There’s only one place to ride a bicycle and that is outdoors, but through the winter more cyclists have been taking to indoor cycling to avoid the rain and cold. We’re here to remind you of all the benefits of cycling outside.
We’re sure most of you don’t need us to tell you why cycling outdoors is so much better than indoors cycling, but just in case, here are six reasons.
There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing
Yes, the rain and cold can make facing the outdoors challenging at times. But provided you’ve got the right clothing you can face any weather.
Cycle clothing has come on leaps and bounds in recent years with some big textile developments that make it so much easier to face the rain or cold weather. Waterproof and breathable jackets, waterproof socks, neoprene gloves, soft shell jackets. The Gabba. You don’t even need to spend a fortune either as the quality and performance you can get in clothing that doesn’t break the bank is impressive these days.
Cycling outdoors makes you happy
There’s nothing like the feeling of air rushing past your face and the exhilaration from hurtling along a road at high speed to make you feel alive and lift your mood. You don’t get that in a gym that’s for sure.
According to some research outdoor exercise can be a cure for the seasonal affective disorder that some people suffer from at this time of year when the days are short and the nights long. So that’s a good reason right there for shunning the indoor trainer.
Riding outside is sociable
You can’t ride with friends on an indoor trainer. Though saying that Zwift does allow you to ride with virtual partners. What we mean of course if you can’t go for a ride with a group of friends and have a good old natter, racing each other to the top of each hill and then celebrate with a slab of cake and hot drink. Riding in a group is also safer and you’re more likely to push yourself that little bit harder.
Cycling is a great sociable activity and it’s one of the big appeals for many cyclists. Doing regular rides with friends is a great motivator as well, especially if you’re feeling a bit lazy or the weather is a bit iffy. No one likes to let a friend down.
Cold weather helps you burn fat
According to a study cycling in cold weather can promote the growth of brown fat (brown adipose tissue) which burns white fat and can reduce sugar levels. The brown fat consumes a lot of energy producing heat to keep you warm in cold weather and this process can help regulate body weight. So cycling outside in the cold is good for you.
Cycling outdoors is interesting
Who wants to sit on a stationary trainer staring at the wall or trying to distract yourself from the tedium and utter boredom by listening to music and watching television? Not us. Cycling outdoors is infinitely more interesting as you have the beautiful great outdoors, whether country or urban, to enjoy and prevent you ever getting bored.
The outdoors gives you the chance to enjoy spectacular views, watch the sun rise over the valley, experience the transition from one season to the next, experiences that are far more enjoyable than staying indoors staying at a screen. Plus there’s night riding which, provided you’re prepared with decent lights, can be hugely enjoyable.
Plus, not only is riding indoors on a stationary trainer so boring, it ‘might’ also knacker your bike, as Mat found out when he spoke to a few brands about using carbon bikes in a turbo.
Outside is free
To borrow the popular #outsideisfree hashtag, cycling outdoors doesn’t cost you anything unlike indoor training which requires an expensive turbo trainer at the very minimum, and a smart trainer and Zwift subscription if you’re really going to invest in cycling indoors. Yes, there will be those rides in the rain, cold wind and snow even, but there’ll also be rides in the sun and it’s those rides that you’ll look forward to and remember fondly.
What gets you cycling outdoors?
66 thoughts on “6 reasons outdoor cycling is the best, even in winter (or a lockdown)”
There does seem to be a
There does seem to be a particular brand of cyclist, that believes the basic rules of physics, for some unknown reason, do not apply to them.
For example, those who ride without a helmet. And those who think that their tyres still grip on black ice.
I’ll take indoor training over waiting for hours in A&E and weeks off the bike, waiting for broken bones to heal. Yes, I’ve been there.
andyeb wrote:
Don’t forget to pad the area around your indoor trainer with cotton wool.
andyeb wrote:
You crashed because someone in your group wasn’t wearing a helmet?! I would love to have seen how that happened.
andyeb wrote:
Where do these particular brand of cyclists live?
Im not sure about you but where I live (Birmingham, and I guess a big portion of the UK) we see very little ice and frost, we even had mild sunshine last weekend which meant we could safely ride on dry roads and really enjoy being outside. Granted yesterday we did see snow. But that too was ok, MTBing through a few cm of fresh powder on the trails was both grippy, pleasurable and picturesque. Imagine that!
