Your Favourite Bits of Winter Cycling Kit

[Andy in Germany]

My Leather Akubra:

I can see why cowboys, drovers, et c wear these. They're like a portable roof; rain happens to other people. I have a cotton crushable one for more temperate times of the year, but leather is where it's at for winter.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Having seen the consequences of commuting when Icy, I just pop on my spare wheels with spikes.

Last year someone broke their hip on my route. Despite being near a hospital, the poor guy was there for a few hours before an ambulance turned up, in sub zero temperatures (he was 100 yards from a major road). A chap I know assisted the person.

I've had the tyres years, and my route is on un-salted paths. I originally purchased them in 2010 due to the predictions of a very harsh spell for a few weeks - I didn't want to resort to the car, and low, and behold, we had snow on the ground for 3 weeks.

I can't avoid riding over water run off from fields. When my route was on main roads, I used to commute as normal, but much of my 'morning' route isn't near any main roads, and is icy. They come into their own when it's snowy.

Never mind any time off work - managers and colleagues presume I've had a bike crash if I'm ever off. I was WFH for a week as I'd strained my foot and couldn't walk - nothing to do with bikes. Anyway, someone told all the senior managers I'd come off my bike. Hissed off I was...

Winter tyres are great

 

[PaulSB]

These are my new overshoes which I'm sighted with. I've only had these for two weeks but have already ordered a second pair. Important features for me with overshoes is colour, should be yellow but I'll tolerate orange, and a zipped back. These from BBB are both and by far the best fitting cover I've ever owned. Generally I find sizing very random and finding overshoes which are to size is rare. These are bob on and so very easy to put on......no more fighting to get the foot in and the back zipped up.

I found them for £17.99 on Amazon. If they only last a winter at this price and call them good value for money.