I HATE the winter.

moonshadow

I hate winter.
I don't commute , so my cycling is very limited to sun/tue/Thursday club spins.
Current plan is Monday and Thursday strength training with a spin class (never done one before) on Tuesday ...
What's you plans for the winter ???

07Lapierre

Winter will envolve commuting and weekend spins. Same as summer really!

Buzwaldo

Not keen on winter in general, but I like cycling in winter. Often get some great club spins in nice crisp days - less folk on holidays so usually have a nice few out. Don't mind it getting wet during a spin but hate heading out in the wet.
Not into racing (not fast or brave enough) and hate the turbo, so I'm happy to get out weekends and keep the fitness going a bit. Have done spinning before during winter but going to try find a decent core / pilates class as I reckon I need it more than anything else at the moment.

neris

My winter cycling tends to take place around mid january for a month but i plan to change it these winter nights once its not absolutely lashing, howling a gale or frosty. I enjoy going out in the dark when its crisp n chilly at that time of year. No one around and can huff and puff up howth with very little fear of been caught.

Wishbone Ash

Business as usual for me.

dahat

Early morning spins on fresh frosty days are some of the best spins you will have on a road bike imo.

The loss of shift work for me means I won't see many of those this winter but if OP gets a chance go on those mornings , you won't regret it.

crosstownk

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Business as usual for me.

dahat wrote:

Early morning spins on fresh frosty days are some of the best spins you will have on a road bike imo.

^This.

Yes, maybe the odd spin has to be cancelled due to bad weather but winter is no reason to put the bike in storage.

Decent clothing and paying attention to weather forecasts (Met Éireann short range, yr.no) all helps the cause. If the weather is cold then I'll consider avoiding higher ground and stay low and flat.

No turbo or gym for me - I can't deal with it as I prefer to be outdoors - even if it's just a long walk.

sullzz

Commuting every day with extended spin on way home to take in structured training schedule , long steady spins on weekends 4hrs sat and same on sunday . 2 midweek days will also include some strength and core work .
I love cycling during the winter months .

fat bloke

sullzz wrote: »

Commuting every day with extended spin on way home to take in structured training schedule , long steady spins on weekends 4hrs sat and same on sunday . 2 midweek days will also include some strength and core work .
I love cycling during the winter months .

Yeah, I loved being single too.

dahat

sullzz wrote: »

Commuting every day with extended spin on way home to take in structured training schedule , long steady spins on weekends 4hrs sat and same on sunday . 2 midweek days will also include some strength and core work .
I love cycling during the winter months .

Any tips on a strength programme? It's something I'm looking to incorporate this Winter. I was never the best gym head tbh.

sy_flembeck

crosstownk wrote: »

^This.

Yes, maybe the odd spin has to be cancelled due to bad weather but winter is no reason to put the bike in storage.

Decent clothing and paying attention to weather forecasts (Met Éireann short range, yr.no) all helps the cause. If the weather is cold then I'll consider avoiding higher ground and stay low and flat.

No turbo or gym for me - I can't deal with it as I prefer to be outdoors - even if it's just a long walk.

What he says!

Alek

A big spoon of rule #5 before breakfast will sort you out for that.

Have the luxury of the wee one being at play school for 2 and a half hours in the mornings now so can get a spin in no problem.

I'm not a club or competitive cyclist but I did flirt with the idea of a turbo and borrowed one a while back from a pal. Did maybe 40 minutes of good effort on it with my partner lifting the wee one to mop my brow with the towel as they passed and she said to me "your not enjoying that are you"

For me fitness is a side effect of riding my bike out on the road and my head was in a totally different place on the turbo. Great for those that need them thought no doubt.

monkeysnapper

Last October I took up running . I'm 42 and found running hard at first . But eventually got into it . started back cycling in January and my general fitness was much better for it and broke a few personnel bests .

crosstownk

Deleted User wrote: »

For me fitness is a side effect of riding my bike out on the road and my head was in a totally different place on the turbo. Great for those that need them thought no doubt.

Nail on the head from my perspective.

I just love being out on the road. Whether it's out over the Wicklow hills or commuting through Dublin City with all the traffic - it's all head space.

Obviously, my preference is for longer spins in the countryside but I much prefer cycling in traffic (by a long shot) to sitting in my car. Commuting allows me to keep fit and get to work - all at the same time.

triggermortis

I don't mind the winter as I've got the gear to keep me comfortable enough. The initial shock sometimes takes a few minutes to get over when it's really wet and windy, but that soon fades and there's always that extra feeling of achievement when you get back or in work when the weather was against you.
Just need to finish my winter bike now..

sullzz

fat bloke wrote: »

Yeah, I loved being single too.

