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Ok, I am fairly new to the cycling world and really like cycling, however, once winter hits and the temps are in the low 30's and below and the snow starts coming, I'm not going to be riding outside anymore. What is the best way to continue riding during the winter? Are there any specific types of workouts that are more conducive to improvement?
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Buy a trainer or rollers
Buy some training tapes, do intervals, etc. For example:
20 min warm-up
2 mins hard (90%) at 90 RPMS, 20 sec rest, 2 mins hard, 20 sec rest, 2 min hard, 2 min rest
cool down
I will probably do some indoor rides with a buddy this winter, just to keep it fun
do this 4-5 times
You should join NIFS and take a spinning class. I hear that they're great wintertime workouts for cyclists. You could also lift weights there.
oops - forgot ...
You can do different types of rides indoors just like you do outdoors ... distance, strength, endurance, etc .. .mix it up and have fun
I usually restrict my workouts to a bag of potato chip and a tv remote, but if you want improvement......
What type of trainer would you guys recommend? Wind, Fluid? I know that a wind trainer is noiser than a fluid trainer, but is there much else that is different?
I have thought about a spinning class at NIFS, but haven't really looked into it yet. What is everyone's thoughts about spinning classes? Are they worth it or is it better to just use a trainer at home?
Ok, I am fairly new to the cycling world and really like cycling, however, once winter hits and the temps are in the low 30's and below and the snow starts coming, I'm not going to be riding outside anymore.
Why? Get fenders, install a long mudflap under the front fender, and get good footwear. Then go out and ride.
Look at http://www.icebike.org for more info.
I do not recommend that you ride icy roads during the winter often. You WILL get hit by a car. The canadian above doesn't have to deal with sliding cars as much I guess. I am sure you have loads of traffic in indy. Don't let the cold keep you from riding though, you can get setup clothingwise for quite frigid temps.
Good job on riding all year though Michel
i ride in the winter, but only when the roads are dry or almost dry and the temp is 28+
otherwise.. trainer trainer trainer. it's not much fun, but it keeps you moving.
so will spinning, bad music usually but it will keep you from going dormant.
Once winter of trainer workouts, and I invested in fleece, a baclava, and headlamp. I'd rather ride outside.
Last fall I promised myself that I would continue to ride through the winter. I was shocked that with the proper clothes, it was quite enjoyable. In the mid 30s, I had no problem going 20 miles. In the upper 20s, I limited my rides to less than 1 hour.
I would go out when the roads were dry and the temperature was above 27 degrees.
roads are rarely dry here in WY and when the wind isn't howling it is rarely above the teens.
What is the best way to continue riding during the winter? Are there any specific types of workouts that are more conducive to improvement?
I live in Utah and it gets pretty nasty and cold outside, so for most of the winter I am doing my training inside. I bought a fluid trainer last year from Performance Bike and really enjoy it. It is really smooth and feels like I am riding outside. My favorite workout is to pull out one of the Spinervals videos, my favorite being Suffer-O-Rama, and ride in front of the box fan and crank out a killer workout. I usually turn the sound down pretty low and then crank up some Disturbed or Blink 182, or Metallica or something like that, and it seems to keep me going and gives me a killer workout!
rydwhite, I rode all of last winter here in Indy, and I didn't have any problems. I skipped a few icy days, but I was still able to put in 400+ miles per month. It wasn't until late march that I got hit by a car. Man did I miss solid food!
Ok, I am fairly new to the cycling world and really like cycling, however, once winter hits and the temps are in the low 30's and below and the snow starts coming, I'm not going to be riding outside anymore. What is the best way to continue riding during the winter? Are there any specific types of workouts that are more conducive to improvement?
Buy a single-speed - strap on some studded tires, and go outside. I did this last winter, and had the time of my life! You won't do the same distance as you do in the other seasons, but it's different, and really fun. Don't worry about the cold - I was never cold once last year, and I rode when the temps dropped below zero.
I HATE riding indoors. My philosophy is: My worst ride outside is still better than my best ride inside! Even spinning classes drive me crazy.
