We spoke to Yanto Barker at Le Col for his top tips
The old adage ‘winter miles, summer smiles’ still endures as a motivator to keep us out on our bikes long after the nights draw in and the mercury plummets. Riding through a winter in the UK can often be a character-building and far from enjoyable experience, even for the hardiest of cyclists. But with the prospect of having the edge come spring, to the victor go the spoils. We spoke to Yanto Barker at Le Col for his top tips on dressing in the winter so you can laugh in the face of rain, hail and sub-zero temperatures.
- Check the forecast. You can only dress right if you know what you are dressing for. The challenge in winter is if you get it wrong you can genuinely get hypothermia…it’s not very funny when that happens.
- Use arm warmers under your jacket to help keep your hands warm. Having more insulation further down your arms helps blood arrive at extremities with more warmth without making your core too hot and sweaty.
- Make your shoe straps looser to help keep feet warm. Restricting circulation in your feet is a common mistake which can result in cold toes.
- Always ride with a spare layer, gilet or cape in your pocket in case you are caught in the rain or cold or even the dark by being out longer than expected.
- Help others if they are in trouble. It sounds odd but cycling is a team sport and very much a group activity. Some riders are more experienced than others and it’s important that the experienced riders help less experienced riders while on rides together.
So, there you have it, the onset of winter shouldn’t be stopping you getting out there riding, always make sure you’re prepared for the riding conditions, especially if the weather turns.
