Here at BikeRadar, we\u2019re not shy of getting our tyres wet and will, for the most part, happily just keep riding through the coldest months of the year.<\/span><\/p>\n Indeed, while winter mountain biking<\/span><\/a> can be hard work and unpleasant at times, it\u2019s worth remembering how useful it can be in developing your skills and confidence as a rider. <\/span><\/p>\n If you can handle a tricky trail with all the elements mother nature can throw at you, you should be in a good place to tackle just about anything on the bike. Don\u2019t they say the best F1 drivers are those that excel in the wet?<\/span><\/p>\n To help you get out this winter, we asked our mountain bike test team \u2013 Rob Weaver<\/a>, Luke Marshall<\/a>, Alex Evans<\/a> and Tom Marvin<\/a> \u2013 which bits of kit they find essential during these dark, damp days, how they cope with winter riding, and what (if anything) they enjoy about sliding around in the mud.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n That first ride in the mud is always a wake-up call. As the tyres drift almost uncontrollably while searching for traction and everything feels slower and that bit more sluggish, it genuinely is a shock to the system after the dry dust of summer.<\/p>\n It takes time to re-calibrate your riding and get used to the new sensations occurring beneath your tyres. Patience is key here. That and decent clothing.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> When it comes to essentials, I\u2019ve got a few bits of clothing that\u2019ll never leave my kit bag.<\/span><\/p>\n I don\u2019t normally go for a full-on waterproof outfit. Instead, I rely on layering the best I can. That means a thin baselayer<\/a> under my back-protector vest, with something along the lines of the<\/span> Rapha Trail Windblock jersey<\/span><\/a> over the top.<\/span><\/p>\n If the weather turns, I\u2019ll stick a windproof jacket<\/a> (along the lines of the<\/span> Troy Lee Designs Shuttle jacket<\/span><\/a>) over the top. <\/span><\/p>\n They may not be fully waterproof, but when working hard, they\u2019re more breathable and still add a layer of protection to proceedings. My trusty Gore C5 Trail jacket remains as backup for those really grim days.<\/span><\/p>\n Of course, you need to keep your hands snug but, for me, I much prefer winter gloves<\/a> with a thinner palm. <\/span><\/p>\n For that reason, I\u2019ll switch between the Troy Lee Designs Swelter gloves and the Nukeproof Blacklines I mentioned in my<\/span> 2021 Gear of the Year<\/span><\/a> round-up. They offer great feel through the palm and keep my hands warm enough on chilly days.<\/span><\/p>\n Along with a good pair of Merino wool socks, I\u2019ll not leave the car park without a decent mudguard strapped to my fork. <\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019m a big fan of the guards from<\/span> Mudhugger<\/span><\/a>. They not only help to keep your vision clear and face (a bit) cleaner, they\u2019ll also work with Velcro straps. That means no cutting and wasting cable ties, and I can switch them between bikes really quickly.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Finally, as a dad of two, I rely heavily on coffee on the best of days, but come winter, I need it even more. That\u2019s why I\u2019ll always have a flask of the black stuff waiting for me at the end of the ride.<\/span><\/p>\n After a long dry summer, the first few really wet rides are a brilliant novelty. Unfortunately, that soon wears off once the temperatures drop, persistent rain sets in and it barely gets light in dense woodlands.<\/p>\n Still, it\u2019s challenging to beat the feeling of tyres squirming underneath you and the bike getting sideways, half-controlled, half-not. Plus there\u2019s the sense of excitement, relief and adrenaline when you clear a section you thought you were sure to crash on. Mainly, horrible root spreads.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> That brings me to my first winter essential: an excellent front tyre for wet and variable conditions. <\/span><\/p>\n My go-to front tyre is a <\/span>Schwalbe Magic Mary in its UltraSoft compound<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n This has long been a favourite for its versatility and performance. It can handle wet, sloppy bike park hardcore and still hold its own in soft loam or thick muck.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you want to give yourself a shot of confidence during winter rides, I suggest a front tyre that will bite into the soft conditions (you can also read my test of the <\/span>best winter mountain bike tyres<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n A second point regarding bike setup is to get some <\/span>sintered brake pads<\/span><\/a>. Few things will kill confidence like poorly working brakes. If it\u2019s cold, wet and nasty, sintered pads will be your saviour.