All-weather cycling

Baby, it’s cold out there, but that doesn’t mean you should stop cycling

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When I took up cycling this year it was the height of summer – shorts and strappy tops and topping up the tan were the order of the day. But as the weather got colder the question everyone was asking me was: will you keep this up over the winter?

My top tip for keeping really warm is a pair of Pretty Polly 200-denier, fleece-lined tights under leggings

The truth was that I really didn’t know. It had been so long since I’d last been on a bike and I had no idea how I’d cope with the rain or the cold. Would I turn out to be a fair-weather cyclist?

Well so far, no, I haven’t. Whatever reasons I’ve had not for cycling to work, none of them have been weather related. The first time I got rained on I ended up laughing to myself – I was so drenched it was just funny. By the time I got home my leggings were so wet it looked like I’d been sitting in a bath tub.

Cold daze
It’s now December and while it’s been rather mild, there have been some cold days and even this hasn’t slowed me down. A couple of trips to Decathlon furnished me with fleecy long-sleeved tops and extra thick leggings, while a birthday present from my mum provided me with a windproof, waterproof jacket. An early Christmas present from J was a fab pair of gloves. And my top tip for keeping really warm is a pair of Pretty Polly 200-denier, fleece-lined tights under leggings.

With all this gear I’ve found that I soon warm up on the bike. In fact, I often end up a bit too warm.

I do think I’ll avoid cycling in the snow. I’ve an all-terrain bike, so theoretically the tyres are sturdy enough to keep going through snow and ice, but I just don’t like the idea of it. Safety first is my motto on the bike and I don’t feel like I’d be safe in snow and ice.

That silver bit on the thumb is light reflective,
so people can see me when I indicate.
Awesome. Photo by The Happy Commuter.