Cycling in winter: tips for keeping the passion alive

Winter can be a tough time for cyclists. Cold temperatures, shorter days, and terrible weather conditions can make it hard to stay motivated to get out on the road. But with a little bit of planning and some mental tricks, you can keep your motivation high and make the most of your winter rides. We have some useful tips for you:

  1. Set realistic goals for yourself. Instead of trying to match your summer mileage or speed, focus on building your strength and endurance. You can do this by incorporating intervals and hill climbs into your rides, or by taking on a new challenge like a winter century or a charity ride. Having a specific goal in mind will give you something to
    work towards, and will help keep you motivated.
  2. Make sure you have the right gear. Winter riding can be uncomfortable if you’re not properly dressed, so invest in some good quality winter cycling clothing. This will help keep you warm and dry, and will make your rides more enjoyable. Additionally, make sure your bike is in good working order and has the necessary accessories for winter riding, such as fenders, lights and reflective gear.
  3. Find a riding partner or join a cycling group. Riding with others can be a great way to stay motivated, especially during the winter months. You’ll be able to share the experience with someone else, and you’ll be less likely to bail on a ride when you know someone else is counting on you.
  4. Make use of indoor training options. If the weather outside is particularly harsh, consider a workout on an indoor trainer or even a core session. This will allow you to get in a workout without the added stress of dealing with the terrible weather.
  5. Winter Sports Alternatives to Cycling.  There are plenty of alternative sports that can help you stay active and motivated. Some popular options include swimming, running, skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, ice skating, and even snowshoeing. These sports offer a great cardiovascular workout, while also providing a fun and exciting way to enjoy the winter weather.

Finally, remember why you started riding in the first place. Whether it’s to stay in shape, to explore new places, or simply to enjoy the feeling of the wind in your hair, remind yourself of the joys of cycling and how it makes you feel. With these tips in mind, you’ll be able to stay motivated and enjoy the winter cycling season. Find your balance, find your freedom, find your ride!

If you’re curious and would like to learn more about training motivation, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’ll be more than happy to answer any questions you may have and provide you with all the information you need.

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ski in winter for cyclists

Skiing in winter for cyclists.

It is no secret that cross-country skiers have the best performance values among athletes. The maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) in the laboratory studies has always been very high for skiers. Yes, the same VO2max, which determines the athlete’s potential, his level of fitness. It is taken into account by the professional cycling teams when selecting riders to wear their outfit.

Cross-country skiing has been a part of winter preparation for ages in Nordic and Baltic countries, just forgotten in some countries thanks to the bad winters we have had recently.

ski in winter for cyclists

Everybody start skiing someday for the first time. The sooner, the better. Coaches involved in the youth cycling should integrate skiing in their training programs from the first possible moment on. No one is an instant skier. So, you have to be patient and start gradually. If you can ride a bike for three hours, it does not mean that you can ski for the same amount of time straight away.

Look for an experienced skier or skiing coach to give you few tips about the skiing techniqe at first. Simple tips will help you a lot and you will have soon the capacity for doing longer trainings on skis too.

The best is to start without sticks from a flat downhill transferring all the weight from one leg to the other, get the feeling of sliding. However, if there is no progress in speed and smoothness after a few trainings, be sure to look for a ski instructor again. It will take a very long time to learn the technique by yourself, the winter is too short for it.

 

Like with the bicycle equipment, it is very difficult to navigate between the different skis, shoes, clothing and so on. I would definitely recommend to use the recommendations of a specialist, don’t try to find the most suitable option yourself, if you are a beginner.

 

The classic skiing style is closer to the foot pedal action, but it is rarely used by the cyclist. It is a lot easier to prepare your skis for a session in the free style and it is easier to moove fast using only the legs the moment your arms need a bit of rest during the training.

 

Skiing is an ideal activity to improve your physical fitness! If I had the opportunity to ski every day, I would create a schedule with one day off between each skiing session. Give your body a chance to regenerate. During the years I was a dedicated cyclist myself, I created a system in which I successfully replaced aerobic work on a bicycle with skiing and performed bicycle-specific work on rollers between the skiing sessions. There is no point to spend hours on the bike with the cold winter temperatures. The winter I skied the most, I had the best winter preparation. Laboratory tests confirmed it!

 

So, everyone can go cross-country skiing, because it’s never too late to start and you will benefit out of it, guaranteed! Just make sure to not get cold and don’t go too hard! Wear enough clothes, check your heart rate while skiing and change your undershirt straight after the session.

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riding-cold

10 tips for cycling in cold weather.

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As we rode ourselves and trained a lot of athletes that needed to keep riding even when there is snow outside, we gathered 10 tips for cycling in cold weather on hot to enjoy riding in winter, staying warm and comfortable, which we think is a wonderful season to enjoy on bike and stay fit for your summer goals too!

riding-cold

So here is selections of tips we crafted for you, if you suffer with riding comfortably in cold:

 

  • Mudguards. Even small tail under your seat will help a lot. Less cold water you get onto body, longer it will stay warm.
  • Running. When your feet gets really really cold, get of bike and run for 30sec, it will get blood flow to your feet and will warm up.
  • Thermo bidon. They are not expensive, but sip of warm drink mid ride will fell amazing. Go for some tea with honey for extra energy. Since you burn more calories to stay warm… You can find some for good price at Evelo Store here
  • Clothing. Its obvious you need proper gear to ride in winter, but quality gear realy makes the difference. Don’t overdress as well. What seems impossible, but you can do it even when there is snow outside. Best to choose winter outer layer that breathes but is water resistant like Gore-Tex. If you overdress, you will get sweaty fast and when you will slow down, you will get cold real fast as you will be all wet out in winter…
  • High cadence. Do 20sec high cadence effort once in a while if you start getting cold, it will rise your heart rate and make you warmer by bringing more blood to legs.
  • Forrest. Choose places to ride where your average speed will be slower, but watts the same, at slower speed you will have less wind coming at you and will be warmer. Forrest is great place to stay warm.
  • Fatty cream. If your knees and face gets cold at rides, beforehand apply some fatty cream to area, Nivea will work just fine.
  • Food. It’s easy to bonk in cold, because your body burns more calories to keep body warm. So fuel up properly and bring more food on rides that you would do in summer.
  • Weather app. Always check weather in areas around, not where you are at. Check 2-3 locations around you, and you might find that changing general direction of your ride might save you from bad day.
  • Full gas. Hey, if nothing helps, you can always ride harder and that will do it all!

 

Hopefully some of our 10 tips for cycling in cold weather stuck with you and will make your next ride more enjoyable!

Stay fit this winter my friends!

If you have any questions or want to take your fitness to next level, you can click here and contact us!

 

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