That said, 40 minutes on a trainer twice a week over the winter will make your first spring ride a couple mph faster.
A couple other tips:
-Music! Loud and upbeat. I wonder what Lance is playing on his iPod when he’s warming up for a TT?
-Intervals. Something to keep your mind off the boredom. After warmup, I’ve done 3 minutes hard, 3 minutes easy or (killer workout) 50 seconds all out, 10 second recovery.
-Fans. You will overheat!
For me, a child limits my winter workout time so I’ve adopted a new strategy – skip the aerobic stuff and concentrate on strength. I can’t drag myself to the gym when the weather is nice so winter gives me a chance to add some strength. I also figure that a couple 200 mile weeks in the spring (outside) will do more good riding a trainer all winter. That seemed to work pretty well for me this year.
Of course, adding aerobic training in the winter and weight training in the summer would be better, but, as I said, I’ve got limited time.
-murray
I crank the MP3 player and ride away on the rollers. My roommate forces me to the garage on the rollers because it is too loud in the house. Oh well. I bought my dad old tours, (de France), on DVD and that's all he watches when he rides inside. I guess it's all what you make of it. I have an old mountain bike and I am thinking of studding it and trying to go for at least a couple of rides in the winter.
I crank the MP3 player and ride away on the rollers. My roommate forces me to the garage on the rollers because it is too loud in the house. Oh well. I bought my dad old tours, (de France), on DVD and that's all he watches when he rides inside. I guess it's all what you make of it. I have an old mountain bike and I am thinking of studding it and trying to go for at least a couple of rides in the winter.
How much do trainers take out of your back tire/wheel? I would think with all that rubbing it would wear away quickly; how do you handle this?
I have an indoor trainer, and it's defeated all my attempts to make it interesting - I can't manage more than about 45 minutes on it, even though it's in front of a TV set. But it does help maintain fitness over the winter (I'm in northern Massachusetts).
This past year I tried to ride at least a few times through the winter. My take was that (a) I liked cold-weather riding more than the trainer, even if I did question my own sanity a couple of times, and (b) getting in a good outdoor ride every few weeks did more to keep me in shape than riding the trainer for half an hour every week. But last winter, though cold, was fairly dry (i.e. not much snow). I probably couldn't have ridden as much during a snowy winter.
Re: spinning. I can see how spinning classes, which offer a group atmosphere and an instructor for motivation, might work better for some people than riding a trainer alone in the basement. I took a spinning class once and kind of enjoyed it, though it was short (50 minutes, which included 10 minutes of warm-up and cool-down). It'd probably be worth a try.
Rob
How much do trainers take out of your back tire/wheel? I would think with all that rubbing it would wear away quickly; how do you handle this?
My experience is that trainers are tough on rear tires. I use an old hybrid, with big, thick tires, for the trainer.
Rob
I do not recommend that you ride icy roads during the winter often. You WILL get hit by a car. The canadian above doesn't have to deal with sliding cars as much I guess. I am sure you have loads of traffic in indy. Don't let the cold keep you from riding though, you can get setup clothingwise for quite frigid temps.
Good job on riding all year though Michel
I really take exception to your statement "you WILL get hit by a car." No you won't! I have ridden the past three winters in snow, ice, below zero weather and have not been hit by a car. Thousands of cyclists ride all winter long without getting hit, so who are you to say anyone will get hit? You will fall in the bathtub and crack your head open, so you better shower with your helmet.
Man pull your head out of the sand, or the snow bank.
As to suggestions, get a beater and continue to ride. You can have a great time out there, I do every winter. I've come to enjoy the winter rides more than the summer, it's less crowded, not as hot, and the scenery is a nice change. Don't let it stop you!
