It's 'Winter Week' on Cycling Weekly: Your guide to riding through the colder months
Our week-long specials celebrate the joys of riding through the winter and what you need to be fully prepared
From 14-18th November, here at Cycling Weekly we'll be celebrating the virtues of riding through winter and showing you how to best prepare yourself and your bike so you can enjoy it to the full.
If you are starting at the start with a winter set up, or needing to finally replace old faithful gear after a few seasons of a hard life, then your in luck. The best Cyber Monday bike deals have arrived just in time for you to save big on all you need to keep riding over the coldest months.
For many, the arrival of the colder weather and the clocks going back is a signal to hang up the bike and hibernate, or just prepare for a few months on the turbo trainer. But it doesn't have to be that way, as the right kit and some essential changes to your bike can allow you to enjoy those crisp winter mornings in the lanes just as much as you do in the height of summer.
Our tech articles will look at the most significant changes you can make to winterise your bike, including the type of tyres you should look out for and whether you need to swap out your wheels out for something winter-specific. Getting cold is, of course, the most important factor to consider before you head out for four hours in the winter months, and we'll show you how best protect your extremities as well as a checklist of the best winter cycling clothing – which is an absolute must.
Motivation can be a huge hurdle for all of us as the days get shorter and the sun makes fewer and fewer appearances – so we share some ways to approach winter with the most enthusiasm!
We all know that the winter period is also very important for building your endurance, ready to make the most of the sunnier spring and summer riding. But there's a good chance you're doing things on the bike that could actually be compromising your fitness gains. We take a look at how to avoid these mistakes.
That's all coming up, but if you can't wait and want to get stuck in right now, we can give you the lowdown on the:
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1. Best winter cycling jackets
2. Best bib tights for cycling
3. Best winter tyres for road cycling
4. Best bike fenders / mudguards
7. Best waterproof cycling jackets
If your winter wardrobe is lacking in a certain area, now could be a really good time to drop into our best Black Friday bike deals page to pick up the missing item in your cold weather layering system to make chilly rides a more comfortable affair.
Winter week content schedule
We'll be adding hyperlinks as the pages go live...
1. How to handle winter like a cyclist: your step-by-step guide
2. Is your bike winter-ready? Five easy ways to increase comfort and minimise wear
3. 16 ways to stay motivated through winter
4. Winter bikes: do you really need one?
7. Suffering from numb feet or hands when cycling? Here's how to combat the cold
8. Should you change your wheels for winter?
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I’ve been hooked on bikes ever since the age of 12 and my first lap of the Hillingdon Cycle Circuit in the bright yellow kit of the Hillingdon Slipstreamers. For a time, my cycling life centred around racing road and track.
But that’s since broadened to include multiday two-wheeled, one-sleeping-bag adventures over whatever terrain I happen to meet - with a two-week bikepacking trip from Budapest into the mountains of Slovakia being just the latest.
I still enjoy lining up on a start line, though, racing the British Gravel Championships and finding myself on the podium at the enduro-style gravel event, Gritfest in 2022.
Height: 177cm
Weight: 60–63kg
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I'm about to turn 40 - how can I keep riding fast?
Approaching a landmark birthday, Charlie Graham-Dixon explores how ageing affects cycling performance and what can be done to stay ahead of the curve
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Life Time Grand Prix to have fewer riders and wild cards in 2025
The flagship US gravel series has confirmed the six races that will be a part of the competition next year
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These five winter training mistakes can ruin your fitness - here's how to avoid them
The pitfalls to avoid if you want to emerge fit and well come spring
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Seven benefits of riding outdoors - which you’ll miss out on if you train inside all winter
As with most things in life, there is a balance to be struck…
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Winter fueling: how to match your cycling nutrition to the demands of cold weather riding
Getting the most out of your winter training means making sure you are optimally fuelled for every ride - here's what you need to know about the specific demands of cold season nutrition
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Five things I wish I knew before my first winter of road riding
There's a special satisfaction to riding through the winter - but also plenty of challenges!
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20 hacks to beat the cold and keep riding through the winter
Here's how to train through the winter without getting cold and miserable
By Tom Couzens Published
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