My fellow cyclist friend: winter isn’t out to get you, treat it with respect, make the most of the opportunities it presents, get out and live a little.
andyeb wrote:
You could just cut your cloth accordingly. Busy or just even moderately busy rural A class roads are always gritted, the flow of traffic spreads the grit and breaks any ice up. Not my first choice of road, utility miles when all said and done, but better than sitting on a turbo.
HalfWheeler wrote:
Round where I live going out on main roads in the cold & wet with low sun certainly gets the heart rate up!
I enjoy cold weather cycling,
I enjoy cold weather cycling, there’s even something about donning the extra winter kit that makes me think the days ride is going to be extra fun – But! There are two conditions that I avoid like the plauge;
* Icy roads (Painfull experiance has taught me a number of lessons there)
* The combination of wet roads and a low sun (Thus far I’ve been lucky and not had some pointless retard run straight in to the back of me & I’d like to keep it that way)
Each to their own but hours
Each to their own but hours on a turbo would bore me senseless, hence the reason why I have a mountain bike as opposed to a turbo trainer.
Riding on the snowy trails yesterday was sublimely peaceful and testing at the same time: physically demanding and challenging your senses to keep the bike upright at the same time. Providing you stick to the golden rule of mountain biking (trees, don’t crash into them) it’s a pretty safe alternative to treacherous roads this time of year and you don’t have to worry about the ubiquitous crap driver. You might even become a better handler of your road bike as well
arfa wrote:
so THAT’s where I’ve been going wrong! Stupid brown sticky things, getting in my way all the time…
I have a specific beef with
I have a specific beef with indoor trainers and the rise in the use of something like Zwift out here in Taiwan. I am seeing an increasing number of riders on the roads who are strong, fit and fast, but they lack roadcraft. Can be a bit scary.
The slightest hint of ‘weather’ here and huge numbers of riders simply stay at home. When I say weather, essentially I mean rain. Any amount of rain. Even simply wet roads. Ride cancelled. Very odd.
Comments about indoor being
Comments about indoor being boring staring at a wall- that is rubbish,. Zwift and bkool are interactive, with bkool having video of routes, real feel gradients with a smart trainer. The other argument it ‘might’ damage your bike is also bollocks. My carbon bike has been on my trainer for over 2000 miles and is fine.
Riding indoors with a proper setup is hugely rewarding in training quality and entertainment. Also you don’t get cold, wet and won’t crash in less than ideal conditions.
When spring arrives after a winter of structured training makes for a great time chuckling at your less fit riding buddies.
I do both. I’m probably in
I do both. I’m probably in the ‘hardcore’ camp – I’ll take the bike out in the ice and grin at every save from either the back or front wheel giving out. Also find riding in pissing rain one of the greatest pleasures I’ve ever known, for some reason it’s again – instantly grin inducing. Is any part of that smart? No. Do I get as much benefit as I would have from doing an indoor session? Of course not, you can’t go hard in bad conditions.
That said, fair amount of small-minded, ill-informed nonsense being spouted in the article above. Too much to go through them all, but the most important ones.
1. Indoor cycling is as sociable as outdoor group rides – people on Zwift chat using VOIP, form supportive communities and race tactically together. They do this more far more regularly than outdoor groups. Some 3 times a week. Some several times a day. This is fact and something that surprised me when starting Zwift. People are warm and friendly, you’ll get warm hearted messages from people you don’t know. It’s great and something that you don’t get much of outdoors. I think that’s because Zwift and similar apps attract a lot of progressive minded riders, who tend to be outgoing and friendly.
2. Riding in a group outdoors pushes you harder? It can push you hard, but most people will likely never find any group ride outdoors that kill have you throwing up as you pass the lamp post. In Zwift, races are hell, and people who will never race hard in real life for many reasons will get to experience dark places that the road outside never will.
3. Cold weather burns more fat – pretty sure this nonsense makes absolutely zero difference to some guy who does a handful of 0 degree rides for a few hours at a time. Shameful guff.
