hey trail_rat, I'm from Aberdeen originally, but the ice and snow was wicked here in Cambridgeshire last winter – as bad as anything that I've seen in the Grampian coutryside, and I don't think the county know what grit is! I ride 20 miles to work and rather than drive, I bought some studded tyres and they were amazing at dealing with sheet ice.

ot: How do you find the cycling in Aberdeen? I've been visiting a lot this year and I've been impressed that so many cycle lanes are appearing, tho I think the car and van driving up there is truly mintil.

I'm with trail_rat on the theraputic side of things. Love that feeling when you've been out in awful weather and you get warm and dry and then sit on the sofa all day

It's almost the best part! Anyway, I don't really mind a bit of cold but I'm not really interested in sliding down the road on ice so that's the limiting factor for me. Although here in the midlands it's not often that much of an issue.

Love riding the road bike in the winter, no agenda, just getting the miles in, chat with mates and some good coffee at the cafe stop. I do have the massive advantage of getting to ride in daylight during the week, certainly makes the motivation a bit easier to find.

Summer rides are never as carefree for me, always thinking about how hard I can go, and whether I should be tapering for the next race. By this point in the year I just want to sack it all off and go riding. One race to go, crazy missions planned for the few weeks after.