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Cycling in the winter can be a challenge, I personally find it very tough at times especially right now with the change of seasons. But over the past 25 years I’ve found the right preparation, products and tips can make a big difference. So in this video I want to share the approach I use, from dressing to prepping the bike
Content
00:00 Intro
1:23 Bike prep
4:59 Clothing
8:04 Bike care
Supported by Saddleback
Castelli clothing https://bit.ly/justridebikes
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36 Comments
Thanks David. Very useful for a newbie rider like me.
Good thing there's no winter here in the Philippines 😎
Overshoes and decent winter gloves (a size bigger than usual so that there can be space for a warm air layer) are a must for me.
I've used all kinds of lubes and found that an application of 0w 20 fully synthetic engine oil lasts the longest throughout autumn winter and spring.
My rule for clothing is "if you are warm enough when you start the ride, you are waaay overdressed."
a buff or similar neck tube.. stops the draughts ,can be used as a bandage if you crash(I broke my wrist this year on a ride and it got me the 37 miles home-just about wrapped around my wrist) and also can be used in an emergency to wipe your hands if you have to change a dirty muddy tire.. I even have one in the summer wrapped around my wrist to wipe sweat out my eyes
”Few months”🤔🥶
Don't ride like a bat out of hell in the winter like it's still summer. You might get a cold weather injury….like I did.
I run Smoove all year round it's great just a bit of a faff getting your chain etc prepped before first application
My only concern, that we still don’t have a bicycle commuting culture outside of the big anthills, here in US. No devoted bicycle lines or even comfortable side roads and shitty attitude from some humanoids on 4 wheels. It’s not easy during warm days, I wonder how it will be during winter time.
Thank you for your helpful tips! Cheers and ride on!
For longer endurance rides, I carry a small backpack so I can shed clothing and switch gloves as things warm up
Anyone know what the make of mud guards are on the canyon grail?
The last thing you want in winter is a puncture in your tubeless setup that doesn't fix itself so that your cold fingers have to insert an inner tube in a sticky mess of tubeless sealant 🥴
Because I mostly commute, I think these tips would be great all year round. Not going tubeless because I am seriously hopeless at bike mechanics.
Hello David, my experience is that tubeless is so hit and miss for road use. Tubes just work and with good tyres you just don't get that many punctures in winter. I'm heading into my 32nd successive year of full time winter riding of 1000 miles plus a month through winter.
Great video!!
On top of David’s suggestions, my top winter tips are:
1) if you’ve not ridden in the dark before/for years, get a new LED bike light set (800lm +). They are amazing – like car lights – totally different from old lights.
2) Make notes of which sets of clothes work best at which temperatures: I now just check the weather and look up what to wear!
3) Look for water-resistant breathable gear. I have a Castelli “Rain-or-shine” winter Jacket that works really well most times – only need to put on my packable rain jacket if it is really wet.
4) Make sure your rain jacket is super breathable…
5) If you’re going to a cafe, make sure you pack a fleece or something warm for when you stop!! For longer weekend rides I use a trunk-bag / pannier for some warmer clothes.
6) Grim weather is better with friends…
Squirt lube and spend 5 minutes wiping your bike down when you get home and it’s wet. You can reapply squirt when dry and it means you don’t have to do a full wash as often.
So which of the mentioned things is the KEY now?
No offence Dave but I'm not wearing that hideous hi vis vest thing.
In low light I prefer to go with hi-vis gloves or even over shoes since your feet are constaintly moving so is likely to make you more visible.
Two words: layers and wool.
David I have the absolute BEST tip for you! Move to California for the winters and ride with us here!!! A big cheers from Laguna Beach! 🙏
Step #1: get a rim brake bike 😋
Hi David! Thanks for the tips and that reflective “vest” seems very useful indeed, for commutes especially.
Might have missed it but where’s the link to it or what’s the brand?
Why doesn't he show the mudguards on the Roubaix? Because their solution is shitty. You have to add a little plastic clamp to your seatpost and – once installed – the things rattle like crazy. Specialized really has done a very poor job here. Why not use the same solution they have for their Diverge series? Looks like mudguards were an afterthought.
Lots of good commonsense tips David. …In terms of lubes, I’ve been using Wolf Tooth WT-1 wet lube for a year now… it’s excellent stuff. It actually expels dirt and forms a dryish coating on the chain over a couple of weeks of use. Wiping the chain down after each ride, removes the expelled dirt. Then you replenish the lube every week or two. It sounds too good to be true, but it actually works. I’ve gone for months without needing to fully clean the chain, because the lube is so good at doing it. Perfect for winter, expels water too.
Buy a brightly coloured winter jacket, that way you don't need to have fluoro everything!
I always stuff a pair of Latex surgical gloves in with my repair kit. Prevents your hands getting covered in winter crud if you have a puncture, and can be used as an extra layer of protection inside winter gloves if caught out in a freezing cold rain shower.
A few winter clothing tips:
– block the vents in the soles of your summer shoes with Blu Tack
– put kitchen foil under your insoles to help reflect heat
– use disposable latex gloves under your main gloves when it’s really wet or bitter wind
– layer up your legs as well, leg warmers work great under long tights
– can also layer up your feet with toe warmers under overshoes if needed (or 2x overshoes)
– always choose kit that is water resistant
On the lookout for a fast/comfortable bike up to £5000, would go for 2023 models in the sales or newer 2024 bikes? It’s a minefield! Many thanks and really enjoying your vids 👍🏼
Hello David, great tips and nice video. What size do you wear with the Apidura PACKABLE VISIBILITY VEST? Size S/M or L/XL?
Thanks
A really good tip i like to follow during really wet, snowy and morning icy conditions is to air down your skinny road bike tires a little bit for better traction. And definitely slow down on the turns.
very good useful video. My tip for tyres are Scwalbe Marathon. Almost make your pump and patches redundant
Bar Mits. They are monstrously ugly but very effective at keeping hands warm. Only to be used on rare days where the physical pain of the cold is greater than the emotional pain of being seen with them. Apologise to your riding buddies in advance
Electric sock. Thank me later 💖💖
Put a chemical pouch that can be bought from the cheap shops between your neoprene toe cover and the shoe. They heat up nicely
This week saw the first subzero temperatures of this autumn. Which means this weekend is most likely a good time to put on the studs. Early morning black ice in November can be almost impossible to spot, so better safe than sorry. My avrerage speed will typically drop by around 2 km/h with the studs, and the grip on tarmac is pretty poor, but the good thing is I'll have roughly the same amount of grip on ice that I have on tarmac.
Also, the wheel swap is an excellent opportunity to give the bike a general overhaul, so I'll probably remove the seat post and the bottom bracket, to make sure they aren't seized, and that the bottom bracket shell isn't rull of rust. Give the chain a wax. Check the brakes, etc.
I dress for what the temperature will be at the end of the ride. I always feel a bit cold at the start of the ride then I know I’ve got it right.
I ride my 2022 Cube Nuroad Claris with mechanical discs as a gravel and winter bike. Purposely bought the most simple version. Claris isn’t light, but very durable. Mech disc are fine for my type of riding and are DIY-able 🤘