winter

This past weekend we had a little taste of winter weather. For a couple of days it was cool and wet. So much so that I did not even attempt to ride. That is not usually the case for me as wet weather is not really that big a deal, if you know what to expect.

Bikeboy, a Boise, ID native and The Bike Nazi blogger has posted an interesting article on the challenge of riding in the dark. This is especially a concern now as we have finally changed the clock back to Standard Time from Daylight Saving Time. Please go over to his blog and read the article. Post a comment too, if you are so inclined.

Winter Bicycling Challenges: Dark

Went for a ride this morning, it was 34°. It was really cold! So with winter knocking at the door I thought I would say a few words on preparing to ride in the winter.

Cold weather riding is a challenge for everyone. It is not something that you can just go out and do. It takes a little time to acclimatize yourself to cold weather activities of any kind. Don’t make the coldest day of the year your first day riding in cold weather. Riding comfortably in the cold weather takes time and persistence. One of the best ways to get ready for cold weather riding is making sure you have the proper clothing.

As the weather gets colder and hopefully wetter (we could sure use the rain), it might be time to think about indoor training. I have used the winter months in the past to build better technique. It is also a good way to help you not lose so much of the conditioning you gained over the summer of outdoor riding. It doesn’t always have to be a chore, sometimes it can even be fun. Here are some tips I have used in the past to get through those tortuous trainer sessions.