Winter Miles- Summer Smiles

Like many others i dread winter and nearly everything it has to offer:- Inhumane temperatures, unpredictable weather and frustratingly short evenings, but it also presents an opportunity. It is a time when a lot of “mountain bikers” hide behind their excuses and general procrastination, which subsequently leaves the trails near traffic-free. If you want to take the summer seriously, winter provides the perfect opportunity to focus on your fitness as it is the hardest time to stay motivated. Keeping to a solid and consistent training plan is key, with a set of base miles and some cross-training (if you’re feeling energetic) and you will be sorted.

But before you start your journey to summer glory, here are a few pointers you need to think about. Subverting any of them will effect motivation and ultimately, levels of success:

1. Clothing
There is nothing worse than that biting cold feeling, especially when you know you are hours from warmth. Therefore, having the correct garments is of the upmost importance to an enjoyable winter of riding. Gore- Tex is the key, waterproof clothing in the inevitable rain will work wonders for your motivation and temperature. Toes and fingers are the first to feel the cold, as circulation becomes restricted when the body is cold, so having waterproof/ gore-tex gloves and winter specific shoes should be the first on your kit list. Pair your new winter boots with some Seal Skinz socks, for an extra layer of warmth for your feet (They also do a range of gloves, which are definitely worth a look). A decent quality coat is also essential, Endura offer several waterproof coats at competitive prices, i have been using the Endura Laser II and have no complaints thus far.


2. Preparation
Each evening before you go for a ride, make sure that everything is in order for your ride. Have your kit options laid out, with different options depending on the weather so you don’t have to crawl around looking for your waterproof. Make sure your bike is working, so there is no last minute stress of maintenance either. This preparation will allow you to get up and jump straight on the bike, simplifying the morning so you start your ride with a clear mind.

3. Tyres
It is highly likely that your local trails will become a near- unridable trench of desperation without the correct rubber. Summer tires are great when it’s dry, fast rolling and hook up with the relatively hard packed ground, but they soon get out of their depth in the winter. This winter i have been running Panaracer Trailrakers and have been very impressed. It depends which compound/ width you go for, but the bog standard 2.1′s are roughly £32 a pair which is a steal for the performance. Their grip is outstanding, cutting through the slop with minimal wheel spin. However, the trade off is their rolling speed on tarmac and hard surfaces. They are noticeably slower than the super tacky Maxxis High Rollers i often run, so if you ride a fair stretch of road to your trails, it may be worth exploring other options.


4. Goals
Finally, I think it’s important to set several achievable, yet challenging goals for yourself. You need to be realistic though, otherwise you risk demotivation. Whether it be a race in the summer, a total amount of miles or certain amount of hours each week, it will help you focus. I am aiming for a 6-Hour single speed solo race, which dictates how much i ride each week, but it will be worth it on race day. If you complete the targets that you have set yourself, think about rewarding yourself. Again, i plan on buying myself a 29er if i complete the race in a respectable time.

Im sure there is more, but this just a few thoughts i had and felt the need to share.