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The number one reason I am devoted to winter cycling is that I always seem to lose a bit more weight during the winter months, and I am still working on getting the last of my excess body fat off, so this is an important factor for me. When the temperature starts to go up, the weight loss ends. I think it is because my body has to work harder when cycling in the cold and wind and rain, thus I burn more calories, and thus I lose a bit of body fat. It keeps me motivated, that is for sure.
I have learned not to take the bike out on high wind days, when the temp is below freezing, or when the sky is black with rain clouds. I live in a moderate winter climate, so I can put in a lot of miles during the winter months. On the off days I do other activities. I've had quite a few winter rides where the rain was coming down so hard and fast that I had to seek shelter for an hour or more, waiting for the rain to get less fierce.
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I like "cool" riding, not really cold. I usually ride through the first week in December and pick it up again the first or second week in March. Fair weather? Maybe. But, I ride in colder temperatures than a lot of riders I know. We are just coming into my favorite cycling months, September and October. Sure, the volume of my cycling goes down, but I am still out there. My favorite cycling temperatures are 50-65.
I might head out on a warmer, sunny day in January or February, if the roads are not full of crap. I ride my hybrid on those occasions. But, once the snow flies, it's all about snow shoeing and x country skiing. The season is very short here and I really look forward to the change. In the fall I do more hiking, too.
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Overall, I like riding outside in winter, so long as it stays above 32 degrees. The cold weather means even greater solitude, and being outside at that time of year can be lovely (particularly when the holiday lights are in full bloom). Most importantly, I can "mouth breathe" w/no worries of ingesting moths (happened this year) or other bugs.
Last winter's weather was not too conducive to outdoor cycling, but I admit that I simply couldn't bear the thought of riding when temps went below 32. Too much having to watch out for icy spots, and the thought of cold, painful hands were deterrents that kept me inside from around T'giving thru mid-March. Since I'm an endurance rider, my shortest rides are about 30 miles, so eventually, the cold sets in. All that time on the trainer w/Coach Troy paid off, and I gained cycling fitness.
This year, I'm going to try to be better and ride outdoors at least a couple days a week, surface conditions permitting. I have excellent winter gear, so there's no excuse.
I think several seasons of riding no matter what the temperature burned me out on winter riding. I needed to get out of that mindset of "having" to ride, no matter what the temps, so long as the pavement was dry & safe.
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On the weekends only. I like that I can sleep in if I want and go ride at 1:00 in the afternoon. But during the week when I get to work as the sun is just peeking up and leave when it is setting, no don't like it at all. Plus if it is a wet winter like last year I can't mountain bike. :( Then there is the inevitable bronchitis I have gotten the last three years that keeps me doing nearly nothing for a month.
I like fall pre-daylight savings when I can sneak out to the local trail or for a quick road ride after work. The traffic is lighter once the kiddos head back to school. I don't like either extreme - summer or winter. I do like the shoulder seasons.