AND YOU WILL NOT GET HIT BY A CAR! That's just stoopid
Read some of last year's winter cycling forum posts, not a one about being hit by a car. Sorry dude, you outta here. I can't believe you even read the posts here. Oh this one has me lit up, sorry fans, but I love the winter months, not necessarily that deep freeze cold, but man it's something else to be out on two wheels in the snow. Sort of like commuting, you feel you're the only one and everyone else is missing out. No, I don't get out on my best roadie and ride, there are caustic salts, chemicals, and water to name a few things. Winter riding punishes the bike, not the rider. You don't have to get all bundled up either, as your body is a furnace and the the harder you ride the warmer you get. I rode in below freezing with a long sleeve poly shirt, a wool sweater, and a wind shirt/vest, and was plenty warm. My feet were stuffed in boots, and wool socks. One of the best investments I made was a pair of fleece lined tights with a wind cover on the front of the legs, I'm toasty.
I'd also like to say I lost 30 pounds in the first three months of '04. I was also commuting 200-250 miles a week from November '03 on. I went without a car the whole winter! That only happened because of the encouragement of my fellow forum members who'd put up with my endorphine induced posts about riding at -4F.
Well, indoors in front of a TV sucks and you (well, I) don't work that hard. Get tapes, do intervals, or better yet, get one of these:
http://www.computrainer.com/pro3d.asp
Days are verry short and the weather sucks here in Mass.
Well, indoors in front of a TV sucks and you (well, I) don't work that hard. Get tapes, do intervals, or better yet, get one of these:
http://www.computrainer.com/pro3d.asp
Man that would be sweet to have one of those. It looks like it could be a lot of fun to bad it costs about the price of a nice new bike.
I really take exception to your statement "you WILL get hit by a car." No you won't! I have ridden the past three winters in snow, ice, below zero weather and have not been hit by a car. Thousands of cyclists ride all winter long without getting hit, so who are you to say anyone will get hit? You will fall in the bathtub and crack your head open, so you better shower with your helmet.
Man pull your head out of the sand, or the snow bank.
As to suggestions, get a beater and continue to ride. You can have a great time out there, I do every winter. I've come to enjoy the winter rides more than the summer, it's less crowded, not as hot, and the scenery is a nice change. Don't let it stop you!
AND YOU WILL NOT GET HIT BY A CAR! That's just stoopid
I don't know where you live, and you may be right about your particular location. But everytime I go out on the ice, someone always manages to slide within inches of nailing me. I think most people here would agree with me that cycling on an icy road in traffic is much more dangerous than showering. I am not saying that he will get hit right away, but eventually it will probably happen. You told him he will NOT get hit by a car, how can you possibly know this? Can you see the future? Have you ever wondered why there are more accidents when the roads are icy? Because it more difficult to maintain control of your car. The other problem that I have is tha the roads here don't get cleared so I would have to ride in the grooves provided by cars which puts me right in the middle of the road, and that is not safe. Again, before telling me I am stupid, you should ask questions about where the person lives, traffic, road maintenence etc.
Thanks for all the suggestions. The drivers here during the first snow and freeze are really bad and I can easily see getting hit. But later in the winter they get better once they get used to it. One of my big problems is that during the winter months it seems like I leave for work when it is dark and come home as it is getting dark. The weekends would be fine for riding outside, but not during the week. I guess i'll just have to wait till the time comes and see whether I am comfortable just riding a couple times a week in the cold.
Thanks for all the suggestions. The drivers here during the first snow and freeze are really bad and I can easily see getting hit. But later in the winter they get better once they get used to it. One of my big problems is that during the winter months it seems like I leave for work when it is dark and come home as it is getting dark. The weekends would be fine for riding outside, but not during the week. I guess i'll just have to wait till the time comes and see whether I am comfortable just riding a couple times a week in the cold.
If you have paths neighborhoods etc. to ride in you will be fine, my problem is that I have to ride on the highways and major (narrow) city streets because we don't have to many roads here in wyoming (no, I'm not a hick. I have only been here for two years). Good luck, and be careful. Riding on fresh snow is fun, but getting sprayed with slush when it is below zero is not.