4. Spectactular views – sure, most people just have spectacular views within reach of their doorstep? And even if they did, diminishing returns and having to keep your eye on the road means you only really get the occassional feeling of satisfaction from it. If you really want this sort of experience you go hiking, or climb a mountain on your bike in Europe where the low speed means you can take it in. Rest of us get a few green fields to bore us while dodging potholes, while you know, actually putting some pace on it.
5. Cycling outdoors is interesting – no it’s now. You pedal your bike. What’s remotely interesting about that unless you’re on some technical descent? New things are interesting. Trying new indoor trainer software and racing on it is way more interesting that riding along crappy roads in gray weather, which yes, doesn’t make you happier by the way – positive ions, if you believe the sicence stuff – makes you feel negative.
6. Making you happier – more guff – how many hours would a rider have to ride and what times of the day would they need to ride at to relieve to what extent SAD? You could be out all day, every day and still have shit vitamin D production in the UK in winter. If you want some sort of happiness boost, use achievement – train smart, lose weight and that’ll keep you ticking along until the weather is better. Plan a holiday abroad to use your winter fitness on – things to look forward to.
Can’t believe I got baited by this rubbish but oh well. CXR said it all aready anyway – proper training gets done in a controlled, structured way – and for the modern cyclist, that means getting your act together, stop making excuses and getting on a trainer to do the work.
unconstituted wrote:
Where’s the fun in that life?
I ride mostly for commuting,
I ride mostly for commuting, but if I wanted to train using my bike, an indoor trainer would seem the best option as I could avoid all the exhaust gases. Any benefits from training at high rates in an area with heavy pollution, could be possibly be cancelled by the damage to lungs or even cancer.
I detest the turbo trainer
I detest the turbo trainer but there are days when it is more effective than tiptoeing round on icy roads at a very slow speed.
If there is ice, use spiked
If there is ice, use spiked tyres, there are plenty of these (schwable, nokian, kendo, continental — all have it in the range) , and they do really help on ice. Not sure if you can get it bellow width of 30mm, but should be no problem for a winter bike 🙂
I’m new to indoor training
I’m new to indoor training and in particular Zwift but it has revolutionised my training.
I also love riding outside and battling the elements and racing to the top of hills but then there’s so much stopping for gels, punctures, people catching their breath and weaker riders. It’s extremely rare that you’re with a group that pushes you in the same way as Zwift does.
Today nobody in my cycling group wanted to come out. Instead I did a 50km ride with 600m of climbing, ate a healthy recovery meal and stretched, rather than having a roast and 4 pints.
Midweek training after work too. Now I do gruelling races where my heartbeat’s at 170 constantly rather than doing boring laps round Regents Park in the dark and wet or sitting on the sofa.
This article seems to contradict the article recently which praised Zwift and trainers. Let’s just have more balance please.
Going outside is more
Going outside is more unpredictable – some people like it, some avoid. Using Zwift, one is virtually all the time within a comfort zone.
PS
Don’t get me wrong but… Haven’t you ever felt ashamed by a little sparrow?
I have been riding out all
I have been riding out all winter and even yesterday morning at half 6 in snow and other things and apart from one or two slips no issues.
I own a indoor trainer but maybe use it once a week for a specific interval session I want to do and thats about it. Even yesterday it was of a kind of fun and it hardens your sould towards the summer fun to go.
If you can ride in conditions like yesterday then anything else is easy.
The air inside your house is
The air inside your house is not exactly free from pollution. I do ride outside because I have to commute to work. I will ride in the winter at the weekend, but not if it is freezing. That is just my choice, as much for my lungs as for safety. I live in Manchester and like the guy from Birmingham, most places (in England at least) are not freezing for the vast majority of the winter.
There seems to be a particular strain of cyclists who love to sneer at anyone else. Any mishap is dismissed as ‘not riding to conditions’ or you are foolish to be riding in that weather. These are often the same ones who sneer at helmet use because of their own excellence (any possible crash could not befall them of course.)
