It's that time of year again. The days are short and cold and less than ideal for cycling. Here's our committee's top tips on how to survive.
Check the weather – if it’s below freezing beware of black ice! Wrap up warm – layers are key and things like skull caps, toe warmers etc can make a real difference. If it is super cold avoid going out early morning or late evening as it’s most likely to be icy then.
Tyres – get a good set of winter tyres to avoid having to change punctures with numb fingers and minimise slipping as much as possible. I personally recommend continental grand prix 4 seasons but I know other like Gatorskins. Shop around for deals and read the reviews before buying.
Warm kit – if you’re looking for good value kit and bargains check out Wiggle, Planet X or Chain Reaction Cycles (if you’re a British Cycling member you get a discount on the latter). Avoid the cheapest brands as these will just wear out quickly and won’t be very comfortable. Often buying winter kit in summer or autumn can be best as you can find some fantastic deals.
Recommended kit:
-overshoes – an absolute game changer, members recommend Spatz, Seal Skinz or Endura (cheaper ones are quite thin and can rip so I recommend going for thicker neoprene ones)
-bib tights – fleece lined bib tights will keep you nice and toasty
-waterproof jacket
-skull cap
-buff
-toe cover – planet X do lots of colourful ones cheaply
-winter gloves – I personally love my Aldi ones but Seal Skinz, Endura etc are also a good shout
-winter socks – got some nice dhb merino wool ones from Wiggle last year which have been fab
-good lights – with shorter days you never know when you’ll be stuck out in the dark, check out Wiggle for good deals but I recommend Lezyne (at least 700 lumens is useful for spotting pot holes on dark country roads)
Remember to make use of our unique club discounts with Ultimate Outdoors and Proviz!
Stay safe and enjoy! Good luck to all those attempting the Festive500 but please don’t do anything stupid for the sake of a woven badge! And remember there's always track cycling or the dreaded Zwift
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