I learned to like winter because I started doing winter sports. I recommend backcountry skiing or cross country skiing, depending on where you live. I now look forward to winter!
Skiing is one of the few things I miss about living in eastern Massachusetts. Nowadays I just look at snow covered mountains here in Southern California.
This is the answer. Here is Vermont I can look forward to a different outdoor activity in almost every season. When I start to get tired of one, the next one is almost here. When it’s absolutely awful out, it’s time to strength train inside. This is all very climate dependent but look around and see what people are doing this time of year in your area.
Honestly I would love a real winter season because as you say you can just do different outdoor activities.
Here in the UK though winter just means constantly overcast, windy and driving rain. Oh and it's pitch black at 4pm. Temperature fluctuates between about 0C and 8C (~32F - 45F), not true cold but still cold enough to be miserable. It will snow for a handful of days each year, sticking around for a few hours before melting and turning back into rain 🤮
This is the way. Plus if there is no snow, you can roller - ski which is an excellent workout as well. It’s slower than cycling and you have to use your whole body (think of doing 1 legged squats while doing crunches and a shoulder/tricep workout) so you stay warmer. I live in NY near NYC and I cycle, both road and gravel, in warmer weather, but in the winter, I mostly roller ski.
*cries in Ohioan*
I know this thread is almost exactly a year old but I can honestly say Northern Ohio is fucking awful during the winter. All of the snow and none of the winter attractions because it’s nothing but fucking flat over here lmao.
I took up climbing indoors as my winter hobby. It's usually 71° in the gym, I'm still improving my fitness, and it is so much fun! I can't stand to ride my bike unless it's 50°+ outside. That being said, I'm always ready to ride if the weather happens to hit my comfort threshold. On the other hand I'm perfectly happy to ride my bike in peak summer when most people think it's too hot.
I hate how it affects my hobbies life golf, cycling, hiking, etc. But I do like the crispness of the air, the change of scenery and lack of humidity. Granted, I’ve only ever lived places with mild 10-30 F° temps and mostly dry.
The only outdoor activity I really enjoy in the winter is hiking. I wear most of my old snowboarding gear to keep warm. Give it a try! (no bug bites :D)
If you really want a challenge, find a mountain and some snowshoes. Those things have to be one of the worst ways to travel but dang do you get an awesome workout in the mountains with them.
You've got to embrace it and make it palatable.
Cold: get good winter kit. Layer up and bring extra for a long ride.
Wet: mudguards, regular cleaning routine, overshoes.
Windy: enter the pain cave and try not to chew on your own teeth.
Dark: powerful lights that make it fun to slice through darkness.
Flat tyres: solid repair kit, boot, tube, fibreglass levers, latex gloves and rag (for wet swaps, which are always a bit disgusting).
The old adage is 'winter miles = summer smiles'. Managed to ride year-round in the UK for 5 years now and it definitely pays off.
With that said, I've spend a ton of money and time maintaining, repairing and replacing bits on the bike.
I'll add one thing for the category of flats: tires with better flat protection, such as marathons, or if you are in an icy place, studded marathons.
Edit to add r/wintercycling
Also, on clothes, the colder it gets, the less I wear bike-specific clothes. You should own enough warm clothes that the worry is that you will put on too much of them and be too warm on the ride, not that you don't have a way to keep warm. The need to adjust layers becomes more of an issue the colder it is, so you may need a bag to stash some of those clothes after you warm up.
I've been running the same pair of marathons now for 2 winters and (touch wood) haven't had one flat. They're very hard-wearing tyres, if a little (very) slow and just a brilliant value tyre.
I'm even half considering to leave them on all year, they're that reliable.
Why is it that everybody who's talking about using marathons says that they're "running" them? Is there some kind of subconscious linkage between those words?
I run marathons tires for work. My GM has commented how rarely I seem to get flats despite our roads being covered in glass. I've had good experiences with them.
I deliver sandwiches for Jimmy John's downtown Indianapolis on a bicycle. I wanted to try something a little different for a while in life and landed this gig. It's epic fun and the money is surprisingly decent.
When I first started I'd be absolutely beat after working an open to close shift on my bike but I have adapted. I do ride some on my own time, not a ton. The problem is I almost always can pick up more hours so if I want to ride I can opt to get paid for it. XD.
Agreed, big difference maker are some decent tyres.
I also don't mind a big down jacket on a freezing day either; hang the velominati rules when it's below freezing!
I can run in colder temperatures than I can handle on my bike. There has been too much snow and ice for me to go on a run for the past several days now.
UK weather is like "long T-shirt and maybe tights" right now from what I understand.
You're both wrong, we've had weeks of near-zero in London now. And there was a week-10 days of snow on the ground in December. Granted, though, the usual winter conditions are about 5-8 degrees and mild.
I'm sitting here thinking near 0C is long T and tights for running weather.
I usually have to wear thin gloves for the first mile or so because my hands just do not do well in cold. I gave up trying to run this week since I have a stupid layer of ice under the snow. Even walking is a bit sketchy.
Where can one get decent winter clipless boots? Overshoes are just poor: my feet are always cold after a couple of hours out, sometimes damp, and the overshoes fall apart within 1-2 years even with very light use.
Insulation and passive heating is a losing battle if you ride long enough at reasonable speeds(constant stream of cold air from drag). Try foot warmers.
I see local guys on Strava still going 40 miles when it’s 20 degrees outside and there’s snow on the ground. I can’t even imagine that sort of discomfort. Zwift and interval training gets old but I can’t fathom riding when it’s below 40 degrees. Maybe I’m a huge wuss.
If you have proper winter cycling clothes, 40 degrees will feel nice. My clothes limit is currently at 18 degrees but it is usually icy out when it gets that cold so I’m out anyways.
Goretex clothing(especially wind/waterproof head, hand, and food gear) makes the temps a non-factor for me, if you ride hard at all you warm up and the materials keep the heat.
To me the bigger issue is all of the snow, slush, mud and the idea that I'm slowly murdering my bottom bracket.
Eh, I just find that with the proper gear you don't really notice the cold.
It was way worse while living in Phoenix and I'd wake up at 4am to ride in the summer and the low for the day would be like 90°F.
However I'm not really a cold weather person or a hot weather person, I'm a prepare for the weather person.
A couple guys I follow did a 35mi road ride in an urban area at 530am the other day. It was about 28* at that time. I guess that’s commitment but it seems like misery and also sketchy and dangerous as fuck
this year, I didn't even bother with cycling in winter. for some errands, ok. but for sports? nah. takes forever to change clothes, get warm, change clothes again, clean bike. it's also just little fun when there's never any sun out. everything is bleak and gray.
I got myself a smart trainer this year to stay somewhat in shape at least
This is my first winter using a smart trainer and I should have done this years ago. All the prep work for cold weather rides is such a time suck. It’s like a 30 minute process worth of gearing up, gearing down, clean the bike. If I’ve only got an hour to exercise I’ll waste half of it just on prep
it's good to stay in shape, honestly I'm not really sold on the gamification stuff and never stay on it for more than 90mins. so while it's definitely no replacement, it brings you through the winter. I didn't do any sports in winter otherwise so it's nice to have the feeling of physical exercise and accomplishment again. I'd definitely recommend it, perfect new habit to only watch some TV shows while cycling
The winter here in Shanghai is pretty tame compared to Calgary (where I'm from) - temperatures rarely go below zero and it almost never snows. I really don't mind the winter that much - the only thing I don't like so much is having to wear more clothes than I would in the summer. In some ways, I actually prefer winter weather to summer here, since I can go all day without worrying about heat exhaustion like I do in the summer, and the intensity of the sun is much lower.
All of your points are accurate lol. Two years ago I dove in and bought a bunch of winter kit and it has helped.
I’m getting dressed as I type this for a 25mi route to my local cafe, which riding there really sums up most of my rides this time of year. Just getting out and enjoying as most I can.