By all means, ride/train inside if it suits you, but if you think 6C is too cold then you are missing too much of the year. {I’ve also had debates with people claiming they don’t take winter tights of until it is 20C, life/summer is too short, get outside.}
Leviathan wrote:
really ? my tights come off anywhere north of 5C !! being British is meant to make us hardy, something tells me become too wimpy …
Indoor training plays a part but thinking Zwift in anyway makes up for the road is nonsense !
ianrobo wrote:
Really, I’ve seen riders in the summer 24C wearing black tights and hiviz yellow jacket as if it is some compulsory uniform (sweating their blx off.) One regular poster here suggested that he didn’t take off warmers until it was 16C+ and anything less was inviting knee cancer.*
Crashboy, this is really mild compared to a typical helmet debate. With a name like that, perhaps it is best if you stay inside.
*I mean tendonitis
I’m using Zwift because where
I’m using Zwift because where I work (10 days on shift and 4 days off away from my home) the roads are awfull (Lincolnshire) and the drivers worse. After my 10hr shift it’s dark and for my own safety I choose to ride indoors. On my 4 days off I’ll get out onto the road at a reasonable time of day but while at work Zwift has totally changed my opinion about training indoors even more so since I bought a Kickr. I think as long as you’re riding your bike, and it’s not collecting dust in the garage, who really cares whether it’s indoors or out #justride
steviemarco wrote:
Steve is right.It don’t matter indoors or out.It all counts and works.I’m thinking of trying zwift this winter.I’m sick of freezing my arse off in the north of England.Winter is no fun so#justride anyway you can
big mick wrote:
I’m sick of winter already and it isn’t even autumn yet. ‘Summer’ was a fucking joke. If it isn’t biblical rain it’s the arse-end of gales. There’s loads less weather in my garage… Just need to find a way of WFH 5 days per week…
Amen to the article. Thanks
Amen to the article. Thanks to a winning combination of my kids getting older, and my wife moving from shifts to 9-5, I’ve ridden my bike more this winter than ever before; and it’s been great. Rain, hail, snow, and that was just this morning.
If I never have to ride the turbo again, it will be too soon
I think there is a basic
I think there is a basic psychology involved in going out and facing unpleasant conditions so that when it comes to the day of whatever big challenge you might have set yourself and the weather is less than perfect, you can shrug your shoulders in the knowledge that you have been out in worse.
But there’s also nothing wrong with the gym or doing something else you feel it really is not safe to be out on a bicycle.
Mungecrundle wrote:
I definitely put the rides where I’ve realised I’ve gone beyond ‘chilly’ and I’m getting to ‘dangerously cold’, 30 miles from home, in the ‘character building’ box. Adds a bit of motivational spice to the home leg. I commute in all weather too and heading home, late, in sleet and a 20mph headwind, can make you wonder why you do it.
Mind you, one of the most bleak, miserable sessions I’ve had for a long time was a 2 1/2 hour trainerroad do in my garage over Christmas, so they can all count.
I planned going to a gym to
I planned going to a gym to do spinning in the winter. We had an indoor trainer for 10 years, so boring we never used it. I also hate the gyms. With that in mind I took the decision to train on my Crossbike in all types of bad weather and to build up a collection of winter clothes. I am there now and enjoy the outside. I don’t do icy or salted roads but then resting for a few days probably does you good. Your body gets to rest for a few days and your motivation comes back.
risoto wrote:
Trainers of old are nothing like the modern fully interactive power based magnetic trainers of today, you cannot compare. Each to their own.
Interesting comments: almost
Interesting comments: almost as heated as the Helmet/no helmet or disc brakes/rim brakes debates! Can’t see why people are getting so het up about it: if you want to do it, do it. if you don’t, then don’t.
For my money, buying an MTB is a better investment than a trainer. Going Off road is the best in rubbish weather: fewer walkers / horses / dog walkers (don’t get me started on them) so you have the trails to yourself and can relax and play about.
And when you get in cold and wet and muddy with tales to tell of bunny hopping a frozen pile of horse dung, misjudging it and skidding across the footbridge etc I feel like I’ve earned my coffee and kitkat properly.
It seems to me that controlling a skidding / sliding bike , or pushing against a wet headwind (with a soft landing on mud / grass etc if it goes wrong) – is brilliant fun and works your reflexes and adds more variety of movements etc to more muscle groups than sitting on a trainer – but I’m not a pro or a sports physio / medic so maybe that’s factually wrong.
