LCAG

Here are some tips for riding through the winter months.

Dave’s tips
Always ride with two lights at the front and two at the back. As well as increasing your visibility this is vital insurance as batteries can and do go flat, or even on a couple of occasions I’ve accidentally switched one off but fortunately the other was still running.

There is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong cloths. Time for a trip to your local bike shop.

Richard’s tip
The more lights, the better. You can put one or two on your helmet if you wear one, as well as on your bike. With a little ingenuity and a rubber band or two, it can be done!

Angela’s tip
Thin silk gloves inside your winter gloves…makes a massive difference.

Jon’s Tip
I do not wear a helmet when cycling except when mountain biking or when its icy. I didn’t use to but a few tangles with black ice made me decide that I was quite likely to have a low speed spill in these conditions so that on balance (no pun intended!) it was worth wearing one. Also I was unlikely to have an overheated head in this conditions, which is one of the reasons I don’t usually wear a helmet.

Martin’s tips
Lightweight waterproof trousers keep you warm and dry.
Change to wet lube for your chain.
Use good brake blocks or pads.

Allan’s Tips
Choosing a route: As the temperature dips below zero use bus routes only. They are always gritted first and often swept clear of snow & ice by cars and buses. Ride in the cleared area of the lane. Cars really will go around you.

No tyre (except one with metal studs) is stable on ice so avoid ice that is not well covered with grit. Snow packs into the wide treads of a tyre so knobblies become a ring of ice. A fairly slim tyre
(28 to 35mm) with fine tread is better and cuts a groove in snow and slush that aids stability.

Steven’s tip
Good mudguards. They are the difference between a wet rear, muddy back and bike that’s dirty and clogged up and must be cleaned straight away if you don’t want it to seize up and, well, simply not having that hassle.
After not having any for a while because mudguards don’t look cool (silly), then trying ones that the mud was able to fly round somehow, then ones that didn’t fit and scratched finally I have found mudguards that are just right – light, narrow, black and hug the wheel perfectly without touching it.