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Sure, they may squeal more. You\u2019ll also hear them grinding and rubbing as grit and dirt finds its way between the pads and the rotor. But the power, control and consistency they provide in filthy conditions more than make up for it.<\/span><\/p>\n Next on my list is winter riding shoes. After working as a ski instructor for nearly a decade, I\u2019ve spent far too long not being able to feel my toes in freezing conditions. So, when the mercury plummets, out come the trusty <\/span>Shimano MW7 shoes<\/span><\/a>. Combined with a pair of wool or neoprene socks, these keep my toes toasty, whether wet or dry.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n On top of that, one of the best gifts I received was a boot dryer. I\u2019ll tell you, picking one of these up will be a game-changer. No longer am I plastering the walls and radiators in mud. Plus, my shoes are dry and ready to rip in a few short hours rather than days when left to fend for themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n My final recommendation is the neck tube. Folded over and pulled over my head, it keeps my ears warm and shelters them from the sting of freezing air whistling past.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Everyone has their own methods and bits of kit they rely on for turning winter riding from an exercise in mitigating your losses to an all-out inspiring affair, and the closer you live to the northern or southern poles of the globe, the more honed your methods are likely to be.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t personally proclaim to live in an exceptionally northern part of the globe (55.5 degrees latitude to be precise). However, I do live in Scotland, which is famously soggy and, in the winter months, can be, to use a rather British term, \u2018quite chilly\u2019.<\/p>\n As my southern colleagues exchange cute pillow talk of waterproof shoes and cups of coffee in the van, I\u2019m battening down the hatches and dressing myself in as many layers as I own, and that\u2019s just to get out of bed let alone get out on the bike.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> Which bits of your body need protecting the most to help prevent a trail-side sense of humour transplant?<\/span><\/p>\n For me, that starts with double-bagging your feet with the best waterproof socks you can find, before you slide them into some <\/span>winter shoes<\/span><\/a>. Only this two-tiered security system will start to keep your feet dry.<\/span><\/p>\nRob Weaver | It\u2019s all about the layers<\/h2>\n
![\""Headshot\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2022\/11\/Rob-Weaver-headshot-16b2f8b.jpg?quality=45&resize=556,556"\" "\\"\"Rob\\"")
<\/div><\/div> <\/div> <\/section>Layering up<\/h3>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2022\/02\/Troy-Lee-Designs-Shuttle-jacket-07-294b118.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Latest deals on the Troy Lee Designs Shuttle Jacket<\/h5>
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2022\/11\/Nukeproof-Blackline-Winter-Gloves-edf1992.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Latest deals on the Nukeproof Blackline Winter Gloves<\/h5>
A mudguard and a mug of coffee<\/h3>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2022\/11\/Mudhugger-EVO-Bolt-On-front-mudguard-a52f9fa.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Luke Marshall | Winter rubber and warm, dry feet<\/h2>\n
![\""Headshot\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2022\/11\/Luke-Marshall-headshot-d945250.jpg?quality=45&resize=556,556"\" "\\"\"Luke\\"")
<\/div>Winter rubber<\/h3>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2022\/05\/Ultimate-Upgrades-Schwalbe-Magic-Mary-4f35db6.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Latest deals on the Schwalbe Magic Mary Ultrasoft Tyre<\/h5>
Stopping power<\/h3>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2021\/04\/Brake-pads-4-5a78a99.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Latest deals on sintered brake pads<\/h5>
Cold feet? Not for me\u2026<\/h3>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2019\/11\/Shimano-MH7-MTB-shoes-05-305b4ab.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Latest deals on the Shimano MW7 Shoes<\/h5>
Alex Evans | Double bagging and a warrior mentality<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\""Headshot\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2022\/05\/Alex-Evans-9b8ace1.jpg?quality=45&resize=556,556"\" "\\"\"Headshot\\"\/")
<\/div><\/div> <\/div> <\/section>Double-up<\/span><\/h3>\n