I Appreciate not everyone has access to nice bridleways or a suitable bike to do that, but I would have thought even in the most urban envronment you’re never that far away from a park /bridleway / quiet cycleway / byroad that’s usable.
I went out today. 4°
I went out today. 4° cloudy
No Gears, No Gloves, No Garmin, No Worries
Nobody died.
I also have a turbo trainer, I sometimes sit and watch a movie, but mostly it gathers dust
Why does everyone have to
Why does everyone have to make cycling so macho? I spent yesterday morning on the turbo as it seemed a more fruitful way to get fit than freezing my arse off and getting my bike plastered in assorted road grot again this weekend. Do I feel less of a cyclist for doing so? Nah, not really.
drosco wrote:
Because we are harder than you?
SingleSpeed wrote:
Because we are harder than you?— drosco
‘hard’ is often misquoted in relation to cycling: I used to think it was ironic, but people really mean it.
There’s a certain amount of fortitude required to put all the lonely hours in, but only on a par with endurance running, and loads of other sports, plenty of which also result in exposure to hurt, elements, mud, and proper physical contact. Yet it’s cycling with the ‘hardmen’ bollocks.
Out of the sports I’ve done, cycling has the greatest collection of picked-last-in-PE types who struggle to lift their own arms up, which is fine, but let’s knock the ‘hard’ stuff on the head. Methinks its adherents protest too much.
Rather glad I spent the day
Rather glad I spent the day on the trails today.
Comments from me about zwift (or any other virtual) trainer boring me senseless are my own personal opinion (the clue was in my opening statement, “each to their own”). That’s why I agree with the sentiments of the article which is an “opinion piece” at the end of the day folks. I really don’t want to spend my spare time on a static bike chasing an avatar on screen when I can be riding a bike, i.e. outside, experincing motion with all of your senses engaged. Doesn’t make zwift wrong or a waste of time for its fans but it’s not for me if it’s all the same to you.
some people are strange, 16C
some people are strange, 16C and because I sweat like a pig most is off …
In some ways I love the cold because for once I am not having to continually wipe sweat off my face and not having to refill all the time !
I have no issues with anyone
I have no issues with anyone going outside versus turbo work. What I objected to, was the OPs negative and misleading comments about turbo work. I enjoy MTB in the winter months. I personally prefer to do 80℅ of my cycling on a turbo and choose nice days for outdoor work. I suspect there as many who prefer the percentage reversed
Went out and the weekend and,
Went out and the weekend and, thanks I must admit to a woeful lack of preparedness and unsuitable kit, I could not feel my toes after half an hour. Well, I could but they were painfully numb. I just kept going as I was just thankful to be outside, away from city roads. The best bit: my drink was ice cold 🙂 if only that happened in the summer!
i do have a turbo but it’s buried somewhere in the shed.
Came off on ice 6 weeks ago
Came off on ice 6 weeks ago breaking my arm. Prior to that I was an infrequent turbo user, now I don’t have the option.
I think there is as much mental toughness involved in turbo sessions as there is in riding in the cold, at least for me, keeping going when I’d rather get off. Haven’t got into Zwift though, so maybe that would make it more engaging.
A 3 degrees and rising policy is going to be my starting point for outdoors from now on, 8 weeks of no outdoor cycling is a high price to pay for watery winter sunshine!
Most things winter can throw
Most things winter can throw at you can be dealt with the right clothes and a bit of rule 5, and getting out is pretty much always more enjoyable than time on the turbo. The exception to this is ice. Ice does not respond well to HTFU. Nor does it respond to “taking it a bit easy”, dropping the pressures a bit, running fatter tyres or even elite bike handling skills. If you hit black sheet ice, the first you’ll know about it is when you hit the tarmac. It’s simple physics: once your front wheel starts to slide, unless you reach the edge of the ice patch, it’s only going to get worse.
When I was young, I parked a car in a ditch after hitting a big patch of ice on a hill. Even after getting out, the ice was impossible to see yet covered the full width of the road and was difficult to stand up on.
There are three things that ice does respond to: studded tyres, gritting and unpaved surfaces.
Studded tyres work, but the ones I’ve tried are so draggy as to suck all the fun out of a ride.
