Winter Cycling For The First Time

[clockman]

Having taken up regular cycling six months ago, completing my first sportive in October, I am now struggling to keep cycling and I'm worried about my ability to maintain my fitness. I'm not a fan of cold,wet weather and even wrapping up so that I'm warm, fills me with dread!
Work and dark evenings are my main stumbling blocks. I'm not always at the same office, so get home at different times. As we get further into winter, I can only see the situation getting worse. I have managed a couple of thirty mile rides the last couple of weekends, but..........
Should I join a club and get the support of others? Should I get a turbo and peddle like a hamster? Or should I just persevere with the weekend rides, riding solo and try to maintain my fitness with some runs. Or maybe a combination of all of these.
Any advice would be very welcome, I feel there are pros and cons to all of these scenarios. Think I just need support from like minded souls. My wife just thinks I'm mad, exercise, in her mind is a four letter word!

 

[BigCam]

Just carry on. The key to winter commuting is to not stop, and just to keep going. It makes you appreciate the spring and summer so much more...

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Hi @clockman

This is a difficult one to answer as it'll be down to what suits you really. I'm with you on not liking to go out in the rain - it's not enticing at all . I will generally carry on with a ride though if the rain starts after I've set out. (provided I've remembered to take waterproofs ).

The cold is fairly easy to cope with if you layer up. You'll find that when you've got the first couple of miles out of the way it doesn't seem nearly as cold as you first thought. Buffs to keep the head and neck warm make a massive difference.

As for the dark evenings, there are a few threads on lights (here's one for an example) which you might like to have a look at. You can get some seriously bright bike lights now, which could make night rides seem less daunting.

Clubs and turbo trainers I don't know about - I'll leave others to answer about those.

 

[MikeW-71]

Yep, just keep going, with the right gear on you won't be cold while you're riding.

 

[steveindenmark]

Just think we are in November already and look how mild it still is

Steve

 

[MikeW-71]

It wasn't bad today up here. On monday it will be near freezing though

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Hi Clockman: if you don't commute to work on the bike, maybe do it once or twice a week for fitness?
If you tell yourself tot miles equal tot amount of your favorite food it's motivation for braving the elements.
Riding with a group is excellent, the company makes you forget the discomfort.

 

[i hate hills]

 

[Biker Joe]

Hi and clockman.
It seems to me that you need some motivation. Joining a club would certainly help with that.
I don't like cold and wet weather cycling either but I find ,once I'm out on the bike, I usually enjoy myself.

 

[buggi]

hiya. Joining a club may help or just hooking up with a mate. As long as you have the right winter wear you will find the thought of it is much worse than actually doing it, so maybe invest a little cash. If you really struggle to get on with it, just go out 3 times a week for half hour and whack a couple of hills into each ride (that will warm you up and keep your fitness up). Turbos are ok but boring as hell and you need to set them up in a cold room anyway (coz you get hot) so even the thought of going out to the garage can be just as bad!! I'd much rather do half hour on the road than ten minutes on a turbo bcoz you concentrate on the road not on the clock, and it seems shorter!

 

[paul04]

Like the others have said, just keep going, you get to learn what clothes to wear as you go,
on my commute to work this morning I just has cycle shorts on with leg warmers.
thin tshirt, thin fleece coat and windproof jacket, and a good pair of gloves, 7 miles into work and nice and warm

 

[Maverick Goose]

Hi Clockman! Always take a bar of chocolate/flapjack with you, as believe me that will see you through anything, up to and including blizzards in the Highlands.. Also several minutes of brisk riding will warm you up nicely....if you're in the Mole Valley in North Devon then there are lots of lovely hills which will do the trick. Sealskinz gloves and Altura trousers are great too.

 

[redcard]

It'll be March in no time.

 

[clockman]

Thanks for all the encouragement guys. Been out today, but in nice warmish weather, managed to get quite warm and missed the showers. Did have to spend a while cleaning the bike afterwards though! Weekends are one thing, dreary weekday evenings are quite another.
Buggi, your advice to do half an hour and put in some hills, seems to be very do-able. Got one hill, in a quite residential road about half a mile away that should do nicely. It goes on for a bit and is a variable gradient.
Wish I did live in North Devon's Mole Valley. Unfortunately, I'm in the nimby Capitol of the UK, Surrey. The natives around here hate cyclists, think roads are only for Chelsea tractors and top end sports cars, with the odd motor bike thrown in!

 

[cyberknight]

If your work is a commutable distance then thats a good way to keep some form going even if the weather is cold, i can do 100 miles a week just to and from work.Fully loaded with panniers and switching to the rigid MTB can give some good training .