While you can't do much about the weather, here are six fundamental things you can take care of before you head out. It's about survival and making sure that you get home for tea, and that both you and your bike live to ride another day.
Here’s a weather forecast: it’ll be cold and wet during the winter months. No, it’s not the most inviting time to be out on your bike, but with a bit of forethought and planning, you might even enjoy it…
1. Prepare your bike and your body
Making sure your bike is ready for winter conditions is as critical to your health as it is to the health of your bike. Dark mornings and evenings, inclement weather, wet, icy or gritty road surfaces — all of these hazards are easily addressed by checking:
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- Have you got lights? Even in daytime, fog can make you invisible without them. Check out our guide to the best bike lights if you're not sure what you're looking for
- Have you changed your ‘go-faster’ summer tyres for something more grippy and puncture resistant? The BikeRadar winter road bike tyre guide is a good place to start
- And what about mudguards? You can check out our mudguards buyer's guide here
- For more on preparing your bike for winter, see our workshop guide
Look after yourself too, training can reduce the body’s immune system making you more susceptible to colds and bugs. Give yourself a fighting chance by eating plenty of antioxidant and vitamin-rich fruits and veg (here's how those can help your training). If you’re not sure you’re getting enough, take a multivitamin and mineral.
2. Don’t just pile on miles
If you’re concentrating on building up your base fitness over winter it's all to easy to do too much too soon. Don’t simply increase your mileage every week as you’ll struggle to keep up with the increased volume and end up ill or injured.
3. Fuel properly
4. Plan your recovery
5. Be sensible
6. Don’t be weight obsessed
Want more?
You can read more at BikeRadar.com
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