Cycling In Sub Zero Temperatures.

Usually when the temperature dips below 0, I take it as a good excuse to have a rest. But, looking at this weeks long range forecast, this would have entailed a long layoff. Usually, it is January and February which are the coldest months so it’s bad news when it’s already this cold in December.

Tips for Cycling in The Cold

1. Avoiding the Ice.

The worst feature of cycling in a frost is the danger of hitting some ice. If you hit any ice, at the slightest of angle, you will be nursing a sore knee before you can even start saying ‘ I wish they had gritted the roads.’ To avoid ice, I have been:

• Sticking to main roads – A and B roads – bus routes are usually a safe bet.
• I walk my bike to the end of our quiet road before getting on.
• Be particularly careful about going from a road to a pavement / cycle path
• Personally, I avoid cycle paths like the plague, they invariably haven’t been gritted like roads
• When cycling on A roads, you have to keep your eyes peeled for unexpected blocks of ice, e.g. where someone washed their car the night before.
• Don’t ride in the Gutter, but keep a good distance into the road. This can be difficult on busy A roads.

Keeping Warm

• Yesterday, I had several layers on, including thermal layers, but, was still cold on returning after a three hour ride. Somehow it just seeps into your body after a while.
• With poor circulation, I couldn’t manage without my hot pads. I’ve been putting a pair in my socks and also a pair between a glover liner and the bigger ski gloves. At this rate I will be going through a box of 40 pads pretty quick. But, I feel it’s the best money I’ve spent over Christmas.
• Ear warmers. A thin hat which covers forehead and ears is essential. I use this  Craft hat at Wiggle – great for keeping ears warm too. I used to have a neoprene hat, but that had a tendency to be sweaty.
• I recommend layers of fleece and merino wool. Be careful of Goretex type materials which aren’t fully breathable – they can leave you with a cold sweat.
• Don’t be reluctant to wear two pairs of shorts. There are some parts of the body, you don’t want to be de-frosting.
• To keep feet warm, make sure you don’t restrict blood supply by wearing too many pairs of socks in small shoes.
• If hands and feet get cold, try just get some circulation back in. I wiggle my toes and fingers (like playing the piano)
• Keep Wind out. Some material to keep out the winter is essential. Be wary about heavy duty Goretex layers, they claim they are breathable, but, that is dubious, I find I end up sweating like anything, which can make you susceptible to cold.
• Being prepared for a brakedown. For winter rides, the last thing you want to have to do is to mend a puncture. But, it could happen, I carry another layer to put on. The hotpads would be useful if I had to take gloves off to mend a puncture.
• Going out at 11am – 12am is probably best time. Usually warmer than after sunrise.

Looking After Bike.

With all the salt on the road, I used a custom heavy duty winter chain lubricant. It is specially designed to protect components from the corrosive effect of salt.

Is It Enjoyable Riding in Freezing conditions?

When I went out on Saturday, the air temperature was probably just creeping above 0 degrees because the water bottle didn’t freeze. It was a beautiful day because the sky was clear. In that sense I enjoyed it very much, though I’ve never concentrated so hard on the road ahead looking out for ice.

I’m trying to ride on alternative days. Even just a couple of 2-3 hour rides a week is a good way of ticking over during these difficult weeks. You do feel pretty virtuous if you manage 50 miles in this kind of weather. Ironically, these rides were very quick averagin 20mph, because I stuck to the flat, fast A roads. Hardly, the most enjoyable roads, but nice and fast anyway.

Related

• Wrapped up for winter
• Winter Cycling
• Cycling in snow