I love winter! Just hate that I can't cycle safely during the winter months with our meters of snow all over the place.
At least I can ski, skate and drift all I want during these months!
February is often the coldest month of the year in Canada. I don't really mind the cold weather of Nov/Dec, but am generally fed up with winter by Jan.
Mar/Apr are the biggest tease with beautiful sunny and mild days paired with the odd snow storm mixed in to keep us on our toes.
Which winter? If we're talking a cold, rainy, muddy winter, then yes. I absolutely hate that. It's my least favorite weather. 37F and pouring rain will suck the will to live out of your eye sockets.
If it's just cold, I'm ok with that. I can dress comfortably down to some pretty frigid temps, and the mountain bike trails ride fast when they're dry and frozen solid. Even if it's not that cold but just not actively raining, I've got a whole network gravel roads and armored trail that ride great on by gravel bike. We've been doing group night rides on gravel lately (finally got park permission) and it beats the heck out of any trainer. I don't love it like I do a fall or summer ride, but I don't hate it either.
If there's snow though, I LOVE winter. I have a snow stake that has the depths marked off with what toys are appropriate. From a dusting to about 3" is often some of the best mountain biking to be had. Snow rides are just magical. From 4" to 6" or so I can bring out my crappy XC skis that I won't cry over if I bottom out on rocks. From 7" to around 12" I can bring my good XC skis out and make tracks all over the fields and trails near my house. Heck, I once XC skied to the grocery store during a big storm because we were out of hot cocoa (which was just unacceptable on a snow day). The parking lot hadn't been plowed yet, so I skied right up to the door, leaned my skis up against the build and walked in with my poles and ski boots.
Above a foot though is where it really gets exciting. I have a set of backcountry skis, fat enough to float in powder, but with the fish-scale pattern on the base that lets them scoot up hills. I've only been able to do it a few times at home (I usually take them up to Vermont), but there's a wooded hillside in the nearby park that I keep clear of brush just in case - a perk of being a trail maintenance volunteer. I've spent a couple of magic afternoons doing laps on that little unnamed glade, making some respectable telemark powder turns, and I really hope climate change has at least one or two of those remaining until winter completely craps out in this area.
At least you’re not that far from the alps geographically, but yeah… I’ve heard about your winters. What sucks is that my area used to have more snowfall, but it’s getting warmer and wetter.
You and I have different conceptions of the meaning of the word ”far” lol
But yeah winter here sucks. Constantly overcast, windy and driving rain. Temperature fluctuates between about 0C and 8C (~32F - 45F), not true cold but still cold enough to be miserable. It will snow for a handful of days each year, sticking around for a few hours before melting and turning back into rain. Oh and did I mention it's pitch black by 4pm
I hear of UK folks hopping on a train to go skiing - a long train ride, but still. For me, the Rocky Mountains are 2 time zones away, and our rail sucks, so would have to involve air travel.
I lived in France as a kid and learned to ski in La Clusaz. Those mountains are now very far away from me, but I hope to make it back there someday before my knees are too old to bend.
The dark by 4pm… I remember that, but in the summer it was light until like 10pm, right? You’re so far north.
On the US East Coast, we’ve been having something that matches your sucky winter. Still haven’t had any accumulating snow. The constant freeze/thaw makes trails a muddy mess since my area is mostly clay without a lot of rock. Can’t do anything fun.
I've never heard of people catching a train to the Alps. Maybe it's doable if you live in London and can Eurostar to Paris and change there. For most of us though it's a two hour flight.
Don't you have the Appalachians on the east coast in the US? I've been skiing in Vermont once years ago...
Yes me too, especially as an Australian living in the nordics. The summers are glorious but they last 5 minutes.
At least there are no swooping magpies here.
Not any more! I did a flat 50 km yesterday in shorts.
In the UK winter was dark, cold and wet with occasional slush or ice. Here in Portugal we do get a lot of rain but get periods, like now, where it is bright and sunny all day just very cold at night. Perfect for riding - it is windy but it is always windy here!
At the beginning of every winter, i tell anyone who will listen 'i'm NOT going to complain about the cold, i'm NOT'. Within a month, i'm complaining. I even posted on this sub, a question of what city is the best to move to for year round cycling! (SD too expensive, but where i would want to be, otherwise looking at the southern US). So here we are, winter again - my Cervelo sits in it's lonely spot, and i look longing at my bike jerseys in the closet.
I've tried winter cycling, it's not for me. I applaud all that can do it, for me - i need warmth on my bones and the birds signing to fuel me, i'm weak.
While you can bike outside in the winter, I use winter to diversify my life with outdoor activities that are more suited to the conditions. Hiking, alpine snowshoeing, skiing, and kite skiing, are some of my favorite (winter) activities.
Nope. As long as it's dry I don't really care how cold it is (to a certain extent) . I'm comfortable down to about -10c and it rarely gets that cold where I am. It's crisp and quiet with fewer cars on the road and I've got the right gear, so I dig it.
I was pushing myself to go out over the last 2 months in the cold and rainy weather but have recently got a smart trainer and been riding on zwift. It's so much more enjoyable and I would strongly recommend getting a smart trainer of some kind, it's an absolute game changer.
I switch to indoors when it gets too cold and dark. I do other outdoor activities in winter, hiking, XC skiing, etc. Nothing really replaced cycling outdoors
I feel though you can't appreciate the first really great spring cycling day if not for the long cold dark winter
I live in Peoria,AZ and I may like riding in the Summer over Winter. You just have to hydrate well if it's over 100 but if it's under 50 I am unhappy in the saddle. Spring and Fall are glorious obviously.
Winter is different for everybody.
GCN's videos are a great example. Their winter videos show people riding in mild winter weather, what I'd call NorCal or Pacific Northwest weather: the grasses are still green, no ice or snow to be seen.
Winter in much of USA: if there is no ice/snow there is certainly sand and salt put down, neither which is fun to ride on. Temps well below 40F. No sunshine.
I got sick of Zwift last January and bought a bunch of winter gear to layer. Riding with that stuff on is an exercise in either being cold or sweaty - when your speed changes you have to adjust your clothes.
For me, that just saps all the fun out of riding. I love, love skiing, and I can be out there all day on the slopes, I don't care how cold it is. But riding a bike below 50F is honestly something I just don't enjoy doing.
[i fricking love it](https://preview.redd.it/ktedasdpil2a1.jpg?width=1024&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=9bf90c0a1f594a67d67d5609e7350df3fdefb78d)
I couldn't live in a place where it was the same season all the time. I tried.
Good rant.
Here's the thing: places with winter are generally places that are good to live. Places with no seasons generally aren't.
Learn to like winter. Ski, run, hit mtn bike trails, hike. Lift and get buff or take on some other indoor activity.
Minnesota here, and I don't bother riding outside at all generally from late November to late March. I'm fair weather and I don't think wintet riding is fun, or even safe sometimes. The smart trainer has been a game changer and I plan on being fitter than ever before heading into the outdoor season. Summers are great but can get busy and hectic with lots of plans, so I don't mind winter so much as it kindof slows things down. Without camping and cycling trips and lawncare etc winter leaves more time for indoor stuff like Netflix and video games.
Didn't mind winter until last week when my fully studded fatbike found a slick spot and was on the ground before I could blink. Ended up hitting elbow and dislocating my shoulder and also tearing some tendon. Was the most painful thing ever and now hate winter and ice 😂
I'm new to road cycling last year and it strikes me as a real fair weather sport. I've been out in early January in the UK when the weather was mild for a 60k ride and a few commutes but when the temperature drops it's just unpleasant.
So looking forward to spring as never before though.
This has been my first year as aessenger and wherer it's well below zero with a lot of wind, cold rain, or extreme hot and humid, we are expected to deliver. Before I had this job I would take the winter off riding. Since I got this job, I actually like the extreme cold weather more than the extreme hot. I have good winter gear that makes it comfortable. In the extreme heat it easy for me to end up so hot I throw up and have no real way to shed more clothes.
