This Winter Arrrg
Discussion
hilly10 said:
Anybody else feeling the same, just no let up in how wet it is, never known a winter like it. I know it’s not great for Road rides, but to even get the Hybrid out to do my Canel towpath rides is a no no. Having to go to the health club to swim most mornings just to keep myself moving. What’s everyone else doing to keep active
I commute about 25 miles a day round trip every day in London and tbh the number of days I get wet is very few. Sure, it's cold but good kit sorts that out, overshoes an absolute must!E65Ross said:
Came off myself 8 weeks ago today and broke my clavicle pretty close to the ACJ...which is rather atypical; usually fractures mid-clavicle. Have only ridden out a couple of times since but it's knocked my confidence a bit in weather like this.
Roll on the summer!
I must admit that I am more wary than normal and this is my big driver to get some slow easy rides in, to get my confidence back. But no way am I risking the ice just yet. Roll on the summer!
Happy healing.
snake_oil said:
I commute about 25 miles a day round trip every day in London and tbh the number of days I get wet is very few. Sure, it's cold but good kit sorts that out, overshoes an absolute must!
You lot down the Sarf East do not get nearly as much rain as we do. Its rained here just north of Birmingham every day last week apart from Friday, it snowed most of the morning Saturday then rain and cleared it, guess what this morning the very same again, and its still pi$$ing down nowIt's only been a bit crap here since the Christmas snow and storms, pre Christmas I barely missed a commute or a Sunday ride due to weather.
I don't mind too much getting caught mid-ride with rain but struggle to motivate myself to go out in it, despite owing SS Gabba, LS Gabba and Rapha Softshell water repellent jerseys
I've got a Powertap wheel so often just head to the turbo for a session if need be.
I don't mind too much getting caught mid-ride with rain but struggle to motivate myself to go out in it, despite owing SS Gabba, LS Gabba and Rapha Softshell water repellent jerseys
I've got a Powertap wheel so often just head to the turbo for a session if need be.
E65Ross said:
but still around £700.
I had an elite TT before that.....hated it. Incredibly dull and boring, just not engaging at all.
That's more than I have just spent on what I think has been a far less dull solution. Had a weeks leave left, cleared it with the wife so buggered off to Gran Canaria for 9 days. :-). 30oC on today's ride.I had an elite TT before that.....hated it. Incredibly dull and boring, just not engaging at all.
If you want to get fitter you just have to get on with it... I’m only doing about 100miles per week at this time of year, but haven’t dropped below 95 in the last few weeks.
I try to hit 40/50miles a week on the Neo and then kit up at the weekend no matter what the weather...
I think a large part of it is having decent gear. This past 12months I’ve splashed out on decent cycling gear (instead of crap off ebay) - and whilst it certainly doesn’t stop me getting wet to my bones, it keeps me warm and just about comfortable enough to keep pedalling!
Today was very wet, 47miles of constant rain. Went through 3 floods just under a foot deep and was obviously soaked through - but I kept warm enough and just laughed it off!!
All of this was on a £4500 Aeroad too...
So, blame the weather as much as you like, but if you want to get out enough then you’ll do it.
I try to hit 40/50miles a week on the Neo and then kit up at the weekend no matter what the weather...
I think a large part of it is having decent gear. This past 12months I’ve splashed out on decent cycling gear (instead of crap off ebay) - and whilst it certainly doesn’t stop me getting wet to my bones, it keeps me warm and just about comfortable enough to keep pedalling!
Today was very wet, 47miles of constant rain. Went through 3 floods just under a foot deep and was obviously soaked through - but I kept warm enough and just laughed it off!!
All of this was on a £4500 Aeroad too...
So, blame the weather as much as you like, but if you want to get out enough then you’ll do it.
Herman Toothrot said:
E65Ross said:
but still around £700.
I had an elite TT before that.....hated it. Incredibly dull and boring, just not engaging at all.
That's more than I have just spent on what I think has been a far less dull solution. Had a weeks leave left, cleared it with the wife so buggered off to Gran Canaria for 9 days. :-). 30oC on today's ride.I had an elite TT before that.....hated it. Incredibly dull and boring, just not engaging at all.
t weather, and I'd be greeted with more of the same next week as well. The kickr lasts more than a week, fortunately.I'll be riding to work tomorrow, I suspect which I'll do a detour there of around 25 miles but a short ride home.
lul what are u all talking about, I'm from North east ( So It's probably colder than down south).
