How Will You Get Through Winter?

[Susan126]

By the time I get off work it's almost dark. The long sunny, warm, beautiful after work rides are over once again until spring's return in 4-5 months. Of course I will keep doing my weekend rides but my weekday rides are definitely over. So how will I stay fit through the winter? How will I get my time on the "bike"? For me it's back to my gym and my Tuesday and Thursday late afternoon spin class. It got me through last winter and it did help because when spring finally did return I jumped right back into my after work rides without much suffering. I wasn't starting from scratch. Those two weekday spin classes helped. All last winter I did the weekday spin classes and rode on the weekends. I also did snow shoeing throughout the winter months too.

So what is your plan for getting through the dark short winter weekdays when darkness greets you at 4:30 PM? And rain and/or snow?

[Blueberry]

I'm lucky - I live in NC, and we won't get too much snow. On a heavy snow year, I might lose a week to slick roads. I'll ride outside (with lights!) for the most part, although on the most brutal days, it's spinervals in my living room...

CA

[Tater]

Since I work from home, I can make my own schedule. Therefore, as long as the roads aren't icy, I ride.

[tulip]

Since I work from home, I can make my own schedule. Therefore, as long as the roads aren't icy, I ride.

me, too.

[OakLeaf]

I go to Florida <g,d&r>.....

[Aggie_Ama]

I live in Texas, we see snow so rarely the whole town comes to a grinding halt. In the winter I do a lot of running during the week, I am not a fan of night riding so I get really fit running. I am probably overall in better shape when I run more than ride.

Weekends we plan to road ride one day and hit the dirt the other. But we already have some hiking weekends planned as well. For us the weather is more an issue of our thin blood than sleet, snow or rain. The heavy rains happen in the spring when we get rain. I would love a crazy rainy winter because we are in a terrible drought.

BTW- I voted gym because it fit the most but I run outside.

[Crankin]

I chose # 3, even though my answer is really 1, 2, and 3. I mostly hike outside, snow shoe, x country ski, but I also go to the gym, do spin, lift weights, and ride my trainer. If it's decent out, I will ride my hybrid for a shorter ride, since even when it's nice, the road conditions are usually not.
I usually ride my road bike a couple of times in December, but it's on the trainer in January and February.

[Bluetree]

Winter? ... what's winter?




EDIT: Our SoCal crit season starts in January!

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[uk elephant]

Luckily not much snow and ice here in the uk, but I rode all winter even in Illinois, Norway and Wisconsin when I lived there. Here in the uk the main issue is how incredibly cold it feels when it's 5C and 100% humidity. I'm still working out the clothing situation and stocking up on woollies. Other than that, I've got my bike and me decked out with lots of lights and reflectives so I ride after work despite the dark. Although today, I took advantage of a slow day at work and did my ride at lunchtime instead. May do that more often when I can.

[Norse]

I do a combination of: work-outs on the road bike on the trainer; riding my hybrid outside on weekends (too dark here too early) when it's nice and not icy (no studs); hiking/walking; x-country skiing; yoga, core work and strength conditioning. That said, probably at least 50% of my efforts go to "riding" the bike on the trainer.

[wackyjacky1]

Winter? ... what's winter?

Snow, sleet, etc., don't really apply down here. I'll keep on riding.

[Fredwina]

Winter? ... what's winter?




EDIT: Our SoCal crit season starts in January!

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you can get snow in socal I took these in january this year:IT's Lytle Creek Canyon north of Fontana.

[five one]

I marked #2 on the poll, but in reality, I do a combination of several options. Trainer in the garage several mornings a week. We have a weight machine in the garage that I used 2-3 times a week. I/we ride on the road on the weekends when weather permits. During DST, DH and I meet one day a week after work for a flat fast utility sort of ride. Now that we are back to standard time, we're doing a power walk on the track of a local community center instead. Boring, but it's well lit and safe after dark.

I'm a bit skittish about riding in the rain. I ride mainly country roads with little or no shoulder. The white line is slippery when wet, which puts me farther out into the lane of traffic. After a big rain there is a lot of debris on the roads to dodge around. That said, I'm thinking of getting fenders for my old Bianchi (beater/trainer bike) and giving it a try more often.

Those of you that ride in all sorts of weather in harsher climates have my undying admiration. I am a California weather weenie .

[lph]

I enjoy buying lots of winter gear

[Geonz]

Me2