6 tips to cycle safely through winter

Winter is here! That means taking your bike lights everywhere you go, half-frozen fingers, trousers tucked into your socks and completely covering up only to get to the office dripping with sweat. Here, we present 6 handy tips to make your winter commutes all the more enjoyable. 

Why cycle in the winter?

There are plenty of reasons to commute by bicycle. Find yourself struggling to jump in the saddle on cold days? Perhaps the following will give you that motivation you need!

• The bicycle is the most sustainable mobility solution during the winter too.
• Your calories literally melt away, as you burn up to double the ‘normal’ amount of calories during such wintry rides.
• Those bracing journeys teach your body to handle oxygen more efficiently, which isn't only good for your brain, but for your mood and concentration too.

1. Make sure your fit is on-point 

• For improved grip, and therefore less chance of skidding, either lower your tyre pressure or fit winter-specific tyres.
• For increased stability, lower your saddle a tad. This will make it easier to put your feet on the ground should you find yourself skidding.
• Find out which gear gives you the most traction in slippery conditions. Most often, middle gears tend to be the sweet spot, so stay away from the highest or lowest settings. 

2. Don't forget your battery

Do you ride a speed pedelec or electric bicycle? Then there's something else to consider: your battery. In general, batteries and the cold are not an ideal combination: your battery will lose power more quickly at low temperatures. Luckily, you can anticipate this with our tips:

• Keep your charger handy, just in case. 
• Tend to lock your bicycle outside? Then be sure to take the battery in with you to avoid any loss of power.
• Have you just been cycling in the cold and are you bringing your battery indoors? Then let it warm up for half an hour before charging it.
• Have you decided not to use that e-bike in the coldest months anyway? Then do make sure your battery is indoors and recharge it once a month. That way, your battery won't become idle and it will last longer.

 3. Make sure your bicycle is winter-ready

Before venturing out on those wintry roads, it's best you get your bicycle in good working order. You can do that yourself, or simply bring your bicycle to the bike shop.You can find out how much that kind of maintenance costs in our blog: ‘Maintenance costs for my lease bike: how much can I expect to pay?’ You obviously pay through your service budget – find out how that works in our blog: ‘The service budget from A to Z’.

And yes, unfortunately, you will need to clean your bike more often during winter. This is because certain substances on the road – e.g. grit salt – will cause your chain to rust faster. This can be easily remedied by regularly giving your bike a quick clean using the right products.

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4. Keep yourself warm

By wearing the right kit, you will be able to brave even the coldest of winter days, as well as those bleak winter gusts. Key to this is to wear the optimum layers of breathable cycling kit. That said, don't fall into the trap of putting on too many layers. You don't want to find yourself sweating before even getting on your bicycle! You may feel a bit chilly during the first few minutes, but after that your body will naturally warm up. 

We'll list the ingredients for the perfect winter outfit below:

• Overshoes
• Bike helmet 
• A warm scarf
• Windproof cycling gloves
• Raincoat and rainproof trousers
• Thermal clothing for if it really does get too cold
• A hat that covers your ears or a helmet with ear muffs

5. There’s no such thing as too much high-vis

If there's one season in which you can really stand out, it's winter! Make sure to go all-out when it comes to reflective cycling kit and sparkly reflectors. Without this kind of flashy bike clothing, others will only see you at a 20-metre distance. With all these attributes, they'll spot a dot of light at 150 metres. Quite a big difference, eh?

And don't forget your bike lights, either! Make sure to go for lights with high lumen and high lux ratings.

6. Use your common sense

Something you should always be doing when you're riding your bicycle anyway, but just that bit more during the winter months. The shortest route is not always the safest one. And your speed record? You don't always need to match that in the dark and the rain. It's better to choose good cycle lanes that will ideally be lit, and avoid dark lanes and poorly maintained routes. This not only makes it more pleasant for cycling, but also a good deal safer! Also pay some extra attention to traffic and anticipate the behaviour of others.