Avoid these common pitfalls and winter enlightenment awaits
I have grown to love winter road riding, but only after years of making mistakes that soured the experience.
I doubt I’m alone. From ride-ruining frozen toes to overdoing it when you really ought to dial it back, I guarantee every rider reading this will make these six mistakes at least once.
For those yet to be caught out, heed my advice to avoid these mistakes and unlock wonderous winter miles.
1. Avoid sweat at all costs
I am infamously sweaty. Unfortunately for this prolific perspirer, sweat is the enemy of remaining comfortable in winter.
While that clammy coating of sweat will do a great job of keeping you cool on the way up a climb, it’ll do an excellent job of freezing you to the core on the way back down.
I avoid getting a stink on in winter by tempering my efforts and with careful kit selection.
The first point is easy. If you’re out on a longer ride, just keep it tranquilo. Unless you have specific training goals requiring you to go full beans, cruising easy doesn’t cost you anything.
For some, kit choice is harder to nail. I know riders who head out adorned in all the kit they own and still end up freezing.
But that’s not me, so at the start of this winter, I began taking notes on what I wore, what worked and what didn’t, based on the temperature and type of ride.
I am well aware that’s behaviour verging on troublingly dull.
But, as a fussy man, I have a very narrow band of comfort, so thoughtlessly selecting a different baselayer here, or a windproof jacket there leaves me cooked through like a baked spud.
The effort has paid off and I’m able to make informed kit choices before heading out. I implore fellow sweaters to do the same.
2. Protect your skin
Winter riding, particularly in cold and dry conditions, is hard on your skin.
My breathtaking, youthful beauty is no accident. I moisturise my face, ears and neck before and after a ride with a basic emollient (I like Cetraben) to trap in moisture.
Lips are particularly prone to damage in cold weather. I like to use Burt’s Bees SPF lip balm in the summer, but a slathering of Vaseline is the best option for winter riding.
A wet and muddy chamois is also a surefire way to cultivate a suppurating saddle sore, so don’t overlook preventive butt care too.
3. Switch up your spares and service your multi-tool
If you are lucky enough to own a summer and winter bike, audit your roadside toolkit to cover any change in parts or additional accessories.
Not that I’m speaking from experience or anything but, for example, ensure you have the tools required to tighten up a loose mudguard stay… (thanks to the kindly bike shop in Builth Wells for loaning your 8mm spanner!).
I’d also advocate checking your spares when you get your bike winter-ready.
I always take work gloves with me on a ride (a must since I have delicate editor’s hands). However, I’m terrible at remembering to replace them after fixing a puncture, and invariably trashing them.
This is a bad idea in the winter – eating a sandwich with hands obstinately coated in filth from rim brake pads is quite unappealing.
It’s no bad idea to check the integrity of spare inner tubes. A gloomy rain-soaked layby covered in slush is the worst time to find out a valve has worn a hole in your spare.
Get into the habit of regularly cleaning and lubricating your multi-tool too. This will help prolong its life and make it easier to use with cold hands.
4. Cold feet will ruin any ride
There is no coming back from cold feet.
Feet have poor blood circulation. Sopping-wet shoes and socks act as a big heatsink, soaking any remaining warmth from your poor wee tootsies.
Circulation generally worsens as you get older – my feet have certainly become more susceptible to the cold as I’ve ripened.
Pairing winter cycling shoes with high-quality socks is generally accepted to be the best solution for cold riding.
Unfortunately, winter shoes have limited use in most climates, and are a significant investment, ruling them out for many.
I’ve already revealed too much about my gross old man feet, but I also find the fit of most winter shoes too restrictive.
As such, I prefer to pair my favourite cycling shoes with two thin pairs of socks with a plastic sandwich bag worn between them.
This feels super-kinky, but the plastic bag acts as a vapour barrier, keeping warm moisture in (gross) and cold rain out. I then ensconce my power slippers with a pair of heavy overshoes.
I also plug any holes in the soles with Blu-tack. I’m yet to try them, but some riders also swear by stick-on chemical heat packs.
No matter what solution is right for you, warm feet are a must.
5. Don’t overdo it
Riding in the winter is hard work.
A route ridden with ease in the summer can become an ordeal when it’s cold, windy and dark.
Heading into winter, you’re also likely to be fatigued from a summer and autumn of harder riding, or under-trained after a holiday break of indulgences.
As such, unless your objective is to plan an ‘epic’, don’t push your luck with overly ambitious routes. We all fancy ourselves as the lead star in a moody Rapha Contentinetal film, but, in reality, big days are best saved for fairer climes and fresher legs.
If you are dead set on a punchy ride, I like to use the MyWindSock cycling app to estimate the impact of weather, adjusting start times or routes to suit.
6. Choose a lube-u-like
Choosing the best chain lube for winter riding is a tricky balancing act.
A tenaciously sticky wet lube will run quietly, but it will be a magnet for dirt.
Much-beloved resident chain lube bore, Simon von Bromley advocates immersion waxing a chain, even in winter, because it keeps your drivetrain so clean. But a few manky puddles will wreak havoc on your waxwork, so unless you’re willing to maintain your drivetrain fastidiously, this option is likely ruled out.
I’m far lazier than Simon, so generally just give my drivetrain a thorough clean at the start of winter and use a lighter wet lube. Washing a bike is a must throughout winter anyway, so scrubbing and re-lubing my chain is no big deal.
If you’re doing super-long rides in harsh conditions, a top-quality wet lube, such as Silca Synergetic, could prove to be the best choice.