Winter Commuting

[BSRU]

After my first ever winter on the bicycle, apart from the enjoyment of riding in the freezing cold/ice/snow and satisfaction of getting work on days some local drivers "couldn't make" it in their cars, I have realised it has been a massive benefit.
Not only have I already reached the same fitness/distance levels as I achieved at the height of last summer but I have also had a massive change in attitude.
Last year I was too lazy and too easily swayed into just using the car on days I was a little tired, not feeling great or many other excuses. Now I do not even consider using the car, it never enters my mind to grab the keys and drive to work, I know it would be boring and I would spend the rest of the day regretting it.
This morning was a perfect example, woke up late, didn't feel very good, just got on the bike and took it a little easier than normal by the time I got to work I was wishing I had added a few extra kilometres.

 

[corshamjim]

Winter cycling does need more preparation than the rest of the year, but it's still more enjoyable than driving (certainly for me on my quiet rural commute it is anyway).

I'm thinking of being really lazy and getting a second set of wheels so I can have a pair of wheels with winter tyres ready to roll rather than faffing about swapping studded tyres with the Marathon Plusses twice a year. The alternative I suppose would be a dedicated Winter bike, but I know what would happen if I got one - I'd want to ride it during the summer too and end up swapping the tyres anyway.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

I agree with you 100%, this was my second winter, and some days were hard but still so satisfying to get through with no days by car.

What I find is that the little things bring much pleasure now, no need for the over shoes, the light mornings, the dry roads, but most of all the fitness, as the weather improves the fitness is brilliant.

This winter I am going to get a mountain bike, as some of the days were really tricky on the road bike, so I have started saving already !, and I will go off road for the 4 dark months, and hang up the road bike.

But great post mate.

 

[BSRU]

Winter cycling does need more preparation than the rest of the year, but it's still more enjoyable than driving (certainly for me on my quiet rural commute it is anyway).

I'm thinking of being really lazy and getting a second set of wheels so I can have a pair of wheels with winter tyres ready to roll rather than faffing about swapping studded tyres with the Marathon Plusses twice a year. The alternative I suppose would be a dedicated Winter bike, but I know what would happen if I got one - I'd want to ride it during the summer too and end up swapping the tyres anyway.

It's exactly what I did, two sets of cheap wheels, Marathon Plus's on one set and Marathon Winters on another set, so very easy/quick to swap depending on the weather. For winter both had new freewheels and put a new chain on, so that swapping would not be a problem, although as it turned out generally ended up using one set for a couple of weeks then swapping to the other and vice versa.

 

[BSRU]

I agree with you 100%, this was my second winter, and some days were hard but still so satisfying to get through with no days by car.

What I find is that the little things bring much pleasure now, no need for the over shoes, the light mornings, the dry roads, but most of all the fitness, as the weather improves the fitness is brilliant.

This winter I am going to get a mountain bike, as some of the days were really tricky on the road bike, so I have started saving already !, and I will go off road for the 4 dark months, and hang up the road bike.

But great post mate.

It was amazing riding around this morning just about 8 degrees and thought nothing of it, seemed warm compared to what I have been through in the last three months.

 

[2Loose]

I agree with you 100%, this was my second winter, and some days were hard but still so satisfying to get through with no days by car.

What I find is that the little things bring much pleasure now, no need for the over shoes, the light mornings, the dry roads, but most of all the fitness, as the weather improves the fitness is brilliant.

This winter I am going to get a mountain bike, as some of the days were really tricky on the road bike, so I have started saving already !, and I will go off road for the 4 dark months, and hang up the road bike.

But great post mate.

Will this guided bus thingy be ready by next winter Kevin? (lol, as if) or do you have an alternative route planned?

It was very satisfying riding through another snowy winter, mainly because some closer people couldn't manage it in their cars. Now it is 'somewhere in between' temperature wise, I am more susceptible to the cold and definitely feeling it. Sunshine means shorts, goose bumps and numb fingers mean longs and winter gloves....confused

It'll be alright by next month!

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Will this guided bus thingy be ready by next winter Kevin? (lol, as if) or do you have an alternative route planned?

It was very satisfying riding through another snowy winter, mainly because some closer people couldn't manage it in their cars. Now it is 'somewhere in between' temperature wise, I am more susceptible to the cold and definitely feeling it. Sunshine means shorts, goose bumps and numb fingers mean longs and winter gloves....confused

It'll be alright by next month!

The guided bus is supposed to open this summer, but it has a cycle track down the side which is great for an MTB but not a road bike, so I am hoping to take that in the winter on the MTB if I get one, the only problem is that there are certain sections of the cycle track that flood very badly because they were built too low, where as the GBW track stays hugh up, the cycle track dips down, so I hope they fill them in and raise or it could a bit tricky !

 

[som3blok3]

After my first ever winter on the bicycle, apart from the enjoyment of riding in the freezing cold/ice/snow and satisfaction of getting work on days some local drivers "couldn't make" it in their cars, I have realised it has been a massive benefit.
Not only have I already reached the same fitness/distance levels as I achieved at the height of last summer but I have also had a massive change in attitude.
Last year I was too lazy and too easily swayed into just using the car on days I was a little tired, not feeling great or many other excuses. Now I do not even consider using the car, it never enters my mind to grab the keys and drive to work, I know it would be boring and I would spend the rest of the day regretting it.
This morning was a perfect example, woke up late, didn't feel very good, just got on the bike and took it a little easier than normal by the time I got to work I was wishing I had added a few extra kilometres.

Totally agree, this was my first winter of riding right the way through. This time last year I was handing my company car keys back to my boss, as I found it too tempting to just jump in and drive. Now days I hate driving in to work, and would never go back to the dark side.

The fitness side is amazing. I was at Waterloo station a few weeks back and those really big escalators were a bit too busy, so I ran up the stairs 2 at a time. Didn't even break a sweat or miss a breath. Couldn't have done that 14 months ago!

One of my colleagues lives just down the road from me and we leave for work at pretty much the same time, she has a car because of two school drops. I arrive at work 10 minutes before her, just as well as it now takes me 10 minutes to de-lycra!!!!

 

[DTD]

Apart from a couple of weeks when it was a bit too icy managed to commute all through winter.
Even quite enjoyed cycling in the dark (new experience for me).

That said – isn't it nice to be going to work and coming home in the light?

 

[BlackPanther]

That said – isn't it nice to be going to work and coming home in the light?

It's just about light when I set off at 6.30.......until the clocks go forward. I take it you're a Mr 9-5 then? lol.

 

[cyberknight]

It's just about light when I set off at 6.30.......until the clocks go forward. I take it you're a Mr 9-5 then? lol.

a lie in then?

On days i am on the road at 5.45 am and normally returning till 5.15 pm.

Was around - 2 degrees at 3 am this morning when i was on the way home from the early friday night shift , wish i had taken my winter gloves as a thin pair of gloves didnt cut it .

Apart from when it was really bad snow or sub - 10 like we had i rarely miss a day and it feels like a sense of achievement to make another week of commuting .It gives me focus and drive to keep on going whereas if i use the car i just feel lazy all day.