Gritting is very effective, and the authorities are actually very good at doing it. Most councils publish their gritting routes, and in some cases, live information about when they’re doing it which can be a very good clue as to whether you should be worried about ice. Depending on where you are, a route sticking entirely to gritted roads may be very pleasant, or it may be not worth bothering with.
Off road, ice can’t form into sheets (except in puddles!), and if everything is properly frozen, you don’t even get muddy.
I think its a mixture of both
I think its a mixture of both which sees me through winter. Most of my miles are commuting with club mid week social and an endurance over the weekend but I stop commuting in Oct/Nov by bike as the shorter route just isnt worth the extra faff so I use Zwift. I am pretty fair weather these days as after a bad off and plate surgery I cant risk further damage so I avoid outdoors if there is a risk of ice.
The good thing about Zwift is you can push yourself further as you don’t want the risk of bonking 25 miles from home so you can go deeper into the red.
I finally cracked and got
I finally cracked and got myself a turbo trainer recently but I still go out in the cold, like today, which I loved. There is just no comparison, of course it makes you happier to ride outside. FWIW there are many studies that show that to be the case.
Anthony.C wrote:
I’m a big fan of both for their respective strengths, but I’m a tad skeptical on this particular point.
There are many studies that show cycling outdoors makes you happier than cycling indoors? Is that the case?
I’m not talking general ‘outdoor’ vs ‘indoor’ benefits (exposure to sunlight, getting near greenery etc) – are there specific ‘cycling (or other exercise) outdoors makes you happier than cycling indoors’ studies?
I’m not being a smartarse either – genuinely interested. My time tends to be tight so I do turbo sessions as an efficient way of getting a ride in; I often substitute 60-90 mins of a high-quality turbo session to replace a longer outdoor session. I’m interested if I need to rethink that…
Leviathan reminded me of
Leviathan reminded me of something that puzzles me a lot. As soon as the weather warms up I only wear bib shorts and a t-shirt for cycling and yet even at the height of summer I see people cycling in what looks like their entire cycling wardrobe. Bib tights, long sleeved jackets, shoe covers, the works. The daft sods must be roasting
.
guyrwood wrote:
I wear long (sun) sleeves and occasionally long bibs in Singapore (where it is 33C + pretty much 365 days a year). It makes me sweat more, but it saves me from sunburn – I detest sticky sunscreen.
No need for a jacket though, even though we have intense tropical downpours, the rain is warm 🙂
As far as this winter has
As far as this winter has gone, I haven’t got the turbo out once – I might just be lucky in that the times I’ve wanted to ride it’s not been icy or wet enough to go to all the trouble of getting it out of the utility room, swapping the wheel over (for the one I use with a turbo tyre on), setting up a table fan, and blocking out half of the kitchen for a couple of hours. I do also find it very tedious, but I will do it if I haven’t been outside on the bike for a while – but then again it’s not one of these new fangled interactive jobbies that you can use with Zwift, so maybe if it were I might use it more often. I think if I did I might find it a bit addictive!
As for commuting – I think I’ve done more this winter than I ever have, at least three times per week, which must also point to more favourable conditions. Even when it has been well below zero, it’s been dry enough for no (or very little) ice. There was only one day a couple of weeks ago when the council hadn’t gritted and really should have – most of the roads, including A roads, were ridiculously icy. So much so that there were a spate of collisions involving cars/vans etc in a very short space of time.
As for the ‘should you or shouldn’t you’ debate – I don’t really see the point. If you don’t want to go outdoors, that’s fine – we’re all adults (technically), we don’t need to justify our choices in this respect.
Riding and turbo sessions are
Riding and turbo sessions are different things entirely. The first is cycling, the second is going to the gym (without leaving your own home). Really, all of this article after the subheading “Riding outdoors makes you happy and healthy”, is restatement in different variations.
I’ve put my turbo trainer
I’ve put my turbo trainer away now that the days are getting longer.
I’d rather be out on my bike.
I do use the Wattbike at the gym if I can’t go out.
