Top Ten Tips for cycling during the winter

If you are like me you like to rack up as many miles as possible over the winter months. Here are my top 10 tips to keep riding through the winter and make your winter miles as enjoyable as possible!

1. Choose a suitable bike for the winter conditions

The first tip is to make sure you’re riding a suitable bike. A great winter bike will enhance ride comfort and safety. A winter road bike is set up for harsh conditions – with wide tyres, mudguards and cheap components that you don’t mind wearing out in the rain.

If you don’t have a dedicated winter bike and it’s wet, use your gravel bike even if riding on the road, for more grip and safety (potholes look too much like puddles). If it’s really wet or snowing use your mountain bike. In the end, as long as you are getting the miles in and staying rubber side down it doesn’t matter which bike is being ridden.

2. Fit your bike with wider tyres

Tyres on road bikes seem to be getting wider and wider and for good reason, especially in wet and wintery conditions. A wider tyre with less tyre pressure will provide more traction and more comfort on your winter ride. Choose a good winter tyre which prioritizes grip and puncture resistance over low rolling resistance.

3. Ensure you’re wearing suitable clothing

British writer Alfred Wainright famously said there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing and this could not be truer for your winter riding. Waterproof gloves, shoe covers, a good waterproof jacket are all an absolute must. If you dress for the conditions those long cold miles will jump up the scale from suffer-fest to fun!

My favourite technical gear for winter is made by Q36.5. A kit brand with is HQ in the Italian mountains who have put their gear through the harshest of test environments.

4. Choose your route carefully, and adpat to the conditions

Check the weather forecast before you ride and head where things look best. Also, check the sky before you set off! There’s many a time I’ve planned a ride west into the mountains, taken one look at where the clouds are hanging low and set off in the opposite direction.

Avoid dangerous descents too, these tend to be even worse when wet and are simply not worth the risk.

Another tip with your route choice is to stay closer to home – if the weather takes a turn for the worse and you get caught out, you can always speed home to a nice hot shower. There’s a time and a place for heroic rides and it’s not on a bad weather day.

5. Be prepared – Carry the right equipment

The Scout motto also applies to winter cycling – it’s really important to carry spares in case of breakdown. Here is what I would suggest:

• Innertubes, at least 2 (make them lightweight ones and you don’t add too much weight to you or your bike) .
• Good pump that you’ve tested before hand and works.
• Co2 tool and canester, because sometimes it’s too much effort to get the tyre pumped up with cold hands.
• Chain link.
• Multitool with chain break function.
• Mobile phone to call for help if needed! A nice touch is to share your location with someone whilst your ride to ensure help can get on the way if needed.

6. Don’t get hungry – carry more food than normal & hydrate!

Carry more food than usual since your body is using more energy to stay warm – it’s recommended to consume a minimum of 40g of carbs an hour on an endurance ride, that 2 bananas an hour!

Even though it’s cold out you still need to hydrate well to ensure you’re getting the full benefit of the winter miles. Adding Vitamin C in the mix helps keep illness at bay too.

7. Stay safe & be seen – add lights to your bike

I ride with small lights on my bike any time of the day. It’s a small weight addition and huge safety advantage with cars spotting me much sooner. In the winter, even if riding in the day it is absolutely critical to use lights. If it gets dark you’ll need higher power lights, upwards of 500 lumens for your front light.

8. Ride with friends

Riding with friends, a colleague or a cycling club helps the miles go by more easily, especially in the winter in more adverse conditions and when you haven’t got your power numbers to hit. The winter is the time of year to be more social with cycling.

9. Aim for a good cake stop

There’s nothing like the promise of a hot coffee and hearty slice of cake to keep you motivated to pedal. I like to time my winter coffee stops after the halfway point to make the home stretch feel nice and easy. It’s also a perfect opportunity to dry off and warm up for the remainder of the ride.

10. Know when to give up and/or book a cycling holiday somewhere sunny!

If it’s icy don’t go out on the road bike, if it’s torrential rain the turbo trainer is a great alternative to getting soaked. Remember, the goal is to ride all winter, not scar yourself after the first attempt and end up with the bike in the shed for weeks. Don’t forget the importantance of quality rest too.

If the weather is getting you down and keeping you off the bike, booking a last minute flight somewhere sunny is a great plan! We’re pretty biased but Málaga & Girona are amazing places to enjoy sunshine in winter, and you can join an Eat Sleep Cycle social ride too!