Greenhow hill is one of my personal favourites. I’ve ridden it many times as it is quite close to my parents house in Menston. Nidderdale is also a beautiful part of the world and there are plenty of hills in this area. The only downside of Greenhow hill is that it is a fairly main B road with traffic from Pateley Bridge towards Grassington and Skipton. However, it is not too busy and won’t spoil your climb.
Usually when the temperature dips close to zero, I take it as a good excuse to have a rest or at least do some perfunctory training rides on the rollers. But looking at this weeks long range weather forecast, this would have entailed quite a long lay-off – so it is a case of needs must. I went out on Saturday with a balmy 3 degrees, but by the time I reached Henley my Garmin was saying -0.5. At this kind of temperature, my hands get cold no matter how many layers I wear. There is also the risk of ice on road. It’s tough cycling in the cold, especially for the skinny hill climbers.
On Sunday I went out again – the temperature was 2-3 degrees, but I still came across some icey patches on a quiet road near Leafield, which could have been dangerous.
The science of cycling in the cold
Cycling in very cold weather is very different and it will have a big impact on your body.
When your body temperature is colder than usual, the body responds by restricting the size of the veins. (It does this to conserve heat near vital organs – known as peripheral vasoconstriction ) This makes blood flow slower than usual. It means that:
Hands, feet and extremities more likely to be cold. If you keep your body warm, it will be easier to keep feet warm.
It’s harder to cycle. One reason you’re slower when cold is that there is less blood being pumped around your body. With less oxygen you’re bound to be slower.
Cold temperature inhibits aquaporins in various places throughout the body, including the brain and kidneys so that less water is taken up by the cells. Therefore kidneys respond to cold by passing urine quicker through the body. (according to first year med student) This is why on a cold day, you’re more likely to be looking for suitable trees to relieve yourself. It’s also a time when the colour of your urine is not a guide to dehydration. Because you’re going to the toilet more often and not absorbing water as quickly, you can be more dehydrated than you imagine.
You burn more calories keeping warm. Cold weather cycling is good for those looking to burn calories, more energy is used in keeping warm. It is important to keep eating enough to maintain enough fuel. The last thing you want to do is to ‘bonk’ in the cold weather.
Tips for cycling in the cold
Avoiding the ice
The worst feature of cycling in cold weather is the danger of hitting some ice. If you hit any ice, at the slightest of angle, you will be nursing a sore knee before you can even start saying ‘ I wish they had gritted the roads.’ The benefit of two hours cycling in the cold are soon lost if you spend the next three weeks with damaged knee. To avoid ice, I suggest:
Sticking to main roads – A and B roads – bus routes are usually a safe bet.
Be careful of unexpected damp / cold patches.
Be particularly careful about going from a road to a pavement / cycle path
Personally, I try to be extra cautious on cycle paths because they invariably haven’t been gritted like roads
When cycling on A roads, you still have to keep your eyes peeled for unexpected blocks of ice, e.g. where someone washed their car the night before.
Don’t ride in the gutter where ice is more likely, but keep a good distance into the road. This can be difficult on busy A roads.
The problem is that you can become over-confident because you can cycle for 50 miles ice-free but then on some back road you hit the ice, where you least expect it.
Keeping Warm
Yesterday, I had several layers on, including thermal layers, but, was still cold on returning after a three hour ride. Somehow it just seeps into your body after a while. I should invest in a really proper winter jacket, but I prefer to go for several thermal layers – Merino wool makes a good mid-layer.
With poor circulation in my extremities, I couldn’t manage without my hot pads. (they create a self-contained heat of about 60 degrees) I’ve been putting a pair in my socks and (when really cold a pair between a glover liner and the bigger ski gloves). In winter I can use them pretty quick, but at 60p a packet I feel it’s money well spent.
Ear warmers. A thin hat which covers forehead and ears is essential. I have used a Craft windstopper hat (wiggle link) which is quite warm – great for keeping ears warm too. I used to have a neoprene hat, but that had a tendency to be sweaty.
I recommend layers of fleece and merino wool. Be careful of cheaper materials which aren’t fully breathable – they can leave you with a cold sweat, which is the worst.
Don’t be reluctant to wear two pairs of shorts or at least some thermal winter shorts. There are some parts of the body, you don’t want to be de-frosting.
To keep feet warm, make sure you don’t restrict blood supply by wearing too many tight-fitting pairs of socks in small shoes.
