Cycling in winter can be glorious; there are wonderful views to enjoy and even more congestion on the roads to beat. Taking the time to learn how to cope with the cold and the snow, ice and slush on the ground is worth it. We’ve posted out top ten tips below.
Stay warm
Keeping your head, hands and knees warm will help you stay alert and relaxed. Cyclists of old used to stuff a newspaper down their fronts to keep out the cold – if you are ever feel in need of an extra layer give it a go as it is surprisingly effective.
Get knobbled
In countries where winters are hard and long, cyclists invest in metal-studded tyres, fat “balloon tyres” but in Britain it is more practical to go for an off-road tyre and maybe reduce the pressure a little to provide a larger point of contact with the road
Play it straight
Try and keep your bicycle as upright as possible during turns. If you bank into a turn in slippery conditions you will be more likely to exceed the limited grip of your tyre
Sit back and enjoy the ride
Keeping your weight as far back as possible reduces the risk of your front wheel sliding from beneath you – at the same time your driving wheel enjoys more grip with a little extra weight over it.
Brake time
Use your rear brake to carefully test how slippery the road is and use the front brake only in a straight line
Put your back into it
Motorcycle couriers steer partly by shifting their position in the seat. They use it to make quick turns, but steering with your hips in this way is a useful tip for cyclists in slippery conditions as it minimises abrupt movement of the handlebars
Get to know your snow
Fresh snow offers a surprising level of grip for cyclists, but beware of slush and areas of ice covered by only a dusting of powder.
Cycle Rescue
Cycle Rescue is a unique service which gives cyclists breakdown cover similar to that offered to motorists. It’s included free with every cycle insurance policy from the ETA
Tank tracks
If all else fails, buy a kit that replaces your bicycle’s rear wheel with a caterpillar track designed for use on snow and its front wheel with a ski blade!
Cycle insurance from 40p per week
Cycle insurance from the ETA offers protection for both you and your bike. It includes new-for-old, third party insurance on any bike you ride , personal accident cover, race event cover and if you suffer a mechanical breakdown, we will come out and recover you and your bike.
Martin Bishop
A trick worth learning is continuing to pedal while braking. If you use only rear wheel braking, the fact that you keep the back wheel turning against the brakes acts like anti-lock ABS so your wheel doesn’t lock up and skid. Don’t stop pedalling or apply the front brake until you have slowed enough to get your feet down if the bike slips out from under you.
Riding a fixed wheel bike is even more effective, but once again, try not to touch the front brake until you can get your feet down.