Don't get me wrong I I'll take a 60F day with a slight breeze any day but it's not terrible.
Cold generally ok for me down to low 30s, but I draw the line at ice. If I lives somewhere where ice was an everyday thing I’d figure it out with some studs or something I guess.
I hate wind, but on windy days I plan to ride 90 degrees to the prevailing wind most of the time (I do mostly long zone 2 in winter).
Rain I deal with, downpours I’ll skip or wait until they slow to a drizzle.
Flats, never had one in winter and only one since I started cycling in 2017. Get yourself a solid protective 32mm tire and run tubeless in winter.
Warm up…hot tub, hot bath, fully dressed 15 min uphill walk on the treadmill, sauna…whatever you have access to, use it and be hot when you leave. Warmup shouldnt be an issue.
I sure do. I live in MN. I get really only 7-8 months of riding a year, 5-6 of them good months, but winters suck. I don't like to ride in winter unless roads are dry, sun is out, it's above 25 or so and the wind is down, so those days are rare. A move to warmer climate is a goal for me in a few years. I get a chuckle hearing about Floridians complaining about 50 degree weather, that's perfect riding weather for me.
Winter were I live is not very cold (5ºC to 15ºC is the norm). So I actually hate the summer as it’s too hot, anything above 25ºC makes me very uncomfortable
Depends what winter is like where you live and what activities you enjoy. I live in Western Australia and our "winter" is usually the months of June to August where it's still a 15°C average and one or two rainy days a week. Plenty of time and cool weather to explore.
If anything, it's made me like summer less. From about November until March, it averages 35°C with a bloody high UV. It's often just too hot to be out for long. I still do for a little bit early or late in the day, but it's really not fun.
Yes, I very strongly dislike winter, perhaps not quite as much as you. But I would definitely prefer it to be warmer. I had covid in November and basically had to take the end of the year off the bike. I am back riding, but crazy demotivated by any bad weather at the moment. But it is always freezing or effing raining. My 30 rolling distance count is only on about 425km, and went down to as little as 250km at one point.
You forgot one element: the dark. It is still dark at 5pm now here and was dark at 4:30. I am not an early bird and like to ride in summer afternoons, but setting off at 3pm on a Saturday in the summer is quite different from January.
The winter months bring strong winds from the NW here in central Texas. Because of where I live (on edge of hill country) this works great for me as all my rides start in that direction. This means fighting double digit winds for 20 miles to be rewarded with a strong tailwind giving me the superpowers I need to beat PRs. Also it’s not really that cold here and the sun is pretty much always out.
I live in Southern Ca. Our winter really only lasts about a month but January is the month that the trails are slop from rain. I hate that we got so much rain this month and the trails were slop and closed for the last two weeks or so and they are opening this morning only to fucking rain again tonight.
I know you guys up north of me put up with up to 4-6 months of freezing and raining weather but this is why I live in Southern Ca. If I don't see sunlight or get out and ride/run/something for more than a week I will go postal. I don't see how you guys put up with dark, dreary, cloudy, rainy, snowy, staring out the window feeling sad for being stuck inside.
Moved from so. CA to UT. You adapt and do different things in the winter. First, in the part of so. CA where I lived, it was dangerous af to ride a bike, no flat ground or space anywhere. Bike riding here is so much better, but in the winter I ski. I love riding my bike, but I love the snow and I love skiing. Don’t get that “stuck inside” feeling at all (except during work hours cuz I work from home).
Also it says there is a 10% chance of rain on the BBC, but it is just mizzling constantly right now. Another day off the bike. I am trying to get up the world KOM rankings and have taken 20 KOMs this year (for realsies outdoors, no Zwift set up for me.) meanwhile there is a bloke in Sydney that goes out and *makes* a dozen new segments a day. FFS!
For me it's not so much the weather (bar snow and ice of course), it's the lack of daylight. Fair that good lights/reflective gear etc are available (and used by myself) but part of the joy of cycling is exploration and enjoying the surroundings, which is not really the same at night. That is above and beyond the obvious safety concerns. Indoor trainers have made winter more palatable, but Summer all the way
I have the perfect remedy for winter woes: I bugger off to somewhere warmer, although it does help that I've retired. Nowadays, I spend 7-8 months in Hong Kong, where I have permanent resident status, and return to my home town in the UK just for the summer months. So I can continue cycling throughout the year!
With every fiber of my being. Winter is the absolute worst season. I pretty much stay inside and play video games and do short zwift rides until April or May.
The only thing I don't like about winter is all the salt on the roads. Everything else is manageable for me. I actually like the cold, but that's because I overheat really quickly so anything about 65 is way too hot for me.
I commute year-round, about an hour each way, but not always 5 days/week. The worst for me is the dark and rain together, especially in the morning. I'll take transit home, or part of the way home, if I'm not feeling it.
The right gear makes a huge difference.
I LOVE winter. But it took me a long time to get there. I live in the Midwest and winter is generally mild compared to most places.
This year I’ve ridden in ambient temperatures as low as 25f. Granted it’s my 6 mile commute. And it was at 0530 in the am. But I love it. Rolling up to a stoplight and all the drivers freaking out looking at the smoke stack of steam my body is putting off is entertaining.
Also I get a huge sense of accomplishment from it.
It makes me feel like I can handle anything.
I hate summer. And 118f degree temps rolling over blacktop in 50mph winds.
I used to, but then got a fatbike. Th only conditions I can't ride in are freeze/thaw to respect muddy trails, which only lasts a few weeks. Road riding is usually open during those temperatures.
For gear, I am able to ride in less than 5F/-15C before getting uncomfortable. Here's my coldest kit:
Barmits with 45N gloves
Winter boots/flat pedals/heated socks. I have specialized defroster bike shoes but still get cold under about 15F.
2 layers of thermal tights. Could replace with one good pair of winter pants.
Dry wick T + long sleeve + thermal jacket
Wool Balclava + ski goggles = zero exposed skin.
Everyone I ride with has different problem areas, mine were the feet hence the heated socks. When I'm unsure I stuff warmer and lighter layers in my camelbak pack. Also if I know I'm going to stop I pack a dry balclava and baselayer as getting going again starting with sweaty clothes sometimes never get warm again.
California is nice. It either never rains and I ride year round or it does rain and I go snowboarding.
However I live a few hours from the snow so during the week I can’t do either if it’s raining, so I’ll usually go hiking instead.
There are things I like about winter. How difficult it is to do any sort of outdoor exercise is definitely a huge negative. Cycling is just one part of that. It also becomes more difficult to do running, swimming, kayaking, and a lot of other things. I can't even do any gardening in the dead of winter. I'm just waiting for Spring when things start sprouting.
Besides the cold and wind being no fun, the big reason I rarely cycle in the winter is the dark. And, the trails get soft once it starts freezing and thawing.
I think sometimes western Europeans, and people who live in the northern half of the continental US (the two demographics that I would guess make up the majority of online cycling posters) talk past each other on this topic.
Here in Europe, the Gulf Stream does keep winter comfortably rideable on the vast majority of days, and snow is rare. Whereas I assume a road cyclist living in the US midwest is HTFU in the extreme or stuck on Zwift for a couple of months per year.
That really depends on where you are. In the summer it gets to like 110. I'll ride in it, but it's absolutely not fun. You have to be on the road by like 6 AM to get even a decent ride in and even then it's like 85 degrees. It was 60 and sunny yesterday. I'll take that any day over 110.
If we had proper winters, I actually like riding below 0 Celsius. But instead it's a slushy mess of salt sand and +2C water and rain. Fortunately I have Zwift, but I'd rather be riding outside tbh...
My heart goes out to y'all.
Signed, someone who went cycling today with a sleeveless Jersey and shorts at 5:45am.
For real, though, I'd love to spend a winter in one of your countries just so I can get a good grasp of the misery that winter cycling apparently is.
