Is your bike ready for the winter? As the dark draws in and the weather turns, your best bike may not be the best choice for winter rides!
Ideally, you’ll have a separate winter bike, wider and more comfortable tyres, cheaper wheels, cheaper components and mudguard mount points. The other option is to winterise what you do have – protect yourself, protect the bike and stay safe!
1. Ditch the carbon wheels! Darker conditions and standing water make potholes harder to see. Consider a set of cheaper and more robust wheels for the winter – cheaper to service and repair or replace if the damage is bad, good for training, and you’ll feel the difference come summer and the good wheels go back on. Make sure when purchasing (new or second hand) that the rim will clear the frame, it is tubeless ready if that’s what you want to do, and if disc, the rotor mounts are compatible with what you are swapping.
2. Fit mudguards! Once you do, you won’t go back. Keep the water and grime off you, your kit, your bike and your mates. Many bikes have frame mounts and clearance to fit a decent set of close-fitting wrap-around guards. If this isn’t possible there are decent clip-on alternatives that can work on most bikes. When purchasing consider your bike and its mount options, frame clearance, tyre clearance and purpose.
3. Use the right rubber! Check the tyres you have – are they in decent condition, are they showing decent tread? Do they have good puncture protection and is the compound suitable for cold and wet conditions? Consider an all-season and more puncture-resistant type – the weight is a training aid, and the time saved not changing a puncture in the wet, cold and dark is well worth it. Make sure your tyre pressures are right to avoid penetration and pinch flats if you hit a pothole.
4. Lights – look on the bright side! Many would advocate using cycle lights front and rear all year round, but the case in winter is hard to deny. Shady lanes, low light, and wet windscreens – increase your chances of being seen. There are so many alternatives at many price points, and all mount easily to any bike.
5. Lube – get it right! We sell MucOff Lubricants as love the brand and its sustainable credentials – wet lubricants are specifically made for wetter conditions, yet do attract the dirt so wipe the chain and drivetrain clean and relubricate. If it’s clicking and grinding and is covered in black grime then it’s dirty – reducing performance and reducing the lifespan of componants.
6. Dirty bike, dirty mind! Stay on top of maintenance – a ride can be spoilt with poor shifting, poor braking, drivetrain noises and punctures. Muc Off Cleaners are good for the environment and not too aggressive on the bike, keeping it clean and running well over the winter. Consider a service depending on use mid-winter or at the end of winter – taking the drivetrain off the bike and properly cleaning will elongate use and save you money in the longer term. Drop in for advice, we have Muc Off items in stock.
Revolution Cycle Sport are based in Billinghurst, you can book your cycle service online.
Servicing the local area including Southwater, Horsham, Broadford Bridge, Five Oaks, Rudgwick, Storrington, Petworth, Pulborough, West Chiltington, Dragons Green, Coolham and more.
