9 Useful Tips For Winter Bicycle Rides

Cycling during winter can be a daunting idea; even the experienced riders find it difficult to ride in these months. But you must know that along with difficulties; winter rides can also be a lot of fun. So keep the fear away and be ready for some cold fun rides!

You only need to take some precautions to make your ride hassle-free. Read more to know what you need to do!

1. Carry Ample Clothing

Waterproof jacket
Thermal bib tights
Thermal/wicking undervest
Windproof gilet/jersey
Overshoes
Windproof/thermal gloves
Clear glasses

2. Tire Punctures

Punctures are one of the inevitable parts of riding in winters, so do not forget to carry your tubes and a pump.

Another trouble due to the wet road conditions- you can have thorns, shards of glass and sharp pieces of flint to make their way through the tires and into your inner tube. This generally happens at the most inconvenient point of the ride. To deal with this, make sure that you have at least two extra tubes and a working pump.

3. Carry Enough Food and Drinks

Carrying enough food during a ride is crucial in the winter season. Beware of keeping some energy bars, juicy fruits, protein supplements during low temperatures. Also, to retain the water content, keep drinking fluids time and again. You can also drink warm or hot water if you do not wish to drink cold water.

Also if your ride is a long one, then choose a route which has many cafes and you can stop for some minutes of break and refreshment. Make sure you will stay warm and do not cool off too much when you are stopped.

4. Carry LED Lights

Most of the riders prefer to ride during daylight, as highlighting their presence is easier for them. However, in the winter days, it is arguably important that it can be much gloomy and dim in the outdoors as the sun is at its weakest. So you need to carry small lights and also bright rechargeable LED lights so that you need not worry about deem lights.

Having lights along with you at all times also relieves from the worry that you will get caught in the dark during short days.

5. Tires

Wider tires are an amazing choice for riding in winters. But you need to keep an eye on the usual wear and tear. You need to opt for tires which offer a degree of puncture protection and hard wearing. The Continental Gatorskins are a perennial favorite for riding in winter, but some other tire manufacturers also offer similar models.

Tubeless tires and solid tires are an option too, but these ones are a bit more expensive and difficult to install as compared to regular tires and tubes.

6. Mudguards

Mudguards are a must in the winter. Not only mudguards, make sure that you accessorize your bike in such a manner that you do not face any difficulty while riding in winters. All the accessories will help you make your rides flawless and maintain all the necessary comfort.

7. Maintain Your Bike

Maintaining your bike in a tip-top condition pays off all the times, but in winter you will have to pay particular attention to moving parts, such as your chain, gears, cables, hubs and bottom bracket.

Give your bike a regular check, and try and wash off the accumulated grime after every two to three days. Check for wear on rims and brake blocks.

Also keep your chain oiled regularly, to make sure that the cables are in a good shape. Salty water off gritted roads can play havoc with components. By keeping your bike’s maintenance on your top priority, you can minimize the number of mechanical mishaps while riding in winter.

8. Use a Winter Bike

A perfect winter bike can be identified with an aluminum-framed having mudguards, puncture-resistant tires and lights. As the winters can be harsh on bikes, some people also keep a specific bike just for the winter. They are also equipped with cheaper parts, mudguards, wider tires and lights, or perhaps have lower gears to cope with a slow winter pace.

Perhaps, your winter bikes may be a bit heavy as compared to the average bikes and you can expect to see your average speed drop, but believe us, that is the best choice for riding in winters.

9. Be Prepared for The Weather

Check the forecast before you leave, and be prepared for the worst. You may also stay prepared for some have specific requirements for the ride which you are going on. Make sure that you plan a sensible route to match the predicted weather forecast, and carry a phone with you, some cash in case of emergencies and also other necessary items as per requirements.

If you are preparing yourselves for a cycle ride in winters, then why not look for an interesting, strong bicycle as well? At Bamboobee, we offer strong cycles made out of bamboo. These cycles are specially made for passionate cyclists and also come with the complete customizable kit. For more details, check out our collection today!

9 Useful Tips For Winter Bicycle Rides