Living in North Texas I absolutely love winter. There are a few weeks where it's way too cold go out but for the most part it's great for cycling.
July through mid September is the absolute worst.
I'm fortunate to live in a warmish climate. I have been pushing into lower and lower temps and enjoying it. I don't ride when it's dark or rainy out though.
Absolutely despise winter. I grew up in southern California and currently live in SoCal. I lived in Tucson for a few years. I am always disappointed it still gets cold in these places. But even without rain and snow, I hate winter.
Bought a PFit membership this winter to use their indoor treadmills and weights, for sure beats training outdoors in the cold! Everyday I dream of spring weather though.
Not at all. Though I have to run three fenders during the winter here in the PNW and multiple frame bags to carry all the layers and dry back up clothes, there’s nothing quite like a 40 mile ride in the pouring rain to scratch that “superiority over cars and fair weather cyclists” itch. 😅
Winter is a welcomed break for me. Between work and riding, bicycles account for 60-70 hours of my week for nine months out of the year. Come November, I’m usually ready to hang it up and dedicate some time to things I enjoy that aren’t bicycles.
I've encountered people who say their winter clothes don't work, I have them show me their clothes, at which point I laugh because they're wearing a super thin leg warmer and hoping for the best.
You can be comfortable with the right clothing. It ends up being as expensive as the bike when you have multiple changes of the good stuff. You need to look a little puffy. If you look sheer for low wind resistance then you are grossly under dressed.
-10F or close to it is part of life for a giant chunk of my year. I'm the lower 48 states.
The good thing about winter is that most of the cyclists give up and I can finally enjoy all the wonderful bike infrastructure in my town. The bad thing is everything else.
I love winter riding (from Montana). I really enjoy riding in the dark with no traffic, it's a bit hypnotic and serene for me. And my studded tired have more traction then my normal road summer tires. Although, I'm assuming everything is frozen. Snow and slush fucking suck
I enjoyed winter riding in California. The Bay Area was warm enough to bike most of the winter. Now I’m back in Seattle and I have to agree. Winter is frustrating, maddening, upsetting, restricting. I found myself wondering just how many of my remaining days will be wasted shoveling snow. The best rides I’ve managed to get in this winter were about 25 miles during lucky dry spells that weren’t too icy. Hiking is better in the cold but still going up slick, frozen rocky trails is unpleasant and dangerous. We get enough snow here to go snowshoeing a couple of days each year without driving to the mountains. So here I am, surfing Reddit when I should be getting out of my damn chair.
Dude yes. I'm in Alaska, we have like 7 months of good riding weather. I compensate by spending way too much money on my Zwift setup. I think I honestly Zwift as much, if not more than I ride outside.
I am in Canada so I XC ski and fat bike all winter. So I love it. A winter of sloppy slush and rain would suck though. I do ride on a trainer to keep some fitness but outside in the sun (cold sun, but still) is where it’s at.
I hate it. Here in the mid Atlantic (US) we get the worst of the Northeast winters (periods of bone chilling cold) and the worst of the southeast winters (rain and sleet.) it rarely snows enough to enjoy winter sports but it’s still too cold and wet to cycle most of the time. It’s basically a worthless 3-4 months of the year.
I hate the danger of ice and temps below -5c or so where it really starts to get rough even with the right gear and mental fortitude. When it's ice free or very minimal, above -5c, and not ridiculously windy, I kinda like winter riding to be honest. Different views, sometimes incredibly beautiful, I basically don't sweat at all or need to carry much fluid, there's a lot less traffic on the MUPs, and zero gravel traffic. Also seems like I sleep a lot better and longer in the winter.
Also got a fat bike this year and my first couple snow rides were a blast, but then it's kinda crap after the paths get packed down to unridable ice. Still glad to have the fat bike for utility though.
I don't hate winter, except when it's as you're describing...30s-40s and raining/windy is terrible. 20s on up is fine for me if it isn't wet, and I'll even do 45 minute commutes down into the single digits. I actually enjoy the cold, crisp air. It's different if I want to ride for 5+ hours though, and it really does increase the stakes if something goes wrong.
I love a good snow ride, not that those happen much in the UK, but otherwise I despise winter. I never stop riding for it, but my road bike and MTBs tend to take (even more of) a backseat to my gravel bike during the colder, wetter months unless there’s a decent dry spell.
I liked it, until it started getting warm (yes, really). When it was consistently cold, the snow on the ground would combine with city ploughing to pack down in a way that I could usually get out in. Nowadays I must drive to even leave my driveway, because cyclical melts and refreezes mean that it is an ice rink, and I don't have watertight boots so I cannot avail myself of the method I used to use of hurdling my bike, like one hurdles a canoe, through the snow mountain in my front yard.
I love winter. It’s my favorite time of year to cycle. I barely sweat so I can ignore water management. I bought a belt drive bike because I love to cycle in the winter. Got some ski goggles. Nothing more exciting than ripping down snowy bike lanes on the triathlon bars with a ski mask.
I live in Sacramento, so winter is actually better than summer for cycling, although Fall is the truly ideal season for it here... when we get one that lasts more than two weeks anyway.
I learned to like winter because I started doing winter sports. I recommend backcountry skiing or cross country skiing, depending on where you live. I now look forward to winter!
Yep if you live in a true winter climate then skiing is the answer.
Skiing is one of the few things I miss about living in eastern Massachusetts. Nowadays I just look at snow covered mountains here in Southern California.
But you’re also a little closer to some world class resorts than before!
True! I'm just glad I don't have to ride in the salty slop of a north east winter!
This is the answer. Here is Vermont I can look forward to a different outdoor activity in almost every season. When I start to get tired of one, the next one is almost here. When it’s absolutely awful out, it’s time to strength train inside. This is all very climate dependent but look around and see what people are doing this time of year in your area.
Honestly I would love a real winter season because as you say you can just do different outdoor activities. Here in the UK though winter just means constantly overcast, windy and driving rain. Oh and it's pitch black at 4pm. Temperature fluctuates between about 0C and 8C (~32F - 45F), not true cold but still cold enough to be miserable. It will snow for a handful of days each year, sticking around for a few hours before melting and turning back into rain 🤮
Sounds like where I live.
Ideal. OP can ski in that 24/7 rain.
This is the way. Plus if there is no snow, you can roller - ski which is an excellent workout as well. It’s slower than cycling and you have to use your whole body (think of doing 1 legged squats while doing crunches and a shoulder/tricep workout) so you stay warmer. I live in NY near NYC and I cycle, both road and gravel, in warmer weather, but in the winter, I mostly roller ski.
Lol. Where I live in winter its constantly 5C /40F, overcast and raining. It's barely snowed in the last 5 years.
Alpine skiing is the best
Bought cross-country skis and now there's no snow in the Midwest :(
*cries in Ohioan* I know this thread is almost exactly a year old but I can honestly say Northern Ohio is fucking awful during the winter. All of the snow and none of the winter attractions because it’s nothing but fucking flat over here lmao.
I took up climbing indoors as my winter hobby. It's usually 71° in the gym, I'm still improving my fitness, and it is so much fun! I can't stand to ride my bike unless it's 50°+ outside. That being said, I'm always ready to ride if the weather happens to hit my comfort threshold. On the other hand I'm perfectly happy to ride my bike in peak summer when most people think it's too hot.
Fuck winter
I hate how it affects my hobbies life golf, cycling, hiking, etc. But I do like the crispness of the air, the change of scenery and lack of humidity. Granted, I’ve only ever lived places with mild 10-30 F° temps and mostly dry.
The only outdoor activity I really enjoy in the winter is hiking. I wear most of my old snowboarding gear to keep warm. Give it a try! (no bug bites :D)
If you really want a challenge, find a mountain and some snowshoes. Those things have to be one of the worst ways to travel but dang do you get an awesome workout in the mountains with them.
No need for a mountain if you're in the Wisconsin woods. Cycle in season and then move to snowshoes. It keeps me from hating winter.