Have been going out everyday the past month..The weather is really really Nice for a Winter!
There have been only very very few days where the weather has been so bad that I don't want to go out ( if the wind is above 30km/h and it's raining- I don't go out)
These past days There is so much snow that I'm able to have some proper winter fun with sledge finally - Yay!
2weeks ago one morning it was so warm that I was able to go outside in shorts - shirtless and get some tan!
Let out some pressure from your tyres and you can enjoy some ice drifting as well...
I guess it's all about the clothes you have?
I wear 2x pants (regular jeans+some wool dress pants I have) , 2x cashmere jumpers + Merino Buff , good hat, and a Nice down jacket + Thick wool socks and regular leather shoes waterproofed with plain old beeswax, Btw I'm broke as fuk and all of the ''expensive'' stuff comes from fleabay/thriftstores so there's really no excuse... Get Good quality clothes and Bring on the weather!
Pussies!
Have been going out everyday the past month..The weather is really really Nice for a Winter!
There have been only very very few days where the weather has been so bad that I don't want to go out ( if the wind is above 30km/h and it's raining- I don't go out)
These past days There is so much snow that I'm able to have some proper winter fun with sledge finally - Yay!
2weeks ago one morning it was so warm that I was able to go outside in shorts - shirtless and get some tan!
Let out some pressure from your tyres and you can enjoy some ice drifting as well...
I guess it's all about the clothes you have?
I wear 2x pants (regular jeans+some wool dress pants I have) , 2x cashmere jumpers + Merino Buff , good hat, and a Nice down jacket + Thick wool socks and regular leather shoes waterproofed with plain old beeswax, Btw I'm broke as fuk and all of the ''expensive'' stuff comes from fleabay/thriftstores so there's really no excuse... Get Good quality clothes and Bring on the weather!
Pussies!
bagusbagus said:
lul what are u all talking about, I'm from North east ( So It's probably colder than down south).
Have been going out everyday the past month..The weather is really really Nice for a Winter!
There have been only very very few days where the weather has been so bad that I don't want to go out ( if the wind is above 30km/h and it's raining- I don't go out)
These past days There is so much snow that I'm able to have some proper winter fun with sledge finally - Yay!
2weeks ago one morning it was so warm that I was able to go outside in shorts - shirtless and get some tan!
Let out some pressure from your tyres and you can enjoy some ice drifting as well...
I guess it's all about the clothes you have?
I wear 2x pants (regular jeans+some wool dress pants I have) , 2x cashmere jumpers + Merino Buff , good hat, and a Nice down jacket + Thick wool socks and regular leather shoes waterproofed with plain old beeswax, Btw I'm broke as fuk and all of the ''expensive'' stuff comes from fleabay/thriftstores so there's really no excuse... Get Good quality clothes and Bring on the weather!
Pussies!
Yet you were on here moaning the other week about a bit of wind and getting ill all the time, make your mind up. Have been going out everyday the past month..The weather is really really Nice for a Winter!
There have been only very very few days where the weather has been so bad that I don't want to go out ( if the wind is above 30km/h and it's raining- I don't go out)
These past days There is so much snow that I'm able to have some proper winter fun with sledge finally - Yay!
2weeks ago one morning it was so warm that I was able to go outside in shorts - shirtless and get some tan!
Let out some pressure from your tyres and you can enjoy some ice drifting as well...
I guess it's all about the clothes you have?
I wear 2x pants (regular jeans+some wool dress pants I have) , 2x cashmere jumpers + Merino Buff , good hat, and a Nice down jacket + Thick wool socks and regular leather shoes waterproofed with plain old beeswax, Btw I'm broke as fuk and all of the ''expensive'' stuff comes from fleabay/thriftstores so there's really no excuse... Get Good quality clothes and Bring on the weather!
Pussies!
Yeah, it's sh*t.
Turbos are boring.
If you just ride for fun, sit it out.
If you care about getting faster/race, suck it up and use the turbo.
With (slight) apologies to all the hardmen, so long as you have any kind of base fitness, some structured turbo work will do far more for your ability than stacking on the miles.