I don't know where you live, and you may be right about your particular location. But everytime I go out on the ice, someone always manages to slide within inches of nailing me. I think most people here would agree with me that cycling on an icy road in traffic is much more dangerous than showering. I am not saying that he will get hit right away, but eventually it will probably happen. You told him he will NOT get hit by a car, how can you possibly know this? Can you see the future? Have you ever wondered why there are more accidents when the roads are icy? Because it more difficult to maintain control of your car. The other problem that I have is tha the roads here don't get cleared so I would have to ride in the grooves provided by cars which puts me right in the middle of the road, and that is not safe. Again, before telling me I am stupid, you should ask questions about where the person lives, traffic, road maintenence etc.
dood, you were also foretelling the future when you said he would get hit by a car. You don't know that. I live in Minnesota, where ice and snow are some of the fiercest. As for car accidents in the winter, it isn't the snow and ice, it is the drivers who forgot how to drive in the snow and ice. just ask any Minnesotan, they'll tell you we drive like little old ladies the first snows of the year, and then we're used to the stuff and we drive wrecklessly until next winter. So the same is true for riding, if you are careful know what you are doing, there's no reason to even expect to get hit by a car. I can see Icerat sailing down the snow swept streets last year in traffic at midnight. There's the night I plowed through the snow and passed a 5-0 on the street and got him on my case with his bull horn telling me I was a vehicle and better start acting like one.
My biggest ache was coming to a stop sign and hitting a patch of black ice, the bike flew out from under me and I landed on my tail bone, I couldn't sit for three weeks that was a PITA. I haven't been hit by a car or come close, maybe I'm sheltered and now stating all this stuff will get me hit tomorrow.
As for being in WY, there are posters here from MT who ride all winter on much the same roads as you. Heck there are Canadians that post here. Stick around and enjoy the winter and this forum.
Finally, you aren't stupid, the concept of living in fear of being hit by a car is. I can't fathom that. And this comes from someone that was hit by a car while crossing the street. I landed in the hospital with both legs in traction for 40 days. It was not fun, well the chemicals made it bearable, so it was okay. It could have messed with my mind enough that crossing the street would be something I never did again unless all conditions were right. It took me some time to get used to crossing, and the noise of a car coming at me, I sometimes even froze waiting for the impact that never came. If we give into our fears some of us wouldn't leave our parent's homes.
As for being in WY, there are posters here from MT who ride all winter on much the same roads as you.
you have never experienced a southeastern wyoming winter. like I said before, when the wind isn't blowing at 40+(ground blizzards) it gets cold enough to refreeze the drifts so that they are like ice on top but give way when you apply weight then you end up getting stuck in the sugary snow underneath. I do ride right after a fresh snow before it gets blown into piles. Most of montana is nothing like where I live. We have no trees at all to protect from the harsh winds either. If you run into someone from soutern wyoming that rides all year send em my way. I don't live in fear of getting hit by a car, because if I did I would not ride at all. But telling someone that it is completely safe would not be giving them the truth. Cycling during the wintertime is inherently dangerous, end of story.
PS Most of Montana has a ton of roads and is much lower in elevation (I'm at 7100 feet) in comparison to Wyoming.
Man that would be sweet to have one of those. It looks like it could be a lot of fun to bad it costs about the price of a nice new bike.
Buddy of mine has one and it is amazing. I'll be buying one this fall. When you consider how short the riding season is in New England, the CT is a nice tool. It's computer functions makes it a very effective training tool. There are also times where I can't get out of the house (kids, etc) and it's nice to have an indoor training method. Not cheap, but I don't spend $500 on a weekend of skiing in the winter either!
I suspect you are more likely to get hit by a car in your car than on your bike, especially in bad conditions. On a bike, you're often out of the flow of traffic where in your car you're definitely stuck in it. On a bike, you can head for the side of the road if you see someone out of control, you can't always do that in a car. ON A BIKE, YOU CAN USED STUDDED TIRES, which, in most metro areas are prohibited for cars. The big tricks for riding safely in the winter is exactly the same as riding safely in the summer, pay attention, have appropriate equipment, be sensible, and weigh risk carefully. 550 miles/month last winter, and it's awfully nasty up here in the winter sometimes.