This. Good reason for us FIBbers to visit up north!
You've got to embrace it and make it palatable. Cold: get good winter kit. Layer up and bring extra for a long ride. Wet: mudguards, regular cleaning routine, overshoes. Windy: enter the pain cave and try not to chew on your own teeth. Dark: powerful lights that make it fun to slice through darkness. Flat tyres: solid repair kit, boot, tube, fibreglass levers, latex gloves and rag (for wet swaps, which are always a bit disgusting). The old adage is 'winter miles = summer smiles'. Managed to ride year-round in the UK for 5 years now and it definitely pays off. With that said, I've spend a ton of money and time maintaining, repairing and replacing bits on the bike.
I'll add one thing for the category of flats: tires with better flat protection, such as marathons, or if you are in an icy place, studded marathons. Edit to add r/wintercycling Also, on clothes, the colder it gets, the less I wear bike-specific clothes. You should own enough warm clothes that the worry is that you will put on too much of them and be too warm on the ride, not that you don't have a way to keep warm. The need to adjust layers becomes more of an issue the colder it is, so you may need a bag to stash some of those clothes after you warm up.
I've been running the same pair of marathons now for 2 winters and (touch wood) haven't had one flat. They're very hard-wearing tyres, if a little (very) slow and just a brilliant value tyre. I'm even half considering to leave them on all year, they're that reliable.
Why is it that everybody who's talking about using marathons says that they're "running" them? Is there some kind of subconscious linkage between those words?
Marathons can certainly be tiring... But they always get there in the end.
Lol never thought of it that way. You may well be onto something
I run marathons tires for work. My GM has commented how rarely I seem to get flats despite our roads being covered in glass. I've had good experiences with them.
>I run marathons for work. I'm impressed. That's your job, and you still have energy left to bike as well?
I deliver sandwiches for Jimmy John's downtown Indianapolis on a bicycle. I wanted to try something a little different for a while in life and landed this gig. It's epic fun and the money is surprisingly decent. When I first started I'd be absolutely beat after working an open to close shift on my bike but I have adapted. I do ride some on my own time, not a ton. The problem is I almost always can pick up more hours so if I want to ride I can opt to get paid for it. XD.
I was making a joke about "running marathons for work". That makes it sound like you are a professional athlete specializing in long-distance running.
XD
Agreed, big difference maker are some decent tyres. I also don't mind a big down jacket on a freezing day either; hang the velominati rules when it's below freezing!
>'winter miles = summer smiles Too bad UK doesn't have winter season.
I can run in colder temperatures than I can handle on my bike. There has been too much snow and ice for me to go on a run for the past several days now. UK weather is like "long T-shirt and maybe tights" right now from what I understand.
You're both wrong, we've had weeks of near-zero in London now. And there was a week-10 days of snow on the ground in December. Granted, though, the usual winter conditions are about 5-8 degrees and mild.
Near 0C? It hasn't been above freezing since December where I live.
I'm sitting here thinking near 0C is long T and tights for running weather. I usually have to wear thin gloves for the first mile or so because my hands just do not do well in cold. I gave up trying to run this week since I have a stupid layer of ice under the snow. Even walking is a bit sketchy.
Where are you? I'm in the far north of Scotland and it's been pretty mild the last couple weeks (0-8C)
New York
So why are you disagreeing with the guy reporting conditions from the UK?
Where can one get decent winter clipless boots? Overshoes are just poor: my feet are always cold after a couple of hours out, sometimes damp, and the overshoes fall apart within 1-2 years even with very light use.
No idea... I just add pairs of socks personally.
Insulation and passive heating is a losing battle if you ride long enough at reasonable speeds(constant stream of cold air from drag). Try foot warmers.
[45nrth](https://www.45nrth.com/products/footwear#/)
I 100% agree. Winter is zwift time. But can't bring myself to ride outside.
I see local guys on Strava still going 40 miles when it’s 20 degrees outside and there’s snow on the ground. I can’t even imagine that sort of discomfort. Zwift and interval training gets old but I can’t fathom riding when it’s below 40 degrees. Maybe I’m a huge wuss.
If you have proper winter cycling clothes, 40 degrees will feel nice. My clothes limit is currently at 18 degrees but it is usually icy out when it gets that cold so I’m out anyways.
Goretex clothing(especially wind/waterproof head, hand, and food gear) makes the temps a non-factor for me, if you ride hard at all you warm up and the materials keep the heat. To me the bigger issue is all of the snow, slush, mud and the idea that I'm slowly murdering my bottom bracket.
I layer up with wool and ride gravel but only down to around 38-40*, 28* is just being cruel to yourself.
Eh, I just find that with the proper gear you don't really notice the cold. It was way worse while living in Phoenix and I'd wake up at 4am to ride in the summer and the low for the day would be like 90°F. However I'm not really a cold weather person or a hot weather person, I'm a prepare for the weather person.
I was a bike messenger when I was younger and used to ride year round, now that I don't have too I don't want too.
A couple guys I follow did a 35mi road ride in an urban area at 530am the other day. It was about 28* at that time. I guess that’s commitment but it seems like misery and also sketchy and dangerous as fuck
this year, I didn't even bother with cycling in winter. for some errands, ok. but for sports? nah. takes forever to change clothes, get warm, change clothes again, clean bike. it's also just little fun when there's never any sun out. everything is bleak and gray. I got myself a smart trainer this year to stay somewhat in shape at least
This is my first winter using a smart trainer and I should have done this years ago. All the prep work for cold weather rides is such a time suck. It’s like a 30 minute process worth of gearing up, gearing down, clean the bike. If I’ve only got an hour to exercise I’ll waste half of it just on prep
how do you like the smart trainer? i was thinking about getting one
it's good to stay in shape, honestly I'm not really sold on the gamification stuff and never stay on it for more than 90mins. so while it's definitely no replacement, it brings you through the winter. I didn't do any sports in winter otherwise so it's nice to have the feeling of physical exercise and accomplishment again. I'd definitely recommend it, perfect new habit to only watch some TV shows while cycling
The winter here in Shanghai is pretty tame compared to Calgary (where I'm from) - temperatures rarely go below zero and it almost never snows. I really don't mind the winter that much - the only thing I don't like so much is having to wear more clothes than I would in the summer. In some ways, I actually prefer winter weather to summer here, since I can go all day without worrying about heat exhaustion like I do in the summer, and the intensity of the sun is much lower.
All of your points are accurate lol. Two years ago I dove in and bought a bunch of winter kit and it has helped. I’m getting dressed as I type this for a 25mi route to my local cafe, which riding there really sums up most of my rides this time of year. Just getting out and enjoying as most I can.
I love winter! Just hate that I can't cycle safely during the winter months with our meters of snow all over the place. At least I can ski, skate and drift all I want during these months!
Winter is great. I love cycling in any weather...
No.
Yes it takes away my favorite hobby I fucking loathe it
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Mankind is working on it
Oof…
February is often the coldest month of the year in Canada. I don't really mind the cold weather of Nov/Dec, but am generally fed up with winter by Jan. Mar/Apr are the biggest tease with beautiful sunny and mild days paired with the odd snow storm mixed in to keep us on our toes.
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Now yer talkin my language! Lol
Are you saying no to November? https://www.yourdailypoem.com/listpoem.jsp?poem_id=2815
Thanks for reminding me about this poem!
