Winter cycling

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
mudguards
Like.
If you like hospital food, these are a great idea.
The only two serious injury accidents, I’ve had on led rides, have been caused by crap getting jammed in hugger mudguards, on winter rides. One was a serious injury, the other one was worse. If I see hugger guards on a bike, on one of my rides now, they take them off, or don’t ride. Stand off guards or ass savers are fine though.
For the sake of balance (cf doom monger quoted), fitted mudguards will keep your feet, bike and body cleaner and drier, and reduce the risk of ingesting 'road food'. Cyclescheme: "The constant spray of dirty water from a guardless bike on a wet road is worse than being rained on. " And it's so much more civilised for a rider behind.
The hazard of a front mudguard jamming and then jamming under the fork crown - with the potential effects and consequences our unfortunate 'ride leader/owner' ("my rides") has witnessed (someone killed as a result?) - can be mitigated to ALARP by safety release clips (on the front mudguard stays). What are 'hugger guards'? Properly fitted mudguards?
"Stand off guards or ass savers are" next to useless.
Refer to this Cycling UK technical guide "Is your mudguard safe?" written by the esteemed Chris Juden for a comprehensive coverage of the issue over the years and this hazard diagram.
1574014403311.png

CyclingUK: "ESGE have developed safety-release fittings for front mudguards, called Secu-Clips and SKS have their ASR (Automatic Stay Release) Here's a nice animation showing how it works to keep you safe:


]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGwG%2DqItnC8[width=490,height=280]
"
 
Any tips on keeping warm and dry during the winter,i have base layers,thermal cycling socks but non are waterproof,i dont really want to stop cycling just yet due to the winter
A softshell IME can be warmer in the long run than a hard shell waterproof. Hard shells often don't breathe well and get full of sweat which is warm until you stop for a period (like a cafe stop), then :eek:
 

lane

Veteran
Yes I agree re softshells. I have just purchased a DHB winter softshell and also gone one size up from normal to allow plenty of room for layers underneath without feeling squashed. I have also purchased a warm HH base layer mainly marketed as a ski base layer. This combo, with or without a jersey as a mid layer depending on how cold it is, will be ideal to get me through the winter.
 

Quadratica

Regular
As long as not raining I wear normal winter clothes. It defeats the objective of cycling to get all dressed up. But I appreciate it's necessary for other riders to wear more.
 

nickyboy

Norven Mankey
Out today in 3 degrees....long-sleeved thermal, short sleeved cycling top, cycling shorts with running tights underneath, waterproof socks under normal cycling shoes. Plenty as it wasn't raining and wasn't windy. Feeling chilly, just cycle harder
 

Levo-Lon

Guru
Do mtb rides in all weathers, roads are a bit dodgy in cold frosty weather with 25mm road tyres.

As for clothing, sweat is often as bad as rain, i go with the do what you want but dont stop and get cold.
When the ride is done get out of the clothes that are wet asap.

I like my soft shell fleece jackets, i have a thin one and a winter one.
Waterproof trousers :laugh: well that's what it says and winter boots which are brilliant
 
I tend to feel the cold, so I prefer to work on the premise that I'd rather be too warm than too cold. It's far easier to take off an extra layer than wish you'd brought one with you. Plus out here in the fens, there's nowhere to get out of the wind, and when a cold wind is fair whistling through, you really do need the extra layers. I don't tend to ride in the rain if I can help it.

Saturday's clothing was as follows: long-sleeved base layer, short sleeved base layer over that, winter jacket over that. Plain lycra leggings, and lightweight hiking trousers over that. Mid-season gloves, a buff, thick fluffy socks and MTB shoes completed the ensemble. That was just about right for me.

When it gets really cold, I have some roll neck skiing base layers, proper winter gloves, a beanie to wear under the skid lid, roubaix-lined tights, plus my winter jacket is baggy enough (now that I've lost a bit of blubber) to wear a thin fleece under it as well. Other option is to wear a windproof gilet over the jacket and omit the fleece.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
The only two serious injury accidents, I’ve had on led rides, have been caused by crap getting jammed in hugger mudguards, on winter rides. One was a serious injury, the other one was worse. If I see hugger guards on a bike, on one of my rides now, they take them off, or don’t ride. Stand off guards or ass savers are fine though.
I've scraped a lad off the tarmac who had a nasty off when his tyre picked up a stick, a mere twig, and rammed it neatly into the rear of the fork crown, and caused him to lose control at speed and auger the ground badly. I was pleased, cos no other vehicles were involved so no paperwork.

Anyway, point being that the rear end of a mudguard is no more dangerous an obstruction to debris than the rear of the fork crown. The only way of preventing it is to use your eyes and watch where you're blummen well riding ....or remove your forks and wheelie everywhere.
 
I've scraped a lad off the tarmac who had a nasty off when his tyre picked up a stick, a mere twig, and rammed it neatly into the rear of the fork crown, and caused him to lose control at speed and auger the ground badly. I was pleased, cos no other vehicles were involved so no paperwork.

Anyway, point being that the rear end of a mudguard is no more dangerous an obstruction to debris than the rear of the fork crown. The only way of preventing it is to use your eyes and watch where you're blummen well riding ....or remove your forks and wheelie everywhere.
You don’t want to exacerbate any issues, by deliberately adding anything in which crap can get jammed though, that’s my point.
In the winter, with poor light conditions, fog etc, hitting that crap becomes a nailed on cert
 

Stompier

Senior Member
Are these 'hugger' guards made from steel plate welded to the frame or something? Anything substantial enough to lock a wheel by being trapped in a 'hugger' mudguard should also be substantial enough to break the mounting (which are often just cable ties or rubber bands) or the guard itself?
 
Are these 'hugger' guards made from steel plate welded to the frame or something? Anything substantial enough to lock a wheel by being trapped in a 'hugger' mudguard should also be substantial enough to break the mounting (which are often just cable ties or rubber bands) or the guard itself?
Whilst the breakaway tabs are breaking away, the wheel locks, it only has to be for a fraction of a second, for the bike to get pinged in front of a vehicle approaching on the other side of the road, I’ve seen it, it’s not a good look. If you want to try it, be my guest, I wouldn’t recommend it though.
 
Top Bottom