'Aint single , i have a wife and kid , the midweek commutes home will just get extended by an hour and for the weekend long spins ill head out really early so back at a decent time for them .
The strength and core work will get done when the little one goes to bed and the wife goes for her run / walk .

Borderfox

Love the winter whatever the weather

fat bloke

sullzz wrote: »

'Aint single , i have a wife and kid , the midweek commutes home will just get extended by an hour and for the weekend long spins ill head out really early so back at a decent time for them .
The strength and core work will get done when the little one goes to bed and the wife goes for her run / walk .

Fair play . I get out early as possible, Saturdays but jaysus I couldn't be setting an alarm for Sunday as well.

Turbo for me and (hopefully) bring on those crisp and dry, sunny winter mornings.

Macy0161

Mid week turbos and Saturday spin - pretty much kept that going all summer following on from last winter, with an array of fans (kids are older now, so can do it in the shed whilst they're inside now).

TrainerRoad pretty much changed the turbo into something I found a chore to something that I felt was good bang for my time buck. I generally follow a plan, but swap out the Saturday workout for an outdoor ride, unless the weather is really crap (or under family life time pressure). Hoping to do a bit more Mountain biking this winter as well, when the weather might be too grim (for me) out on the roads.

I did do a few spin classes last winter (included in my gym membership), but they wouldn't be as focused as TrainerRoad - they seem to be all about the calorie burn, where as TrainerRoad has form drills as well as targeted intervals.

Trying to focus on S&C more as well. I actually think it's one of those things that it's important to get some professional input, as anything involving added weight, form is everything. I've been going to a class once a week, and will try to do one a week on my own over the winter, but my form is still slipping when I do it on my own tbh.

terrydel

Hate training indoors, still getting out a couple of evenings a week for about 25-30km and will try a day or two commuting this winter (48km round trip).
Being outdoors is what makes cycling for me, cant be bothered with much if any turbo training and certainly not paying for spin classes.

Biopace

Hmmm, let me see, MTB 4/5 times a week all year, winter just makes it different, carry on

Cee-Jay-Cee

I try and get out in winter as often as I can but its mainly only at weekends as its dark by the time I get home from work Monday to Friday.

I usually start running around October and run 5km twice a week right through to late March which helps keep the fitness going through winter.

Last winter I stuck to the MTB and back roads/forestry at the weekends which meant the first time back on the road bike in March was a bit jittery for the first few KMs.

OleRodrigo

Much prefer autumn/ winter/ spring to the summer. Blustery cool weather with grey skies and crisp mornings are what Ireland does best.

Summer tends to be a poor imitation of the warmer countries.

secman

Will be heading out soon enough once or twice hopefully midweek , usually about 8pm with lights, the road from Tallaght bypass to Lucan and back, you can get a 30 to 35 km spin and leaving it till 8 means very very quiet road too . Only discovered that road late March this year. It's well lit and as I say quiet enough after 8. . Its mainly a falling road to Lucan and draggy back.
After that it's Sat and Sunday as usual, but Sat one will prob get shorter as the mornings get darker and having to be back by 10:30 to watch grandson play footy.

Miklos

I don't mind the winter.. crisp, steady miles, mudguards on and off ya go. I've just got my winter bike sorted out, can't wait to get out on it!

rodneyTrotter.

Miklos wrote: »

I don't mind the winter.. crisp, steady miles, mudguards on and off ya go. I've just got my winter bike sorted out, can't wait to get out on it!

I'd have another glass of that red wine first though!

sullzz

secman wrote: »

Will be heading out soon enough once or twice hopefully midweek , usually about 8pm with lights, the road from Tallaght bypass to Lucan and back, you can get a 30 to 35 km spin and leaving it till 8 means very very quiet road too . Only discovered that road late March this year. It's well lit and as I say quiet enough after 8. . Its mainly a falling road to Lucan and draggy back.
After that it's Sat and Sunday as usual, but Sat one will prob get shorter as the mornings get darker and having to be back by 10:30 to watch grandson play footy.

That Tallaght to Lucan road will be part of my training loop too although from the Lucan to Tallaght direction with a few laps of Adamstown thrown in , its a grand safe road with good bus lanes and its also well covered with lighting .

Fian

sullzz wrote: »

That Tallaght to Lucan road will be part of my training loop too although from the Lucan to Tallaght direction with a few laps of Adamstown thrown in , its a grand safe road with good bus lanes and its also well covered with lighting .

Alot more broken glass than normal along that road I always find though. Not a problem during the day but might be tricky after dark.

LpPepper

Fian wrote: »

Alot more broken glass than normal along that road I always find though. Not a problem during the day but might be tricky after dark.

Yeah great road but glass and general debris a definite problem in the bus lane going both directions...

PokeHerKing

Forget about winter OP. This evenings Autumn commute home was no picnic!