Thanks for all the suggestions. The drivers here during the first snow and freeze are really bad and I can easily see getting hit. But later in the winter they get better once they get used to it. One of my big problems is that during the winter months it seems like I leave for work when it is dark and come home as it is getting dark. The weekends would be fine for riding outside, but not during the week. I guess i'll just have to wait till the time comes and see whether I am comfortable just riding a couple times a week in the cold.
I commute all winter and love it. But it does take commitment and cash. You have to decide how much of both you have. It's my transcportation to work, so I figure I'm still spending less than I would for a bus pass, and a lot less than for a car.
You will need/want:
1) studded tires
2) insulated clothes (UnderArmor Coldwear and a nylon shell get me to the teens)
3) good gloves and socks;
4) booties;
5) balaclava;
6) ski goggles
7) good bike lights;
8) rags for keeping wiping down your bike after EVERY messy ride
There are other threads that may add to this list. I love winter biking. But if you can't afford the right equipment, or if it isn't worth the money, follow the other people's advice.
As to the risk of getting hit, that's there every season. In winter, you just have to be more careful. If you want to stay safe, stay on the trainer year-round.
you have never experienced a southeastern wyoming winter. like I said before, when the wind isn't blowing at 40+(ground blizzards) it gets cold enough to refreeze the drifts so that they are like ice on top but give way when you apply weight then you end up getting stuck in the sugary snow underneath. I do ride right after a fresh snow before it gets blown into piles. Most of montana is nothing like where I live. We have no trees at all to protect from the harsh winds either. If you run into someone from soutern wyoming that rides all year send em my way. I don't live in fear of getting hit by a car, because if I did I would not ride at all. But telling someone that it is completely safe would not be giving them the truth. Cycling during the wintertime is inherently dangerous, end of story.
PS Most of Montana has a ton of roads and is much lower in elevation (I'm at 7100 feet) in comparison to Wyoming.
I'm originally from missoula, mt. I'm not sure of the elevation, but think it's around 5500 feet, and I rode all winter there. Back then, it was a multi-geared MTB, but since I've moved to MN, it's fixed all year long. I never had problems in MT, none in MN either. While not comepletely safe, it's a lot easier. I've had the bike drop out from under me a number of times - that doesn't stop me. I worry about the cars a lot less too, because they usually know how s**ty their roads are, and move slower.
There's a lot of wind out here in the winter too - my commute is usually through downtown. That makes it even worse - you are riding on a street where the snowplowers pushed a 4 foot high drift into the bike lane, traveling at a good speed taking the bus lane, and EVERY SINGLE INTERSECTION you have a crosswind from between the buildings. I don't lean my bike to turn, but there have been times in the winter that I was probably at close to a 45 deg angle just trying to not get blown over.
I won't stop biking in the winter - end of story. I wish more people did it. Elevation has pretty much nothing to do with harshness - it's the roads and snow and wind where you are at.
For What It's Worth : The worst I've biked in is about 65 below (with windchill) and heavy winds. I got to work stinky and sweaty, and loving the fact that I was warm the whole way there, and didn't have to wait for an oil guzzling car to warm up or stand freezing waiting for a bus.
WINTER BIKING IS FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do it on a fixed gear if you can....
you have never experienced a southeastern wyoming winter...
No but I got through Québec's winters. Around here, the key points to remember are :
- The first snowfall of the season is usually the worst. Drivers brake as if they were on asphalt and the soil isn't frozen, so the surface befomes more slippery. It's much less slippery later in the season.
- A snowfall lasts less than 1 day, a storm might last 2 days and it takes 2-5 days to clear it (depending on severity of the storm and the level of cleanliness you are confident to live with).
There might be a storm per week, but usually it's more like one per month, so that leaves plenty of good time between storms.
- A thin bandana fits well under my helmet. With that, regular gloves and windbreaker, I'm OK down to -10 to -15 C. Below that I start to need more specialised equipment to stay warm (esp. boots and gloves.
- The snow typically disappears around early to mid April in Montréal. We often have small snowfall and might even have a storm later than that. However, by mid February or early March, the sun rays are usually warm enough to melt the ice.
