Am I the only cyclist who trains in the Winter darkness ?

[Hacienda71]

I commute as well, out in the daylight back in the pitch black on the country lanes, but with the benefit of a chuffing bright light

 

[Matthew_T]

I love the evening. As I have college in the day (Mon, Tue, Wed) I get home at 6, have my tea and then go out for an hour.
It does get cold and wet but there is hardly any traffic and you are free to shout at all the red lights you come across (which wont change because you are not a car).

 

[Bayerd]

I ride all year round, with the right equipment, there's no reason not to.

 

[JonnyBlade]

Most of my clubmates either hibernate or take to the turbo, rollers, or gym in Winter, only coming out for weekend runs.

I enjoy training on the roads in the dark (Buckinghamshire countryside). It's very peaceful, there's little traffic, and pretty safe (I have monster lights, etc). I do have rollers and do the odd spin class too, but I prefer to be outside.

How about you ? How do you get through the Winter ?

No

 

[Brahan]

Most of my clubmates either hibernate or take to the turbo, rollers, or gym in Winter, only coming out for weekend runs.

I enjoy training on the roads in the dark (Buckinghamshire countryside). It's very peaceful, there's little traffic, and pretty safe (I have monster lights, etc). I do have rollers and do the odd spin class too, but I prefer to be outside.

How about you ? How do you get through the Winter ?

I prefer it too. This week has been terrible though: Soaked through each way on the commute. This morning I was swearing every bad word under the sun, with vigour. I was so annoyed at getting totally ruined by rain about 1 mile in. My language was awful. A lone, shouty, sweary and angry cyclist certainly doesn't cut a fine example of the pinnacle of human behaviour. But, with a nice shower and a clean towel at both ends of the commute, I end up happy and relaxed and ready to tackle the next challenge

I actually feel safer at night. I know my roads very well, know when to take a strong road position to avoid potholes and to stop dangerous overtaking and know when I can get my head down and give it some. This time of year means I get home soaking wet, so I find it hard to be motivated to get the rollers/turbo out. I just want to drink a beer when I get home. Or in tonight's case, a few large Baileys.

EDIT: The quickest guy I know cycles hard, all year round. It must work.

 

[al78]

I am still cycle commuting to work, just finished the first week of properly dark rides home. If it is raining heavily then it can be a pain but I get through it by remembering that my commute home takes 35 mins max and if I get wet then I know I will be home and dry before long. If the weather is bad I leave the road bike at home and use the modified mountain bike; with a hub gear and a Hebie chainglider it is as near as you can get to weatherproof; no faffing about wiping the rainwater off the drivetrain at the end of the day.

When the proper winter weather arrives (i.e. icy mornings) the studded tyres will go on.

Once we get past Christmas, the days are getting longer so it is only a matter of time before I am doing both legs in daylight again.

 

[Crankarm]

Winter time I run. I don't cycle in the dark or any other time now as have been knocked down twice, both in the winter months in jan and feb, both on a friday evening and both within an hour of each other time wise, first at 5.45pm on a roundabout speeding a-hole took me down, second at 6:40pm in a residential street when a chav drove his car from a side road straight into the back of me and my bike.

So winter is running time 7-8 miles a day. Last night was a beautfiul clear night, milky silver moonlight from a half moon, mist settling on the playing fields, so still and quiet, no-one about, not a soul. Beautiful.

 

[monnet]

I commute unless the weather is appallingly icy. As for training - I stick to the weekend clubruns. We have progressively tougher training runs all through the winter. Pre- Christmas I supplement that with steady turbo rides a couple of times a week but after Christmas I try to get out and do a few hill repeats as well. Nothing beats being in the open road. My problem is that I always get ill in the cold, no matter how well wrapped up I am (very skinny and can't put weight on).

Still, as the cliche goes - winter miles, summer smiles.

 

[VamP]

Winter is cyclocross season, so I tend to focus my riding around that. It means less mileage, more off road riding, similar amount of saddle time though. Don't have a turbo, don't want one.

I am still managing around 150 miles per week, but a lot of the miles comes from commuting.


Night time off road riding in the lashing rain covered in mud is one of life's great pleasures . No I'm not joking.

 

[fossyant]

Ice and snow can be tamed. I used to take the car on icy days as I've come off in the past, and on on occasion 3 times in a 20 mile commute - was battered at the end.

Bought Spiked tyres two years ago when the Freeze of Jan 10 hit. They have been brilliant both winters.

Ice, what ice ! I mix it up when the weather is icy - head for off road routes as well to stay out of trouble of sliding cars. Big 'f-off lights help too.

 

[lukesdad]

Night time mtb this winter its the only way to go.

 

[Paul.G.]

two nights a week out on the cross bike on back lanes with the bike lit up like a christam tree, heaven, then a long one on sunday. I sometimes swap an evening cross bike ride for a session at reading velodrome but guess im just lucky having this great facility on the doorstep and only £4 per session.

 

[zoxed]

I am also trying running this winter: I have bike trained through the winter, but I am just tired of the donkey brained motorists out there :-(

I live 5 minutes walk from the woods with lots of hard tracks in them: although they are not too practical in the pitch black, they are fine in the 1/2 light !

Running provides a change from cycling, and some slightly different muscles to use, but you need to be careful not to overdo it whilst your body gets used to the cross-training !