- Here in Britain, the brutally cold weather system
dubbed "The Beast from the East"
is upon us, bringing us some of
the coldest weather conditions in 30 years.
As you can see.
But that begs the question, should we ride out on our bikes?
Well I have today, and just wondered
the best ways to keep warm.
In fact, we asked you that very question.
So here are your tips, your hacks,
and your advice on how to keep warm
when the weather simply isn't.
(relaxed urban chill)
Firstly, thanks very much for getting in contact.
We've been pretty overwhelmed with the sheer number of you
who got in touch to give us your winter tips.
Many of you quite wisely suggested we either stay at home
and jump on the turbo trainer or go on Zwift,
or get a roaring fire and a hot drink and stick our feet up.
Now, as wise as that bit of advice is,
these tips are for those of you
brave enough to venture out into the deep cold.
First up is this from ChickenLegs63;
now it's an oldie, but it's a goodie.
It is this one (paper crackles):
get yourself a bit of newspaper
to protect yourself from the cold, especially the wind,
either early in a ride, or, if you're at the top of a climb
and just about to descend down the other side.
So, get your newspaper; a little bit of a tip:
rather than actually sticking it up your jersey like this,
so actually scrunch it up slightly,
then unravel it, and you'll find it sticks to the skin
and moulds itself to your body far better.
So, like so ... (paper rustling)
(zipper zips)
Old school protection against the chill wind.
And when you dispose of it, make sure
you put it in your pocket or in the bin.
Now next up is this little nugget from I_Palindrome:
get yourself a couple of these little handy handwarmers;
put them in the pocket that's nearest to
the small of your back, and the close proximity
to your spinal fluid and major arteries
will help circulate that warmth,
keeping your core and your back warm, as well as your head.
Right, next up we have this from MatsTheFirst:
cycling shoes; at the bottom of your cycling shoes
you have those little air vents.
Now to protect yourself and the bottom of your feet
from that cold icy air, and remember,
even if you're wearing overshoes,
generally the cleat is exposed
so those bits will be exposed as well,
simply get yourself a bit of electrical tape
and seal up those little holes,
thus keeping the soles of your feet toasty and warm.
Next up is this from ViseGripMikeyis;
he's suggesting you repurpose an old sock,
I've got one of mine here, quite a natty stripey number,
cut a hole in the bottom for the cleat ...
Okay, so a little neat hole there.
Then once your shoe's on, with your other sock underneath,
simply place this over the top like so.
Needn't be rushed; get it all nice and neat
so it's not wrapped up ...
Over the top, cleats nice and unobstructed.
And then, the over-bootie over the top, and that.
Now that is toasty and warm, and actually quite stylish too.
Well next up is this from Geewoodaklake;
it's actually a double suggestion.
The first of which is simply, get some handwarmer pads ...
Stick them, oh they are nice and toasty really,
stick them inside your gloves and away you go.
Five or six hours of warm hands.
And as a backup, get spare gloves,
just in case they get a bit damp, put them inside your bibs,
keeping the gloves nice and toasty,
and also your nipples too.
Now all the way from Canada, which, as we know,
can get very, very cold indeed
are these two tips from Dillon.Petrie.
Now firstly, he's suggesting that
the second bidon on your bike should be one like this,
a thermal styled one so you can fill it
with a hot drink of your choice
to keep you warm on the first part of your ride.
And secondly, which is another great, but simple tip,
is to put your base layers, your shoes, and your gloves
on the radiator to get them nice and warm
before you venture out into the arctic cold.
Going rather old school again is this little tip
from Shrodwrah, who simply said, "Wear a balaclava."
So we've got one.
Just don't, whatever you do, ride too near any banks.
"Double up," says Seb76402, by wearing
a very thin pair of gloves like silk-style gloves
underneath your normal winter gloves,
just trapping that extra layer of warm air
without restricting the bloodflow.
Cracking idea. (gloves rustling).
Whew, toasty.
Eat and wear?
Check this from ClarkoPolo: (packet crackling)
(munches chip)
(packet rustles)
Remember this bag of crisps?
Well they've already provided you with some fuel,
and next up, they're going to keep you warm.
(bag crackles)
(gear clicking)
It's a thin, like a ready-made
tinfoil toast bag for your toes.
Fwah, I'm absolutely freezing,
so before I get back in the car
and put the heater on full blast,
I just want to thank all of you who took the time
for getting in contact with us;
they were absolutely cracking tips.
And I must admit, I've take a few onboard
and now I'm a little bit warmer than I was before.
Now, for some more winter riding tips,
how about clicking just down here
for our "Seven Mistakes for Riding in the Winter."
And don't forget, if you haven't already,
to subscribe to GCN; it's absolutely free,
and you can do that by clicking on
one of those icicles probably.
It's freezing. (waterfall rustles)