For you: 11 gold tips for an extraordinary Winter cycling
Posted by tan xiao yan on
In general, many cyclists prefer to go outside for cycling during Summer rather than during Winter, you may have defeated a lot of fatness in Summer and become stronger and fitter, however，with the cold Winter approaching, you can hardly achieve such a satisfactory goal. You may stay at home, curl up in bed or sit in front of the television rather than cycle outside. Winter is like a monster, it can kill your will and your motivation. Something important you should know is that you can still cycle with your bike all year round even if it's in Winter.
Whatever trouble is, pay attention to the gold tips below, I’m sure that you can spend your time on cycling and have a unique Winter days.
Make a specific plan
To ensure your cycling journey go on wheels, the key is having a specific plan. Maybe there is always something unexpected and unwilling happening, but a plan can let you handle your cycling journey easier. This plan has better include your go-off and departure time, your cycling equipment, your destinations and cycling routes, your clothes and other necessary things and so on. Make everything clear. If you need to have a little change on your plan, keep it in mind that whatever you do, a clear plan is needed. A sense of purpose can be a good way to enjoy your cycling.
Stay warm and dry
There is no doubt that cycling in Winter, you must prepare your jackets and dress for the cold weather. You should be warm enough when cycling outside, or you may catch a cold and even worst, you maybe have a fever, which will have a bad effect on your initial plan. Whatever, you should dress a pair of multiple-layers clothing, which you can put on or take off when you feel cold or get warmer. Before setting off, pay attention to the temperature outside, my advice to you is that go outside to see how it feels in order to determine whether you are wearing enough is questionable, to put it mildly. During your cycling days, it is also very useful. If there are snowflake or wind chill, know what will maybe happen about the weather next days. You can use Giro warm gloves and winter shoes. The other important thing is that you can use toe warmer on top of your socks before you put on your shoes. It helps a lot. You can patch toe warmer on drinking bottle so that the water does not get frozen and insert one in the inner pocket just to keep you warm. You may also insert hands warmer in your gloves if you need it. There's some other protection from mouth and face sores by wearing balaclavas that cover the lower face, or by applying Vaseline or skin cream. (Yes, a balaclava can cause goggles to steam up, but the sores are worse.
In addition to keep warm, another aspect you should pay attention to is to stay dry. Stay dry? Yes, there is nothing conflicting. Cycling is a manual labor. Cycling, even at a fairly low intensity, produces a lot of heat, and what feels like a comfortable amount of clothing when you set out can become stifling 20 minutes into a ride, and you will sweat and get wet. So you need to dress the clothing which can insulate. One more way to stay yourself dry is taking the thick jacket or clothing off for some while.
Use a turbo
There is nothing wrong with using a turbo over much of the winter. With the development of the technology, the turbo has a quick improvement. You can use a turbo when you decide to take a cycling journey. With it, you can be less fatigue and have more motivation on your bike.
Keep on to the last with a good attitude
It takes a lot of courage for you to put up with the wind chill and the bad conditions of cold weather. Having a determination and persisting in your goal is the most important element to help you achieve your challenge. Never give up easily, sustain an energetic attitude in your mind. Now that you have decided to steps outside, and made your Winter days more different from others, then just go on and never turn your head back.
Fit on studded snow tires
Is it necessary to fit on stubbed snow tires? Compared to the common one, there are some very important reasons for opting for such a type of tires. Firstly and also the most importantly, it has such a good ability of skid resistance that it can protect you from falling off your bike. Secondly, with such stubbed tires, you can be very comfortable and quietly on your bike because of shock absorption. Thirdly, it has very good snow traction; good stopping grip on dry, wet, and icy road surfaces; and secure handling.
Looks like that maybe we should consider the Performance winter tires instead of the Winter tires because of superior qualities for dry braking, wet braking, handling, etc., which translates to most of the winter mileage between ice or snow events. I think that it would be worth the extra expense for emergency handling.
Cycling skills
A good knowledge of cycling skills plays a vital role on your cycling. Under some inevitable obstacles factories, a good cycling skill can help you overcome many problems and face with less troublesome.
Leave far away from danger---In the icy, snowy weather, the curb area may be cover with a layer of ice or snow, it’s very slip and uneven, when the snow or ice melts, on the ground there will be full of icy water. I believe nobody is stupid enough to risk your life to challenge the bad curb. So bypass it and seek out another pavement.
Control your speed---as what we have said, cycling in Winter, we will face a lot unforeseen condition. Keep in a smooth and controllable speed, ensuring your safety as well as others is your basic duty
Don’t take the lane---you need to observe the traffic rules and don’t occupy the car lane. Safety is more important than convenience. On the other hand, there are too many cars on the way, they can easily curl up the ice-water to you, and make you wet and dirty. Limit any sudden or erratic movements and use hand signals when turning or changing lanes.
Bike light
Daylight is always like a bow and arrow, flying away fleetly. It’s extremely short and rare. The sun rises late and drops early. If there is dull weather, it can be dark earlier. One smart idea is to have bright lights for both the front and back of the bike, which can ensure you ride your bike even in darkness. Visibility is important for safety, especially in Winter nights, your lights can reflect the place of water and ice, so that you can know how to bypass awful places in advance.
Form a group
With partners accompanying, a sense of security embraces you, then you can enjoy yourself without worries and anxiety. You can take care of each other. If unluckily immediate accident circumstances happen, you can gain help in time. Besides, whatever journey is, having partners and friends shares it with or experience with, which is the best and happiest thing.
Appropriate path length
Don’t try to break your extremity. You can’t ride your bike the same path length as you do in Summer. You can’t think that you can ride 150~200 miles a day so you can also do it in Winter. With the different condition and different season, know yourself and stay an appropriate path length.
Explore new routes
Doing this is based on safety. if you are a person with adventure spirit, why not try your best to find a new way and maybe a new world. Winter cycling can also do something you can and want to do. But once again, you must ensure your safety. you can find another one with you if possible.
1 Take enough food and drink with you.
If you don’t want to struggle against belly protest, if you don’t want to taste what is the sense of hunger and thirsty, take enough food and drink, and cut down the thought of bother.
It turns out that riding a bike isn’t that easy in Winter. However, there is no such thing you can’t do just as bad weather. Who can say there is any hope of cycling during winter’s weather. If you possess enough courage, and you make up your mind to have a brilliant experience; if you don’t want your days to be wasted in some unmeaning way. Then you can start.
With the gold tips above, Winter cycling isn’t a problem anymore. Wish you have a good cycling experience and enjoy yourself.