the early days of the year (even with a purposeful resolution still ringing in your ears!). In short, getting out on your bike in winter can be a bit of a chore. Here's a few ideas that we put together for riders of our Heart of the Wolds Sportive (www.woldssportive.co.uk) that might just go a little way to putting the zest back into the experience!



Keep the elements at bay



1) Right clothing

If you're too hot and sweaty, or too cold and wet while out riding, the experience is inevitably going to disappoint. So it's worthwhile taking time to plan your attire before you go out. Not only will this involve wearing the correct clothing, but it will also mean making an assessment of the current weather conditions i.e. temperature, rain, wind etc. as well as checking the weather forecast for the rest of your ride. This will help prepare for most eventualities.
In terms of attire, a good quality softshell or waterproof jacket will help reduce the wind-chill from the core areas of your body as well as keep you warm. Beneath that, a thermal mid layer will help keep the warmth in, while below that a wicking baselayer will suck the sweat away from the surface of the skin keeping you dry and warm underneath.
Bib tights or leggings are a must in the winter months and you'll also need to take care of the extremities with wrist length thermal gloves, a beanie hat or snood to wrap around your head and ears and under your helmet. On long rides your feet are bound to get cold, so two pairs of socks is a good idea and don't forget waterproof overshoes which will keep your feet dry and as a consequence warmer, and will also save your expensive cycling shoes getting dirty!

Heart of the Wolds and Sports Lab's Adam Hardy says: “Muscles work more efficiently when they are warm and also reduce the chances of injury though pulled muscles and tendons.”
 

Try going off road for a change

2) Shake it Up

If you've spent all summer doing long endurance based rides then why not put in a tempo session, riding hard and just below your threshold for a set time. Alternatively, if you've spent the summer time trialling or road racing, why not slow down, enjoy the scenery and go out for a longer ride with your heart rate ticking along at 65-75% of maximum and easily being able to hold a conversation with your friends.
And if you've decided to do something you don't normally do, then make sure you also plot a new route along which to do it. All of us have our favourite circuits, but a new route means new scenery, new challenges and will help refresh your sense of enjoyment on a bike. You could just simply reverse the direction of your favourite route. Or try taking a route which you've never taken before and which you're not 100% sure where it leads; maybe get lost for a while...
Another way to shake things up is to swap bike type. Riding a mountain bike in winter can be a good option as your lower average speed reduces wind chill as well as increasing your chances of staying upright if you do hit a patch of ice. While if you decide to take your mountain bike off the tarmac, as well as being safer than being out on the road, riding along dirt tracks with greater resistance, sudden elevations and heavier bikes is great for building up strength in your legs.

Adam says: “Cross training can be a great addition to your winter programme. You can get a great aerobic workout from a short run or circuit training class that will maintain your fitness through the week when it’s a little hard to get out on a night due to bad weather and lack of daylight.”

Make sure you can be seen

3) Ride Safe

Winter roads are often wet, icy and slippery raising the potential to end up on the side of the road with a sore backside and a broken front fork. Don't let that happen to you. Take it easy, turn the aggression down a notch, avoid obvious slip hazards such as painted road markings, drain and manhole covers and collections of wet leaves. Also consider areas where trees cast a shadow on the road as these are areas ice tends to stay for longer into the day. It's also worth taking extra care to get your lines right going into corners when descending.
With darker mornings and evenings, overhead cloud, low angular sunlight, there is more chance of cyclists not being noticed by other road users. Increase your visibility as much as you can through effective lights and reflective clothing. Don't be shy either about making yourself visible to motorists by taking command of your space in the road - this will make your presence clear to drivers as well as allowing you to move towards the verge if you need to pull in if the motorist tries to squeeze by.

Adam says: “Pick your route carefully, sometimes quieter roads can be more problematic on dark winter evenings as many drivers leave their headlights on and this can blind you. Industrial estates with street lighting can be a good option for riding laps at a high pace without too much traffic.”




Work out a routine for cleaning your bike



4) Clean it Quick

The last thing a rider wants to do after a decent ride is clean their bike and for many, it's a reason for staying in on the turbo, or not going out at all. Unfortunately, if you want your bike to last, it's something that has to be done and for that reason it's worthwhile developing a clear process for cleaning your bike in the muddy and wet winter months. Having a set procedure for which parts to clean, with what substances and in what order, will get you into a routine which will end up saving you time on future cleans.
And if you don't want to drag your four figure treasure through tractor mud on the roads, then maybe it's worth investing in a more modest bike which you don't mind getting spattered quite as much. You can put mudguards and heavier tyres on without having to worry about speed as well as being assured that the extra weight will make you stronger.
Phil Haskins says: "I think there's probably lots of ways people go about cleaning their bikes after a dirty ride but I just tend to do the following: hose the whole frame down, then use warm soapy water and sponge to get off most of the dirt on the frame, wheels and around the chain. Then I'll spray with water again to get rid of suds and dirt. I then use white spirit with an old paint brush on the chain, rear sprocket, jockey wheels, front derailleur, chain ring. I realise some people say this is a big no-no, but I've never had any problems with it affecting the paintwork and am always surprised by how quickly it cleans off the grease. Plus, using a brush allows you to get into various nooks and crannies. I then dry the whole bike with a dry cloth or kitchen towels, then apply WD40 or lube to moving parts. All this takes between 20-30 mins."

Adam says: “A clean drivechain can add 5% to your power output.”

Enjoy your ride with friends

5) Ride Together

Motivating yourself to go out on a cold, wet, dark winter's day is difficult at the best of times, but doing it alone can be even more of a challenge. For that reason, you may wish to give riding in a group a go. You'll find that the miles slip by more easily when riding with others plus you'll always have someone to help you in case of emergency. It's also a good chance to catch up with people you know who may have been doing competitive events all summer.
If you normally ride alone, finding someone to go out with just needs a bit of initiative on your behalf, but it's worth making the effort. You're bound to know at least one cyclist friend who you've been out with in the past; give them a call or e mail and arrange to meet up. Alternatively, find out about group rides of local cycling groups, details of which are normally posted on their websites or chat rooms. Introduce yourself when you meet up and see how you get on; most groups will be friendly. There's no obligation to do group rides every week, especially if you prefer being a lone wolf, but occasionally it's good to get in a bunch and feel the buzz of being in a group.

Adam says: “Arranging to meet others is a great motivational factor; if it’s a bit cold you don’t want to be the one who everybody thinks is a wimp so you are more likely to turn up.”