Winter rides, how we learn to love them. Awake before the birds and well before sunrise, pull on layer after layer of clothing (all carefully laid out the night before) then out the door. Friends think you’re mad and maybe you are. Why on earth would anyone want to cycle at this hour and in these conditions? Why do we do it?
Check the weather one last time. Rain? Wind? Chill to the bone temps? It’s all irelevent as long as there’s no black ice. Today we ride. Solo or with a group we clock up the miles. Besides, the coffee tastes better when it’s earned through hard winter mileage.
It’s out with the winter steed too. Laden with mudguards and lights it’s certainly no feather weight. Don’t forget those dependable winter tyres too. No matter, it just adds to the training that’ll make us stronger come spring time. Pure workhorse. There’ll be no summer speed machine today.
We all yearn for another ride on that slick summer beauty. Mine is currently bolted to the turbo, tempting me to hop aboard and endure another drenched-in-sweat interval session rather than hitting the road.
But the road, she calls.
A call that must be answered.
After all, I am a road cyclist…
#keepcycling
Tempo Cyclist - Tasmania 
I try to ride some in the winter, but I loath it. Wracked with Psoriatic Arthritis and a collapsed L5, it makes for a miserable time. But, I do try to get some miles in. There is a sense of calm and quiet in the winter months, unlike the Spring and Summer for sure, but the cold grey days trump the peaceful landscapes of winter. No doubt it hardens a rider up, cycling in all conditions, I think the year-round rider in cold/hot climates is tougher than most. Good job on getting out there! Funny thing is, I can ride in triple digit temps no problem…but that damn bone chilling freeze does me in mate! :D
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It does take a certain level of hardness to drag yourself out of a warm bed to cycle around in freezing temperatures! I’ve got a good collection of winter kit to keep me warm now, just need to get some better windproof and waterproof gloves.
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We are like mail carriers, neither snow, nor rain, nor sleet, nor….I am not what comes after that but we will bike in it no matter what it is.
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