Winter cycling

shansey

what do people do here for winter cycling? I do my long spin on a sat and have turbo intervals on thursday but apart from that its too dark to go after work. Tried the N81 one night but it felt like taking my life in my hands with traffic etc.

Apparently I should have at least three bike sessions per week..

Detest the turbo on my own but if necessary I can do it.

Suggestions/comments/abuse all welcome..

Kander

I'm currently working through Breaking bad on Net flix while I'm on the turbo. Have you tried to break up the sessions with different drills that might stop the bordom.

Other than that maybe fit in the second spin out on the weekend

Micilin Muc

Why not take the bike to work and take a longer route in the morning and/or evening? Get yourself stronger lights for unlit roads so you can maintain a faster speed.

Solobally8

Are you a member of a club? Or club does a group turbo session once a week and two weekend spins. The group turbo session is great for motivation. Hard session but goes really fast.

I do turbo after work Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I use Trainer road and find it great along with Netflix or some good music. Then 2 long spins at the weekend.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Structured turbo sets is the only way to go.

Invest in a decent set of lights over Winter and get some long commutes in!

iwillhtfu

Anson Worried University wrote: »

Structured turbo sets is the only way to go.

Has anyone a link to a structured set. I find myself sitting there just pedaling away.

coppinger

The sufferfest videos are good "fun", for passing time on the turbo

shansey

Solobally8 wrote: »

Are you a member of a club?

I do turbo after work Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I use Trainer road and find it great along with Netflix or some good music. Then 2 long spins at the weekend.

Member of a club indeed. we have session on thurs night. I do cycle to work so i might try taking the long way home one night.

You seem to be pushing hard on the bike solobally...are you doing as much for swim and run?

The old adage..however much you're doing..they're doing more! you have me worried!

Peterx

The other old adage is "there's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes" which is all well and good until it freezes. Then it's time to tackle the DIY.

Some simple rules/suggestions;

>10 degrees cycle in your shorts if you wish
<10 degrees - full body cover, hills still ok.
<5 degrees, - fully body cover+windproof layers, stay on the flat
degrees - be careful, even on the flat
<0 degrees - MTB in a fully covered forest, skip the road.

Make sure you have good winter kit;

overshoes
gloves
hats
mudguards
windproof layers
light and effective waterproof jacket

I don't like the turbo so try and cycle outside as much as possible

MD1983

I did a lot of cycling last winter and for the last few years and plan to do the same this time around but with some slight variations


I dont cycle at night even in Dublin

Typical winter week would be 2-3 turbo sessions, at least 1 hour, then two long cycles at the weekend. if the weather is bad a 3 hour turbo or more would have been done. No point in glamorising long turbos, they are hard work and not at all fun but if you are determined you will do it. I tried my best to cycle 8-10 hours a week and got close enough most weeks.

get some sufferfest videos or equivalent to keep you focused on the turbo

Clothes are obviously key, dont skimp on your shoe covers or gloves, nothing worse than cold hands or feet

if its looking dodgy weather in the mountains stick to the coast/flat, no fun in getting wet/cold

if its icy use the turbo or cycle in the afternoon once the ice is gone

shansey

MD1983 wrote: »

I tried my best to cycle 8-10 hours a week and got close enough most weeks.

was this in addition to run and swim training?

Martha_Mae

does someone need special tyres for winter? something like F1 :P ?

MD1983

shansey wrote: »

was this in addition to run and swim training?

yep - just looked back at my training log, when it was icy i seemed to do a lot of turbo and might have got 6-8 hours a week, when it got warmer i did more hours outdoors, log says at one stage there were three 10 hour cycling weeks in a row

Solobally8

shansey wrote: »

Member of a club indeed. we have session on thurs night. I do cycle to work so i might try taking the long way home one night.

You seem to be pushing hard on the bike solobally...are you doing as much for swim and run?

The old adage..however much you're doing..they're doing more! you have me worried!

Sorry shansey I should have said that I'm fully bike focused this year! I'll do a bit of running and swimming but that's just for variety. The point I was trying to make is that it's easy enough to do the bike sessions in the winter if you have a turbo and can get out at the weekends

When I was doing triathlons I was doing 3 sessions a week on the bike, around 6 hours total.

shansey

Solobally8 wrote: »

Sorry shansey I should have said that I'm fully bike focused this year! I'll do a bit of running and swimming but that's just for variety. The point I was trying to make is that it's easy enough to do the bike sessions in the winter if you have a turbo and can get out at the weekends

When I was doing triathlons I was doing 3 sessions a week on the bike, around 6 hours total.

Ha ha.. thanks for the clarification!!

People obviously do a lot or 2-a-days!