Winter cycling used to terrify me. Here are 5 ways I survived it

I have always been passionate about cycling, and it can certainly be challenging in the winter, especially. While my full-time riding days are over, I still put in loads of miles through bitingly cold months.

Cold feels sharp to me, and I experience winter blues, making rides in cold, dark weather challenging. Training hard enough without being sick, managing short days for the few daylight hours, and staying healthy during the winter was often a balancing act.

Eventually, I found ways to cope that were more inventive than just dressing warmer. From creative meal prep to mental resets, I’ve picked up a few tricks that keep me going.

Riding in cold weather saps your energy in more ways than one. You feel lethargic and cold from the brutal wind and icy road spray.

Ice-cold fingers make reaching for a snack even harder. Long winter rides burn through calories fast, however. A proper pre-ride meal is a must – not just a nice-to-have.

When you get back, you won’t have to spend time fumbling around trying to figure out what to eat in a fog. Knowing there would be a hot meal waiting was just the boost I needed. Also, it gave me some psychological comfort.

To kickstart recovery, choose a meal rich in carbohydrates and protein. It is important to consume warm food that is rich in vitamins and salts, especially during the winter.

There are lots of different tastes – maybe you prefer pasta or hearty soup. Planning and preparation are key.

I use? Jacket potatoes. During my absence, I’d prepare a cast-iron pot full of it while I was out, so that the moment I arrived home, it was ready to pair with tuna, salad, or beans. Tuna pasta salad was also a favorite.

My kitchen would be churning out hot, nutrient-rich meals within 15 minutes as soon as I walked in. Recovery meals that are simple, but highly effective. Keep me sane and get a head start on recovery with your sped-up post-ride metabolism.

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Plan your ride based on an arrival time rather than a departure time. Regardless of the ride’s length, I always aim to return home by 1 pm. The reason for this is as follows.

To begin with, it gave me the option of leaving on a flexible schedule. Even if I wanted to lie in, I knew my latest possible departure time. It is important to stick to an arrival plan, whether you ride weekends or full-time.

The second benefit of focusing on arrival was an improvement in my sleep schedule. Winter in the UK is long and dark, so if I went out too late, I would be home at dusk.

Having hours of daylight left at home allowed me to take a quick nap after my ride. After a long ride when darkness fell, I avoided the winter slump.

It might sound silly to stuff your winter jersey pockets with sweets on a long ride – surely that’s for kids?

It turned out to be a useful motivator, and I may have relied on it a little too long! If I were riding for more than three hours, I would keep a bag of my favorite sweets in my pocket as a reward.

Winter weather can be miserable and dangerous – think icy roads, heavy rain, or thick fog. Roads aren’t the only place our bikes can go.

Off-roading has been much more enjoyable and safer when conditions become tricky. Getting out on a gravel or mountain bike for a shorter ride can be perfect.

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Whether it’s to keep fit, train for an event, or just get out and clear our heads, we ride bikes because we love it. Winter riding can make it easy to lose sight of that purpose, no matter what the reason is.

Despite less-than-ideal conditions, we can easily obsess over stats like average speed or weekly distance. It’s worth remembering that 99% of us are amateurs.

Wintery gloom (or just cold weather) can sometimes be a sign to ease up. As a full-time athlete, I would swap rides for gym sessions or quick runs if the weather was too harsh.

Being aware of your body’s signals may be the best way to keep your training consistent today. Listening to your body is not “soft”. Strength training and running both increase bone health, which cycling does not.

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