If hands and feet get cold, try just get some circulation back in. I wiggle my toes and fingers (like playing the piano)
Keep the wind out. Some material to keep out the winter is essential. Be wary about heavy duty Goretex layers, they claim they are breathable, but, that can be dubious, I find I end up sweating like anything, which can make you susceptible to cold. Though they have improved in recent years
Being prepared for a breakdown. For winter rides, the last thing you want to have to do is to stop and mend a puncture. It is a good reason to get best puncture resistant tyres. But, it could still happen. A spare layer is a good idea, hotpads are useful if I had to take gloves off to mend a puncture.
Going out at 11am – 12am is probably best time. Usually warmer than after sunrise.
In Croatia I was boiling the water for my water bottles. The heat didn’t last too long, but, for the first hour, it was still nice to take a warm drink to help warm up the insides rather than water which is 0 degrees.
Looking after bike
With all the salt on the road, I used a custom heavy duty winter chain lubricant. It is specially designed to protect components from the corrosive effect of salt.
Wind chill factor
Be careful when it’s windy. I found out this in Croatia when it was very cold wind. Also, cycling creates its own wind chill factor, which is great for hot weather (cycling is much more bearable than running in hot weather). But, it means we get cooler quicker. For instance in calm conditions at -29°C a well clothed person is in little danger, a light wind of 10mph gives the same effect as a temperature of -44°C when exposed flesh can freeze in a minute or so. A breeze of 25mph gives an equivalent of -66°C . (cold air science)
Fortunately or unfortunately, I’ve spent a lot of money and time researching lightweight saddles. My excuse is that I’m a hill climber – where every gram can make a difference. My weight weenie obsession began after 2010 national hill climb, where I missed out on podium by less than one second. I’ve been through quite a few lightweight saddles (and would be open to offers to buy old ones) On the plus side I only weigh 61 kg, so I don’t have to worry about breaking a saddle with excess weight.
It is worth bearing in mind that the lightest saddle is not necessarily the best saddle. Other factors that are important include comfort, power transfer and ability to hold position.
AX-Lightness saddle
ax-lightness-saddle
My current choice of saddle is the AX Lightness – Sprint. which weighs 69 grams.
In the hill climb season I was using all the modern training gadgets – power meter, heart rate monitor, interval sessions – all expertly guided by coach Gordon Wright. Since the end of October 2014, my only training tool is miles completed.
After intense intervals, it’s a refreshing change just to go out and do nothing more than clock up miles onto your virtual mileage log (Not quite as much fun as pencilling in the old Cycling Weekly pull-out mileage log – but that’s modern life for you.)
Training Zones
I’ve been cycling 20 years, but I’m still not sure what those training zones of level 2, level 3 and level 4 are. I think my winter training could best be described as ‘plod along and hope for the best’.
But, all good things come to an end, and before you know it the 2015 season is looming rapidly into view. The relaxed months of winter giving way to the very different threat of start sheets, entry deadlines and trying to switch over your power meter with incompatible bottom brackets.
Time trial bike
I haven’t touched my time trial bike since racing up Long Hill, Buxton CC last September. But, with the roads reasonably dry, I thought I would risk it and take the new machine out for the first run of the year.
After three months of getting comfy on my winter training bike, the TT bike is a bit of a shock to the system; it really is a very different bike.
The first impression is a reminder of how TT bikes are not designed for comfort – how did I ever do six hour training rides on TT bikes last year? I’ve come to the conclusion that winter core training – which involves 1 minute of holding the ‘plank’ position once week, is really insufficient.
The second impression is that this bike is really fast compared to winter training hack.
My third impression was that I can’t see my Garmin because my very thick winter gloves are blocking the view. Probably just as well.
That’s the one consolation for riding the TT position, you can get an extra 3-4 mph without any seeming effort. The hard memories of trudging around the Yorkshire Dales at 13 mph seem mercifully in the past.
I didn’t want to venture onto any quiet roads – too much danger of ice or even worse muddy water to get my new bike dirty. So I took the B road to Watlington which is often used for club 10 mile time trials. Since I was riding a time trial bike, the only sensible thing seemed to be to do a time trial. Why not? I’m sure all that level 1.5 over winter has left me in great stead for a quick 10.