Hi I guess I am the
Hi I guess I am the counterpoint. I do cyclocross as the winter gets worse etc and love sliding about and have been happy riding in winter and avoiding Turbo. On 30th Dec I waited till afternoon to go out and for things to thaw. I got caught out riding into bank of freezing fog, suddenly road had black ice end result collar bone broken into 3 bits.
I now own a turbo and am hopping to get back out sometime, but even six weeks on I cannot grip bars, still wearing a sling. And I waited for the thaw. Honestly I should have been indoors. It happened time to move on, but I am angry at myself.
I’ve found a Gravel bike
I’ve found a Gravel bike superb for riding through winter – stick dual sided (Flat one side, SPD the other) pedals on, and either 32mm or 35 mm tyres, and managed to commute four days per week all winter. So far not had to dab a foot down at all cos of ice. But if its less than 2 degrees I will commute in MTB Teva flat shoes. My fitness feels amazing because of being able to keep going all through winter. Previous winters i’ve used a cyclocross bike, but I think the gravel bike feels more stable in dodgy conditions because of the longer wheelbase. I sold my mountain bike which I used to commute on as the Gravel bike feels even safer.
Mountain biking with studded
Mountain biking with studded tires when the trails are frozen is otherworldly fun. If the snow is too deep I ditch the bike for XC skis. I tend to stay off roads in winter with any bike I value because of the salt.
I’ve never owned an indoor trainer so I have no idea what I’m missing.
Nobody’s mentioned the other
Nobody’s mentioned the other benefit of winter cycling. My steel winter bike weighs a few kilo’s more than my carbon summer bike so I inadvertently get more training in during the winter.
Unconstituted, whilst we are
Unconstituted, whilst we are on the subject of guff:
1. Indoor cycling is as sociable as outdoor group rides – people on Zwift chat using VOIP, form supportive communities and race tactically together… I think that’s because Zwift and similar apps attract a lot of progressive minded riders, who tend to be outgoing and friendly.
Ahhh some of my bestest friends have no faces too – must be nice for you to self categorise yourself as progressive and friendly. Will pop along for a chat about FTP, WPK and the best excel sheet to monitor your cadence.
2. Riding in a group outdoors pushes you harder? It can push you hard, but most people will likely never find any group ride outdoors that kill have you throwing up as you pass the lamp post. In Zwift, races are hell, and people who will never race hard in real life for many reasons will get to experience dark places that the road outside never will.
You can ride slow on Zwift too right?
3. Cold weather burns more fat – pretty sure this nonsense makes absolutely zero difference to some guy who does a handful of 0 degree rides for a few hours at a time. Shameful guff.
It makes a diference, 0.00000000001% is a difference – don’t let your ranting get in the way of fact.
4. Spectactular views – sure, most people just have spectacular views within reach of their doorstep? And even if they did, diminishing returns and having to keep your eye on the road means you only really get the occassional feeling of satisfaction from it. If you really want this sort of experience you go hiking, or climb a mountain on your bike in Europe where the low speed means you can take it in.
Er… Yes. I challenge you to ride 10 miles from your house and not see something of interest to look at. Let’s face it, 2 pigeons fighting over a chip beats the ‘feature wall’ mosaic paper the Missus made you buy. I can’t actually believe you think there is only option a. Your wall or b. A beautiful mountain pass.
5. Cycling outdoors is interesting – no it’s now. You pedal your bike. What’s remotely interesting about that unless you’re on some technical descent? New things are interesting. Trying new indoor trainer software and racing on it is way more interesting that riding along crappy roads in gray weather.
But it is – see just as valid an argument as your “no it’s now” (sic). If you are unsure about what is interesting about pedalling your bike then you may be on the wrong website. Trying new software is interesting – did your VOIP progressive friends tell you this? I mean I get excited by the super oled retina 4k screen on a phone as much as the next geek but is it as interesting as trying to hold a bend that you’ve taken a little too quickly?
6. Making you happier – more guff – how many hours would a rider have to ride and what times of the day would they need to ride at to relieve to what extent SAD? … If you want some sort of happiness boost, use achievement – train smart, lose weight
For me, 1hr52 minutes last night, made me happier than watching Hollyoaks. Train smart and lose weight, they are your goals, why the hell should I be interested in them?
“Can’t believe I got baited by this rubbish but oh well”.
