Winter biking

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Mo1959

Legendary Member
As a group we all look to back off during winter and simply build the miles as training for spring.
What is the saying......winter miles equals summer smiles or something? I think if you can at least get out and keep the bum on the saddle and get some miles in two or three times a week rather than packing it in completely and starting again from a lower base fitness level in spring has got to be better if possible. I definitely don't do ice though. I've come off twice on black ice and you are down before you have a chance to save yourself.
 

DRM

Guru
Location
West Yorks
What is the saying......winter miles equals summer smiles or something? I think if you can at least get out and keep the bum on the saddle and get some miles in two or three times a week rather than packing it in completely and starting again from a lower base fitness level in spring has got to be better if possible. I definitely don't do ice though. I've come off twice on black ice and you are down before you have a chance to save yourself.
This is where Zwift comes in, you can keep going regardless of what the weather is doing.
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
What is the saying......winter miles equals summer smiles or something? I think if you can at least get out and keep the bum on the saddle and get some miles in two or three times a week rather than packing it in completely and starting again from a lower base fitness level in spring has got to be better if possible. I definitely don't do ice though. I've come off twice on black ice and you are down before you have a chance to save yourself.
Yes, that's the saying. We tend to refer to the "hard winter miles" and the benefits they bring. My observation is those who ride through the winter are 4-6 weeks ahead of those who don't.

On Sunday, admittedly a beautiful sunny day, two of us put in 56 miles average 15mph in headwinds of 20+mph. I think turbos and Zwift have their place but can never replicate sitting in a headwind for nearly four hours. Great for people who are time poor. I do though know folk who pack up in October and Zwift till March!! I don't get that.

Two schools of thought in the club on ice; if it's around freezing stay home or stick to the main roads. I and my regular group are of the stay home persuasion, at our age we don't heal quickly and 30 winter miles aren't worth three months off the bike in plaster.
 

rivers

How far can I go?
Location
Bristol
I've found group turbo session via zoom help with the dullness of winter indoor training. Add in the turbo session+ zwift meet-up, and it's kind of fun, in a painful way. I still commute and ride sociably throughout winter, but I've seen the benefit of added structured training, so I'll put up with the turbo.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Yes, that's the saying. We tend to refer to the "hard winter miles" and the benefits they bring. My observation is those who ride through the winter are 4-6 weeks ahead of those who don't.

On Sunday, admittedly a beautiful sunny day, two of us put in 56 miles average 15mph in headwinds of 20+mph. I think turbos and Zwift have their place but can never replicate sitting in a headwind for nearly four hours. Great for people who are time poor. I do though know folk who pack up in October and Zwift till March!! I don't get that.

Two schools of thought in the club on ice; if it's around freezing stay home or stick to the main roads. I and my regular group are of the stay home persuasion, at our age we don't heal quickly and 30 winter miles aren't worth three months off the bike in plaster.
Indeed, and they lose their control skills, roadcraft, situational awareness and (if they compete) racecraft too. As you say, better than nothing at all if you're time poor, but if you're a serious cyclist - and not necessatily a racer - it's no substitute for tarmac mileage.
 

SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable Brexiteer
Location
London
I quite like going for a ride on those crisp sunny winter days so long as the wind isn't too strong. However if the temp is at or near freezing, I will always ride either late morning or early afternoon, so the sun has been up for a while and had some time to warm up the ground. I never ride early in the morning or late in the evening if there's any risk of ice, and I'm especially wary of shaded roads with tree cover or building shadows. I don't have to ride, I've got legs I can use instead if the conditions are too dodgy for safe cycling. Walking is actually more pleasant than riding when it's freezing anyway, because you're moving slower and don't get the same cold air blast in the face. It's all activity at the end of the day, even if not intense. Most people are going to be on the sofa all day in winter, so even low-intensity activity is more than the majority will be doing.
 

Lovacott

Über Member
I've always found winter biking to be slower and more work. I believe this is due to......
Colder air is denser than warm. The reference l found said a drop of 3 degress C increases density by 1%.
That's true in my car. My MPG drops by about ten percent in the winter.

I'm not cycle commuting today because my ride home is due west and the forecast is for a 40mph headwind this afternoon.

It was 25mph last night which added 15 minutes to my commute home and my legs feel like lead weights this morning. There is one stretch of gentle downhill lane after a lot of climbing where I usually just coast along for a bit of a rest. Last night, it was like cycling up hill for the whole commute.

As I'm on the Devon coast, the prevailing winter winds are generally from the west so I'll just have to get used to it. Not much frost down here though. Maybe ten days a year so I should be alright to carry on through the winter.

I suppose on the plus side, it should make me stronger and fitter.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Conditions are never too dodgy for cycling, and if you don't ride in them you never develops the skills to be able to navigate them safely. Going base over apex on foot isn't really any better than doing so off a bike, and actually more likely to result in spinal injuries as when one goes South on ice while walking it's far more likely to be backwards.

Us hardy souls emerge in the spring as fitter, more capable, more highly skilled cyclists.
 

Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Location
Inside my skull
I simply don’t push the speed as much when roads are skoggy and damp. I don’t worry about speed , I was going to say over winter but I don’t worry over summer either. I just enjoy my riding outdoors and make sure to stay rubber side down. You can still keep your fitness up by working hard up the odd hill encountered on your rides. Combined with a few hours out at lower intensities it’s usually enough.
 
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12boy

12boy

Guru
Location
Casper WY USA
Yesterday I took my mountain bike with studded snows for a little ride. As expected it was slower and took more work. The roads will be dry for at least the next week but at least it's ready to go when it isn't. There's something about being able to be outside and exercising comfortably and safely on days when I would otherwise sit and moan about what a crap day it is. Thanks for your responses. BTW, studded snow tires make a huge difference on ice although deep snow is still tough. I've ridden on ice fairly securely only to stop at a light and have my feet slide away. I have been thinking of applying studs to my boots, though.
 
Yesterday I took my mountain bike with studded snows for a little ride. As expected it was slower and took more work. The roads will be dry for at least the next week but at least it's ready to go when it isn't. There's something about being able to be outside and exercising comfortably and safely on days when I would otherwise sit and moan about what a crap day it is. Thanks for your responses. BTW, studded snow tires make a huge difference on ice although deep snow is still tough. I've ridden on ice fairly securely only to stop at a light and have my feet slide away. I have been thinking of applying studs to my boots, though.
Great stuff!

(Top tip: In the UK we never stop at lights. )
 
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