Only established in 2006, Charge Bikes have carved a niche in the growing market of ‘cool’ single speed. With sleek minimalistic designs, they have proved quite popular, especially in London. They offer a range of three single speed bikes, with another three models of geared Charge Plug
Single speed
All come with Cro-mo steel frame and fork
Charge 0 – £329 (bullhorn bars)
Charge 1 – £399 (bullhorn bars
Charge 2 – £499 (drop track handle bars)
Geared Charge Plug
Charge 3 – (disc brakes, Shimano Sora Gears)
Charge 4 – Shimano 105 gears (£1,099)
Charge 5 – SRAM Rival 22 gearing and hydraulic discs
Charge Plug 0
This is the entry level Charge Plug bike, newly released
At £329, it is quite a cheap introduction to single speed bikes. For simplicity and value, the Charge 0 is a reasonable start.
The Charge Plug – comes with bullhorn bars, these are a little more aerodynamic and help enable a stronger push when pedalling the single speed off from a standing start. They also help the bike stand out from the pack. However, many novices to cycling will find it easier to use horizontal bars.
York’s hill is the venue of the one of the world’s oldest cycle races – Catford CC hill climb in Kent, S.E. England. The full climb is 0.8 miles, climbing 353ft / 108m . But, it is the last half a miles of the climb which is the really interesting part. It is one of the steepest climbs in the south of England. The climb starts off innocuously enough, but as you near the top, the road gets steeper, until you hit the really tough 20-25% section at the end. York’s hill makes a great event for the Catford CC hill climb. The steep section is usually thronged with spectators who take great delight in watching the suffering of the competitors.
Honister pass is a fairly inaccessible climb in the north West Lake District. To get there invariably involves cycling up many other Lake District hills, but it is worth the effort as it a great climb, with equally superb views. It is a great climb from both directions.
Starting in Keswick you will travel south down the East coast of Derwent water towards Borrowdale. Just before the village of Seatoller, you take a right turn on the B2589.
There is a 2 mile gentle introduction to the climb as you go up the valley at a very gentle gradient. However, as the road bends round to the right you leave the valley and start the climb proper.
It was hard coming back from Croatia. It may have been cold and windy. But, unless it rained all day, it was sunny – clear sky, clear roads and great mountain vistas.
If this doesn’t make you get on your bike, I don’t know what will
Britain is just grey and damp by comparison. Even when it’s not raining, the roads are wet. I do love cycling in Britain, but only as long as I can complain about things like the weather.
misty wet road
I went out last Sunday and independently, two people told me – what a great day for cycling it was. I thought this slightly ironic because I knew that when they said – ‘it was a great day for cycling’ – they had absolutely no intention to do any cycling themselves. One chap was sitting in a nice comfortable, centrally heated petrol station, the other chap momentarily got out of his centrally heated car. At least they were being friendly towards cyclists, I’ll take that in any form.
I suppose a great day for cycling in January, primarily means it isn’t raining like cats and dogs. It was also 5 degrees above zero, so I guess I shouldn’t complain. But, I couldn’t quite share their enthusiasm for the ‘perfect day’ of cycling. If this is cycling heaven, I don’t want to go to cycling hell.
Failed New Year Resolutions
I only made one New Years resolution – stop complaining about being over geared and buy a compact chain set. Alas, not only have I hopelessly failed in my New Year’s resolution , I’ve managed to make it worse.
I researched a compact chain set, but got put off about spending £30 on a chain set when I realised I would have to buy a new bottom bracket too. The problem is I don’t want to spend £50 on better gear ratios because I’m saving up to buy a £800 custom skin suit. – Don’t try to understand cyclists, because we don’t make sense.
When my mobile bike mechanic came round, I wanted to use up a Dura Ace cassette that has been sitting around the bike shed for literally decades. A nine speed Dura Ace cassette is one of those things you can’t throw away, but also you can’t use. Therefore, I asked him to put it on my winter training bike (9spd). In fact it wasn’t actually 9spd, it was so old the cassette was 8 speed (either that or I lost a ring in the 12 years of sitting around doing nothing). 8sp Dura Ace !? – I didn’t realise I was that old myself. That cassette could have been sitting there for over 10 years. Anyway, the Dura Ace cassette is no longer languishing on the shelf, but is proudly on my winter training bike; it goes well with the Tiagra group set.
Note: Updated review: originally posted on old blog.
Trek 7.1 FX is one of Trek’s best selling models. For £350- £375, you get a lot of features for your money which will appeal to a broad spectrum of commuting cyclists.
It’s not surprising why it is so popular. For most commuters and newbie cyclists sticking to roads, this bike does pretty much everything you need. It is reliable, solid and gives a good riding experience without any expensive extravagances.
It comes with 21 gears, and a very low ratio for getting up steep hills. Some may find the top gear of 48*14 a little on the slow side. You have to maintain a pretty high cadence to get over 25mph.