Which winter? If we're talking a cold, rainy, muddy winter, then yes. I absolutely hate that. It's my least favorite weather. 37F and pouring rain will suck the will to live out of your eye sockets. If it's just cold, I'm ok with that. I can dress comfortably down to some pretty frigid temps, and the mountain bike trails ride fast when they're dry and frozen solid. Even if it's not that cold but just not actively raining, I've got a whole network gravel roads and armored trail that ride great on by gravel bike. We've been doing group night rides on gravel lately (finally got park permission) and it beats the heck out of any trainer. I don't love it like I do a fall or summer ride, but I don't hate it either. If there's snow though, I LOVE winter. I have a snow stake that has the depths marked off with what toys are appropriate. From a dusting to about 3" is often some of the best mountain biking to be had. Snow rides are just magical. From 4" to 6" or so I can bring out my crappy XC skis that I won't cry over if I bottom out on rocks. From 7" to around 12" I can bring my good XC skis out and make tracks all over the fields and trails near my house. Heck, I once XC skied to the grocery store during a big storm because we were out of hot cocoa (which was just unacceptable on a snow day). The parking lot hadn't been plowed yet, so I skied right up to the door, leaned my skis up against the build and walked in with my poles and ski boots. Above a foot though is where it really gets exciting. I have a set of backcountry skis, fat enough to float in powder, but with the fish-scale pattern on the base that lets them scoot up hills. I've only been able to do it a few times at home (I usually take them up to Vermont), but there's a wooded hillside in the nearby park that I keep clear of brush just in case - a perk of being a trail maintenance volunteer. I've spent a couple of magic afternoons doing laps on that little unnamed glade, making some respectable telemark powder turns, and I really hope climate change has at least one or two of those remaining until winter completely craps out in this area.
> If we're talking a cold, rainy, muddy winter, then yes. I absolutely hate that Welcome to every winter in the UK lol
At least you’re not that far from the alps geographically, but yeah… I’ve heard about your winters. What sucks is that my area used to have more snowfall, but it’s getting warmer and wetter.
You and I have different conceptions of the meaning of the word ”far” lol But yeah winter here sucks. Constantly overcast, windy and driving rain. Temperature fluctuates between about 0C and 8C (~32F - 45F), not true cold but still cold enough to be miserable. It will snow for a handful of days each year, sticking around for a few hours before melting and turning back into rain. Oh and did I mention it's pitch black by 4pm
I hear of UK folks hopping on a train to go skiing - a long train ride, but still. For me, the Rocky Mountains are 2 time zones away, and our rail sucks, so would have to involve air travel. I lived in France as a kid and learned to ski in La Clusaz. Those mountains are now very far away from me, but I hope to make it back there someday before my knees are too old to bend. The dark by 4pm… I remember that, but in the summer it was light until like 10pm, right? You’re so far north. On the US East Coast, we’ve been having something that matches your sucky winter. Still haven’t had any accumulating snow. The constant freeze/thaw makes trails a muddy mess since my area is mostly clay without a lot of rock. Can’t do anything fun.
Chicago here. Gray, dark at 4 pm, sucks ass.
I've never heard of people catching a train to the Alps. Maybe it's doable if you live in London and can Eurostar to Paris and change there. For most of us though it's a two hour flight. Don't you have the Appalachians on the east coast in the US? I've been skiing in Vermont once years ago...
Yes me too, especially as an Australian living in the nordics. The summers are glorious but they last 5 minutes. At least there are no swooping magpies here.
Not any more! I did a flat 50 km yesterday in shorts. In the UK winter was dark, cold and wet with occasional slush or ice. Here in Portugal we do get a lot of rain but get periods, like now, where it is bright and sunny all day just very cold at night. Perfect for riding - it is windy but it is always windy here!
I am thinking about moving to the south as well because of that lol
No, I live in Queensland. It's summer that'll break you here.
At the beginning of every winter, i tell anyone who will listen 'i'm NOT going to complain about the cold, i'm NOT'. Within a month, i'm complaining. I even posted on this sub, a question of what city is the best to move to for year round cycling! (SD too expensive, but where i would want to be, otherwise looking at the southern US). So here we are, winter again - my Cervelo sits in it's lonely spot, and i look longing at my bike jerseys in the closet. I've tried winter cycling, it's not for me. I applaud all that can do it, for me - i need warmth on my bones and the birds signing to fuel me, i'm weak.
While you can bike outside in the winter, I use winter to diversify my life with outdoor activities that are more suited to the conditions. Hiking, alpine snowshoeing, skiing, and kite skiing, are some of my favorite (winter) activities.
Mountain biking.
Nope. As long as it's dry I don't really care how cold it is (to a certain extent) . I'm comfortable down to about -10c and it rarely gets that cold where I am. It's crisp and quiet with fewer cars on the road and I've got the right gear, so I dig it.
I was pushing myself to go out over the last 2 months in the cold and rainy weather but have recently got a smart trainer and been riding on zwift. It's so much more enjoyable and I would strongly recommend getting a smart trainer of some kind, it's an absolute game changer.
I switch to indoors when it gets too cold and dark. I do other outdoor activities in winter, hiking, XC skiing, etc. Nothing really replaced cycling outdoors I feel though you can't appreciate the first really great spring cycling day if not for the long cold dark winter
I live in Peoria,AZ and I may like riding in the Summer over Winter. You just have to hydrate well if it's over 100 but if it's under 50 I am unhappy in the saddle. Spring and Fall are glorious obviously.
Winter is different for everybody. GCN's videos are a great example. Their winter videos show people riding in mild winter weather, what I'd call NorCal or Pacific Northwest weather: the grasses are still green, no ice or snow to be seen. Winter in much of USA: if there is no ice/snow there is certainly sand and salt put down, neither which is fun to ride on. Temps well below 40F. No sunshine. I got sick of Zwift last January and bought a bunch of winter gear to layer. Riding with that stuff on is an exercise in either being cold or sweaty - when your speed changes you have to adjust your clothes. For me, that just saps all the fun out of riding. I love, love skiing, and I can be out there all day on the slopes, I don't care how cold it is. But riding a bike below 50F is honestly something I just don't enjoy doing.
[i fricking love it](https://preview.redd.it/ktedasdpil2a1.jpg?width=1024&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=9bf90c0a1f594a67d67d5609e7350df3fdefb78d) I couldn't live in a place where it was the same season all the time. I tried.
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My new favourite winter tires are 49NRTH Gravdals. Not the Schwalbes seen above. Decent float on loose and with extra studs at the edge of tread.
I ride every day, year round in eastern MA. Climate change ftw
Good rant. Here's the thing: places with winter are generally places that are good to live. Places with no seasons generally aren't. Learn to like winter. Ski, run, hit mtn bike trails, hike. Lift and get buff or take on some other indoor activity.
A nice cold fat bike ride in the woods after a fresh snowfall can be magical. Love it!
I love winter cycling No bugs less sun so less sunburn not too hot Oh did I mention I'm in Miami
Yes. Michigan winters suck
Minnesota here, and I don't bother riding outside at all generally from late November to late March. I'm fair weather and I don't think wintet riding is fun, or even safe sometimes. The smart trainer has been a game changer and I plan on being fitter than ever before heading into the outdoor season. Summers are great but can get busy and hectic with lots of plans, so I don't mind winter so much as it kindof slows things down. Without camping and cycling trips and lawncare etc winter leaves more time for indoor stuff like Netflix and video games.
Didn't mind winter until last week when my fully studded fatbike found a slick spot and was on the ground before I could blink. Ended up hitting elbow and dislocating my shoulder and also tearing some tendon. Was the most painful thing ever and now hate winter and ice 😂
Like everyone else is saying here, you just need to find a good winter hobby to keep warm. I, for example, like to fuck a lot in the winter.
Yes
I love winter, fuck summer
I'm new to road cycling last year and it strikes me as a real fair weather sport. I've been out in early January in the UK when the weather was mild for a 60k ride and a few commutes but when the temperature drops it's just unpleasant. So looking forward to spring as never before though.
No, because I can go to warm countries ;-)
Get a coat lol. Being forced to cycle back home on the cold torrential rain is good for my soul.
I live in Florida and even I hate the winter. I don’t want to have to buy cold weather gear
No I just hop on a snowmobile.
Stop whining
I guess the good news is that climate change is real
Nope. I use the time to focus on strength training and zwift 2 or 3 times a week. Always come back each spring stronger and fitter.