What do all of that mean?
- For a good part of Winter, conditions are as good as in Summer, except for the "cold" factor. I estimate that in Montréal, we get 40-45 weeks (9-10 months) where highway conditions are similar to summer conditions. There is another 5-10 weeks where they aren't as good, but still decent. And there is the rest.
IOW, one builds up one's confidence during the better days.
I commuted year round in Chicago, I rode in traffic, I never got hit plus its awesome. Just don't stop riding in fall, its really very easy. If you do anything in traffic long enough, no matter what the weather, you will get hit sooner or later getting hit is an excuse to stop riding entirely.
Cycling during the wintertime is inherently dangerous, end of story.
There are people who say the same about cycling in general. If we listened to them, none of us would be riding. In fact, life is inherently dangerous, end of story. I agree that stating "you WILL get hit by a car" is BS.
My response to the topic is: get proper gear and ride your bike! Take it easy at first, don't lean in curves, keep your speeds reasonable, test your brakes periodically, make sure you are visible at all times. Expect to get a good workout with less mileage and speed. Be prepared to put more time and effort in cleaning and lubing your bike, especially if your roads get salt during the winter.
Winter riding is really a different sport compared to riding in the summer. I especially like the way fresh snow muffles all sounds. It can be very quiet out there! There are cons, too: even slightest mechanical problems can be impossible to fix on the road, out in the cold. I guess I could replace an inner tube, but even that would depend on the weather and I would try it only if I absolutely had no other options at all.
Read through the threads in Winter Cycling and/or visit the Icebike web site for more info. Enjoy!
--J
tpyos
Ok, I am fairly new to the cycling world and really like cycling, however, once winter hits and the temps are in the low 30's and below and the snow starts coming, I'm not going to be riding outside anymore. What is the best way to continue riding during the winter? Are there any specific types of workouts that are more conducive to improvement?
That is a shame. You are going to miss some of the best that cycling has to offer. :(
Cycling during the wintertime is inherently dangerous, end of story.
There are people who say the same about cycling in general. ....My response to the topic is: get proper gear and ride your bike! Take it easy at first, don't lean in curves, keep your speeds reasonable, test your brakes periodically, make sure you are visible at all times.
Agreed!
I would also say that driving in the wintertime is inherently dangerous, period.
Short of moving to Florida 4 months per year, I find myself much safer when riding in snow than when driving in snow. I might be more exposed to others, but I also have more control on myself and am more nimble to react to other people.
What type of trainer would you guys recommend? Wind, Fluid? I know that a wind trainer is noiser than a fluid trainer, but is there much else that is different?
I have thought about a spinning class at NIFS, but haven't really looked into it yet. What is everyone's thoughts about spinning classes? Are they worth it or is it better to just use a trainer at home?
Asking the people here in the Winter Cycling forum what kind of trainer to buy for the Winter is sort of like going into a Vegan Forum and asking people what their favorite type of meat is? Maybe you should repost that question in the Training and Nutrition etc.
Winter Cycling is mainly comprised of people who ride outside in the Winter. Otherwise the topic would be pretty short and the posts would be few.
"Sat on trainer. Watched TV. Is it Summer Yet? To which everyone replies. Ditto." :D
Asking the people here in the Winter Cycling forum what kind of trainer to buy for the Winter is sort of like going into a Vegan Forum and asking people what their favorite type of meat is? Maybe you should repost that question in the Training and Nutrition etc.
Winter Cycling is mainly comprised of people who ride outside in the Winter. Otherwise the topic would be pretty short and the posts would be few.
:D
This was originally posted in the road cycling forum, but at stome point along the way got moved over here to the winter forum. That is exactly why I posted in the road cycling forum in the first place and not the winter cycling forum, to see what road cyclists do during the winter. It would seem natural that winter cyclists would ride during the winter. But whatever, I have gotten alot of info here. I may end up getting an older bike to ride during the winter at least to see how I like it, but I really don't want to take my new road bike out.
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