The weather is getting colder and the days shorter. That means two things for a cyclist, warmer clothes and riding indoors. Let’s get to it.
*As a side note, I don’t get paid or supported to mention any of the products below.
Good winter kit
I never figured out my cold weather cycling kit until just last year. My biggest tip, buy a jacket that can keep you warm with only a base layer underneath. For some reason piling up with bulky layers makes cycling less fun for me.
The closer fitting and more “jersey like” a jacket is, the more likely I’ll enjoy riding in cold or wet weather. The Castelli Gabba is one of the best examples. With only a base layer underneath you can get from the garage into cold weather quickly and comfortably. It might even make the difference between riding consistently through the winter or sitting on the couch drowning in excuses.
Riding indoors
In general, riding indoors is terrible. For this reason I always suggest limiting your indoor training sessions to 45 minutes tops. The 45 minute rule works well if you’re willing to ride hard. 10 minute warm-up, 30 minute main set with high-intensity work, then a short 5 minute cool down.
If you’re committed to riding indoors the next best thing is to use Zwift. Zwift is an online virtual world where you race and train with cyclists across the world. Zwift has totally transformed my experience on the indoor trainer. It can actually make riding indoors fun.
Zwift syncs to your power meter and translates your intensity of effort into dynamic movement on the interwebs, allowing you to ride in a social environment while suffering in the dungeon of your garage. If you spend more than 2 days a week on the trainer you should try it out. It has the potential to make you more consistent and fitter over the winter.
Summary
- Get a good winter jacket that keeps you warm with only a base layer
- Restrict your trainer rides to 45 minutes
- Try out Zwift
Here’s to a great winter!
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