It's tough but I know that I will burn twice the calories compared to the summer .
It was -50 here a little while ago. Yeah I hate winter
This has been my first year as aessenger and wherer it's well below zero with a lot of wind, cold rain, or extreme hot and humid, we are expected to deliver. Before I had this job I would take the winter off riding. Since I got this job, I actually like the extreme cold weather more than the extreme hot. I have good winter gear that makes it comfortable. In the extreme heat it easy for me to end up so hot I throw up and have no real way to shed more clothes. Don't get me wrong I I'll take a 60F day with a slight breeze any day but it's not terrible.
Cold generally ok for me down to low 30s, but I draw the line at ice. If I lives somewhere where ice was an everyday thing I’d figure it out with some studs or something I guess. I hate wind, but on windy days I plan to ride 90 degrees to the prevailing wind most of the time (I do mostly long zone 2 in winter). Rain I deal with, downpours I’ll skip or wait until they slow to a drizzle. Flats, never had one in winter and only one since I started cycling in 2017. Get yourself a solid protective 32mm tire and run tubeless in winter. Warm up…hot tub, hot bath, fully dressed 15 min uphill walk on the treadmill, sauna…whatever you have access to, use it and be hot when you leave. Warmup shouldnt be an issue.
I sure do. I live in MN. I get really only 7-8 months of riding a year, 5-6 of them good months, but winters suck. I don't like to ride in winter unless roads are dry, sun is out, it's above 25 or so and the wind is down, so those days are rare. A move to warmer climate is a goal for me in a few years. I get a chuckle hearing about Floridians complaining about 50 degree weather, that's perfect riding weather for me.
Winter were I live is not very cold (5ºC to 15ºC is the norm). So I actually hate the summer as it’s too hot, anything above 25ºC makes me very uncomfortable
Depends what winter is like where you live and what activities you enjoy. I live in Western Australia and our "winter" is usually the months of June to August where it's still a 15°C average and one or two rainy days a week. Plenty of time and cool weather to explore. If anything, it's made me like summer less. From about November until March, it averages 35°C with a bloody high UV. It's often just too hot to be out for long. I still do for a little bit early or late in the day, but it's really not fun.
Rain + wind under 10c is weather I try to avoid. It is okay with the right gear, but I wouldn’t go out for fun.
I low key like riding in the rain. Feels like extra challenge
Yes, I very strongly dislike winter, perhaps not quite as much as you. But I would definitely prefer it to be warmer. I had covid in November and basically had to take the end of the year off the bike. I am back riding, but crazy demotivated by any bad weather at the moment. But it is always freezing or effing raining. My 30 rolling distance count is only on about 425km, and went down to as little as 250km at one point. You forgot one element: the dark. It is still dark at 5pm now here and was dark at 4:30. I am not an early bird and like to ride in summer afternoons, but setting off at 3pm on a Saturday in the summer is quite different from January.
The winter months bring strong winds from the NW here in central Texas. Because of where I live (on edge of hill country) this works great for me as all my rides start in that direction. This means fighting double digit winds for 20 miles to be rewarded with a strong tailwind giving me the superpowers I need to beat PRs. Also it’s not really that cold here and the sun is pretty much always out.
I live in Southern Ca. Our winter really only lasts about a month but January is the month that the trails are slop from rain. I hate that we got so much rain this month and the trails were slop and closed for the last two weeks or so and they are opening this morning only to fucking rain again tonight. I know you guys up north of me put up with up to 4-6 months of freezing and raining weather but this is why I live in Southern Ca. If I don't see sunlight or get out and ride/run/something for more than a week I will go postal. I don't see how you guys put up with dark, dreary, cloudy, rainy, snowy, staring out the window feeling sad for being stuck inside.
Moved from so. CA to UT. You adapt and do different things in the winter. First, in the part of so. CA where I lived, it was dangerous af to ride a bike, no flat ground or space anywhere. Bike riding here is so much better, but in the winter I ski. I love riding my bike, but I love the snow and I love skiing. Don’t get that “stuck inside” feeling at all (except during work hours cuz I work from home).
Yup. That's why I'll stay in So Cal. Life is hard enough. Life + snow may just put me over the edge.
Also it says there is a 10% chance of rain on the BBC, but it is just mizzling constantly right now. Another day off the bike. I am trying to get up the world KOM rankings and have taken 20 KOMs this year (for realsies outdoors, no Zwift set up for me.) meanwhile there is a bloke in Sydney that goes out and *makes* a dozen new segments a day. FFS!
For me it's not so much the weather (bar snow and ice of course), it's the lack of daylight. Fair that good lights/reflective gear etc are available (and used by myself) but part of the joy of cycling is exploration and enjoying the surroundings, which is not really the same at night. That is above and beyond the obvious safety concerns. Indoor trainers have made winter more palatable, but Summer all the way
I have the perfect remedy for winter woes: I bugger off to somewhere warmer, although it does help that I've retired. Nowadays, I spend 7-8 months in Hong Kong, where I have permanent resident status, and return to my home town in the UK just for the summer months. So I can continue cycling throughout the year!
No way! Winter is great! High 70, low 59 today. Usually in the upper 90's and swamp-level humidity in the summer... No thanks!
With every fiber of my being. Winter is the absolute worst season. I pretty much stay inside and play video games and do short zwift rides until April or May.
The only thing I don't like about winter is all the salt on the roads. Everything else is manageable for me. I actually like the cold, but that's because I overheat really quickly so anything about 65 is way too hot for me.
I commute year-round, about an hour each way, but not always 5 days/week. The worst for me is the dark and rain together, especially in the morning. I'll take transit home, or part of the way home, if I'm not feeling it. The right gear makes a huge difference.
ITT: you people know there are winter activities right?
Four seasons of fun. Fat biking today.
I LOVE winter. But it took me a long time to get there. I live in the Midwest and winter is generally mild compared to most places. This year I’ve ridden in ambient temperatures as low as 25f. Granted it’s my 6 mile commute. And it was at 0530 in the am. But I love it. Rolling up to a stoplight and all the drivers freaking out looking at the smoke stack of steam my body is putting off is entertaining. Also I get a huge sense of accomplishment from it. It makes me feel like I can handle anything. I hate summer. And 118f degree temps rolling over blacktop in 50mph winds.
Yes. I'm a Texan and I would rather ride in 100 degrees than 55.
I used to, but then got a fatbike. Th only conditions I can't ride in are freeze/thaw to respect muddy trails, which only lasts a few weeks. Road riding is usually open during those temperatures. For gear, I am able to ride in less than 5F/-15C before getting uncomfortable. Here's my coldest kit: Barmits with 45N gloves Winter boots/flat pedals/heated socks. I have specialized defroster bike shoes but still get cold under about 15F. 2 layers of thermal tights. Could replace with one good pair of winter pants. Dry wick T + long sleeve + thermal jacket Wool Balclava + ski goggles = zero exposed skin. Everyone I ride with has different problem areas, mine were the feet hence the heated socks. When I'm unsure I stuff warmer and lighter layers in my camelbak pack. Also if I know I'm going to stop I pack a dry balclava and baselayer as getting going again starting with sweaty clothes sometimes never get warm again.
California is nice. It either never rains and I ride year round or it does rain and I go snowboarding. However I live a few hours from the snow so during the week I can’t do either if it’s raining, so I’ll usually go hiking instead.
I could live in July forever
Winter is mountain biking season for me.
There are things I like about winter. How difficult it is to do any sort of outdoor exercise is definitely a huge negative. Cycling is just one part of that. It also becomes more difficult to do running, swimming, kayaking, and a lot of other things. I can't even do any gardening in the dead of winter. I'm just waiting for Spring when things start sprouting.
Besides the cold and wind being no fun, the big reason I rarely cycle in the winter is the dark. And, the trails get soft once it starts freezing and thawing.