Seconded.
“proper training gets done in a controlled, structured way – and for the modern cyclist, that means getting your act together, stop making excuses and getting on a trainer to do the work”
No it doesn’t, you are confusing your opinion with fact again.
alansmurphy wrote:
Not a single solid point in there. Anecdote, semantics, and the usual irate have-a-go nonsense. Apparently structured training is ‘opinion’.
Bit cringe actually
Take it up with your wife, maybe she’ll nod in agreement to this balls.
alansmurphy wrote:
“2 pigeons fighting over a chip beats the ‘feature wall’ mosaic paper the Missus made you buy” I think you’re underestimating the quality of our feature wall, it is truly a thing of beauty.
Again the “not a single solid
Again the “not a single solid point in there” is massively applicable to your heartfelt “usual irate have-a-go nonsense”.
Are Zwift riders more sociable – I assume you have done extensive research?
You talk about “most people” but then just state a somewhat narrow minded opinion – sample of one!
“Spectactular views – sure, most people” again, you may live somewhere dull, your view of what is in reach of the doorstep may be tiny (with all your structured training I’m sure you could find somewhere nice) but spectacular is subjective. I saw a spectacular sunset across a Cheshire field last night…
I tried to read your rant objectively, you have every right to question the opinion piece of the article, equally your opinion can be challenged. The fact that you automatically find this cringeworthy suggests you only really value your own opinion, bit strange then that you engage in comments sections of online articles…
Okay alan, I’m sorry.
Both have benefits really..
Okay alan, I’m sorry.
Okay alan, I’m sorry.
Everyone’s glad that you had a spectacular sunset across Cheshire last night and that means that spectacular views are within most riders’ distances from home. This is not anecdote, this is fact. And that sunset was definitely spectactular. Even better than double rainbow.
And yes, local club rides meet up more than Zwift clubs per week do. Chat more often too. Alan knows this because he’s a Zwift regular and local club hero, so he can compare!
Anyway, lets all meet up for a ride this weekend and cure SAD and you can impress us with your 25% FTP gain from all those unstructured rides.
Your sarcasm is actually more
Your sarcasm is actually more reasoned than your rants.
Indeed, you’re arguing against your original rant. I may have found a sunset spectacular, you may not, it’s subjective. As are the other points you made, but you present them as fact.
I didn’t state who met up more or less, who were more or less sociable – you did!
And no, I wouldn’t know whether my FTP had increased because I’m too busy out on my bike and enjoying myself. I’m getting quicker, the weight is improving, bike handling is imrpoving and I’m having a laugh with my mates. They are my aims and they are being met mainly outdoors with the odd 20 miles on a turbo.
“Both have benefits really”
This.
Hello
Hello
I agree to all of the points mentioned..riding is great et all
The reality is a bit different in Montreal…we just got hit with 30c of snow..and another 10cm is comming. When you add the cold cold weather..the clothing will not help.. we are not talking minus one here..minus 15 with windchill factor
most of the bikes will not work..the derailleurs will freeze..the tires are too narrow..except for a fatbike.
this, great article..but taking the chance of being in a wheelchair for the rest of my life for the fun of riding in winter in montreal..nope. I’ll stick to indoor training with peloton.
Lucky chap who rides in 4
Lucky chap who rides in 4 centigrade withour gloves! Us type 2 diabetics need the gloves as our circulation is limited by the disease. BTW genetic cause not obesity or lifestyle! Lots of layers including the feet too!
“There’s only one place to
“There’s only one place to ride a bicycle and that is outdoors”
and the velodrome
ITS LIKE COMPARING
ITS LIKE COMPARING MASTURBATION WITH SEX… COME ON GUYS….
Y’know, I’ve had some better
Y’know, I’ve had some better winter rides than summer.
There’s nothing like heading off for a bit of work-dodging, with the right amount of layers, having a lovely crisp ride, a couple of pints afterwards and getting home nicely tired to a warm house, hot shower and masses of stodgy food.
I’m going to buy a turbo and
I’m going to buy a turbo and set it up in the garden to appeal to both sets of riders. Then I’m going to argue with each set that they’re either too stupid riding in dangerous conditions, or too weak riding indoors.