Turbos are boring.
If you just ride for fun, sit it out.
If you care about getting faster/race, suck it up and use the turbo.
With (slight) apologies to all the hardmen, so long as you have any kind of base fitness, some structured turbo work will do far more for your ability than stacking on the miles.
For winter so far I've been on four MTB rides and hitting the gym instead (the wattbikes make for a good lunch time spin).
The evening rides haven't been too bad, but the Evans sportive on Saturday was just hell. Hands and feet froze, climbing muddy hills with very little traction sapping energy. The route would be awesome in summer, but in winter is wasn't one I'd like to repeat!
The evening rides haven't been too bad, but the Evans sportive on Saturday was just hell. Hands and feet froze, climbing muddy hills with very little traction sapping energy. The route would be awesome in summer, but in winter is wasn't one I'd like to repeat!
It's been quite horrid weather-wise this winter.
Too wet.
Cold I can manage. I actually enjoy freezing bike rides, as a harsh frost really does firm up the trails nicely. But this year has been hard work. I recall only one opportunity to get out and ride in a nice crisp frost this winter.
It's really hit my mileage hard too.
I did the Festive500, then took a week away from the bike. Now I'm finding it tough to motivate myself to step things up again. and I'm being nagged by a couple of riding buddies to enter a MTB race this weekend coming. I just haven't put the miles in this last three weeks. It's definitely the wet ground and rain that's putting me off too. As soon as we have a couple of dry, or windy days, then I'm out again as I now that the local woods and heath will drain well.
I failed to hit my 6,000 mile goal last year, but was close to it. This year, if I carry on at this rate, I'll be lucky to hit 2,000 miles for the year. At this stage last year I'd ridden three times as far as I have this January. The year before that it was twice as much again. (2016 = 611 miles; 2017 = 291 miles; 2018 = 96 miles).
There have been tough months before, though, and no doubt there will be again. It's too wet to be safe on many of the local rural roads, as many that I ride regularly suffer with full-width flooding at this time of year, and you can't tell whether it's just a long, shallow puddle or if there's a nasty pothole lurking under the murky brown water. So lack of road rides docks mileage quite harshly. But the MTB alternatives are mostly a sloppy mess too. As much as you can ride them, it's as much about trying to keep the trails in good condition by giving them a rest as it is about trying to stay warm, dry, and clean.
And then there's the fact that riding in the slop also wears chains, cassettes, etc out more quickly, and my riding budget is strictly limited right now.
TL;DR? This wet winter has really messed up my cycling mojo...
Too wet.
Cold I can manage. I actually enjoy freezing bike rides, as a harsh frost really does firm up the trails nicely. But this year has been hard work. I recall only one opportunity to get out and ride in a nice crisp frost this winter.
It's really hit my mileage hard too.
I did the Festive500, then took a week away from the bike. Now I'm finding it tough to motivate myself to step things up again. and I'm being nagged by a couple of riding buddies to enter a MTB race this weekend coming. I just haven't put the miles in this last three weeks. It's definitely the wet ground and rain that's putting me off too. As soon as we have a couple of dry, or windy days, then I'm out again as I now that the local woods and heath will drain well.
I failed to hit my 6,000 mile goal last year, but was close to it. This year, if I carry on at this rate, I'll be lucky to hit 2,000 miles for the year. At this stage last year I'd ridden three times as far as I have this January. The year before that it was twice as much again. (2016 = 611 miles; 2017 = 291 miles; 2018 = 96 miles).
There have been tough months before, though, and no doubt there will be again. It's too wet to be safe on many of the local rural roads, as many that I ride regularly suffer with full-width flooding at this time of year, and you can't tell whether it's just a long, shallow puddle or if there's a nasty pothole lurking under the murky brown water. So lack of road rides docks mileage quite harshly. But the MTB alternatives are mostly a sloppy mess too. As much as you can ride them, it's as much about trying to keep the trails in good condition by giving them a rest as it is about trying to stay warm, dry, and clean.
And then there's the fact that riding in the slop also wears chains, cassettes, etc out more quickly, and my riding budget is strictly limited right now.
TL;DR? This wet winter has really messed up my cycling mojo...
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