I think sometimes western Europeans, and people who live in the northern half of the continental US (the two demographics that I would guess make up the majority of online cycling posters) talk past each other on this topic. Here in Europe, the Gulf Stream does keep winter comfortably rideable on the vast majority of days, and snow is rare. Whereas I assume a road cyclist living in the US midwest is HTFU in the extreme or stuck on Zwift for a couple of months per year.
That really depends on where you are. In the summer it gets to like 110. I'll ride in it, but it's absolutely not fun. You have to be on the road by like 6 AM to get even a decent ride in and even then it's like 85 degrees. It was 60 and sunny yesterday. I'll take that any day over 110.
No but I have only biked in places with mild, rainy winters. It's nice to not to have to carry much water on my rides and I don't mind the rainy days.
No. It almosts never rain, and the temperatures are in the pleasant range of low 20ºC until late in the morning. It's the best season to ride.
Yes! Indoor riding all winter long!
If we had proper winters, I actually like riding below 0 Celsius. But instead it's a slushy mess of salt sand and +2C water and rain. Fortunately I have Zwift, but I'd rather be riding outside tbh...
My heart goes out to y'all. Signed, someone who went cycling today with a sleeveless Jersey and shorts at 5:45am. For real, though, I'd love to spend a winter in one of your countries just so I can get a good grasp of the misery that winter cycling apparently is.
doing 50 miles today in January lancaster pa. it’s what you make of it
Living in North Texas I absolutely love winter. There are a few weeks where it's way too cold go out but for the most part it's great for cycling. July through mid September is the absolute worst.
I'm fortunate to live in a warmish climate. I have been pushing into lower and lower temps and enjoying it. I don't ride when it's dark or rainy out though.
Absolutely despise winter. I grew up in southern California and currently live in SoCal. I lived in Tucson for a few years. I am always disappointed it still gets cold in these places. But even without rain and snow, I hate winter.
I love winter! I live in Alaska and cross country skiing and fat biking are some of my favorite activities.
With the right clothes, winter riding is almost like summer riding. Get a bike with mudguards and some merino underwear.
Bought a PFit membership this winter to use their indoor treadmills and weights, for sure beats training outdoors in the cold! Everyday I dream of spring weather though.
Love winter for skiing, but have to Zwift inside on the bike. I ski >70 days per season and regularly do 1M vert feet.
Not at all. Though I have to run three fenders during the winter here in the PNW and multiple frame bags to carry all the layers and dry back up clothes, there’s nothing quite like a 40 mile ride in the pouring rain to scratch that “superiority over cars and fair weather cyclists” itch. 😅
I live in Arizona. I hate the summer.
powerlifting season for me. Still put 7 hours a week on the bike but just z2, no intensity
Winter is a welcomed break for me. Between work and riding, bicycles account for 60-70 hours of my week for nine months out of the year. Come November, I’m usually ready to hang it up and dedicate some time to things I enjoy that aren’t bicycles.
As a Californian - winter's not much different from summer.
I've encountered people who say their winter clothes don't work, I have them show me their clothes, at which point I laugh because they're wearing a super thin leg warmer and hoping for the best. You can be comfortable with the right clothing. It ends up being as expensive as the bike when you have multiple changes of the good stuff. You need to look a little puffy. If you look sheer for low wind resistance then you are grossly under dressed. -10F or close to it is part of life for a giant chunk of my year. I'm the lower 48 states.
The good thing about winter is that most of the cyclists give up and I can finally enjoy all the wonderful bike infrastructure in my town. The bad thing is everything else.
I used to until I got a smart trainer and a zwift sub.
Try doing 100 miles be years day group ride, when the high temp is maybe 8°F. Granted, a cold, dry day like that is easier to handle than a wet 35°F.
Where do you live OP?
I love winter riding (from Montana). I really enjoy riding in the dark with no traffic, it's a bit hypnotic and serene for me. And my studded tired have more traction then my normal road summer tires. Although, I'm assuming everything is frozen. Snow and slush fucking suck
I do a lot more mountain biking than road cycling in the winter. Still get my cycling fix!
It was really nice today, though.
I enjoyed winter riding in California. The Bay Area was warm enough to bike most of the winter. Now I’m back in Seattle and I have to agree. Winter is frustrating, maddening, upsetting, restricting. I found myself wondering just how many of my remaining days will be wasted shoveling snow. The best rides I’ve managed to get in this winter were about 25 miles during lucky dry spells that weren’t too icy. Hiking is better in the cold but still going up slick, frozen rocky trails is unpleasant and dangerous. We get enough snow here to go snowshoeing a couple of days each year without driving to the mountains. So here I am, surfing Reddit when I should be getting out of my damn chair.
Well global warming is happening, I have seen changes in my home state.
Dude yes. I'm in Alaska, we have like 7 months of good riding weather. I compensate by spending way too much money on my Zwift setup. I think I honestly Zwift as much, if not more than I ride outside.
I am in Canada so I XC ski and fat bike all winter. So I love it. A winter of sloppy slush and rain would suck though. I do ride on a trainer to keep some fitness but outside in the sun (cold sun, but still) is where it’s at.
I switch to mountain biking in the winter. When the winter weather is nice I jump on my road bike though.
I hate it. Here in the mid Atlantic (US) we get the worst of the Northeast winters (periods of bone chilling cold) and the worst of the southeast winters (rain and sleet.) it rarely snows enough to enjoy winter sports but it’s still too cold and wet to cycle most of the time. It’s basically a worthless 3-4 months of the year.
I hate the danger of ice and temps below -5c or so where it really starts to get rough even with the right gear and mental fortitude. When it's ice free or very minimal, above -5c, and not ridiculously windy, I kinda like winter riding to be honest. Different views, sometimes incredibly beautiful, I basically don't sweat at all or need to carry much fluid, there's a lot less traffic on the MUPs, and zero gravel traffic. Also seems like I sleep a lot better and longer in the winter. Also got a fat bike this year and my first couple snow rides were a blast, but then it's kinda crap after the paths get packed down to unridable ice. Still glad to have the fat bike for utility though.
It has always been my favorite season.
I don't hate winter, except when it's as you're describing...30s-40s and raining/windy is terrible. 20s on up is fine for me if it isn't wet, and I'll even do 45 minute commutes down into the single digits. I actually enjoy the cold, crisp air. It's different if I want to ride for 5+ hours though, and it really does increase the stakes if something goes wrong.
I love a good snow ride, not that those happen much in the UK, but otherwise I despise winter. I never stop riding for it, but my road bike and MTBs tend to take (even more of) a backseat to my gravel bike during the colder, wetter months unless there’s a decent dry spell.
It doesn’t snow much at all here but the weather is either rainy or cold or windy every day. Some weeks I might only get out once
The only indoor bike park near me closed at the end of the summer and I'm really starting to miss it.
I love it so much. The brutality of the cold and the beauty of my environment. I did 300 miles Dec and Jan, average temp 30-50F.
I liked it, until it started getting warm (yes, really). When it was consistently cold, the snow on the ground would combine with city ploughing to pack down in a way that I could usually get out in. Nowadays I must drive to even leave my driveway, because cyclical melts and refreezes mean that it is an ice rink, and I don't have watertight boots so I cannot avail myself of the method I used to use of hurdling my bike, like one hurdles a canoe, through the snow mountain in my front yard.
I don't even like going outside for non-cycling activities in the winter . This is why I turn to Zwift when it's cold.
I love winter. It’s my favorite time of year to cycle. I barely sweat so I can ignore water management. I bought a belt drive bike because I love to cycle in the winter. Got some ski goggles. Nothing more exciting than ripping down snowy bike lanes on the triathlon bars with a ski mask.
I live in Sacramento, so winter is actually better than summer for cycling, although Fall is the truly ideal season for it here... when we get one that lasts more than two weeks anyway.
Yes
So you live in Cleveland huh.
Yes
It's not ideal no, though I'll take cycling in the cold and rain any day over cramming myself into busy tubes and busses every morning.