If this weather is the new normal…

If this weather is the new normal…

Depends where in the UK you are.

Play with the layers on this map to find out.
Some places are wetter, some drier. The overheating stats for anyone south east is frightening. Wind, varies. Storms? We’re all going to get more
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/0295557a52b5446595fc4ba6a97161bb/page/Page

Personally i think we’ll have drier summers and wetter winters, think the last year has been a weird one as summer wasn’t great, but can see October to April being depressing.

I don’t tend to enjoy mud or wet rides, you get wet, muddy, bikes creaking and squealing, you ram it in the car, try and get something half dry on and get back, to then wash and clean your bike for an hour or so, when all you want is a shower and a meal.

Given the weather’s effect on the state of the roads I’d have thought a mtb increasingly necessary.

I hate it. I used to ride through it, but now I live in an area with heavy clay – no chance. Just won’t ride MTB if its like this all the time.

Double post.

Maybe I’m missing something…..is it different this year?

Yes. I can count on one hand how many dry days we’ve had since October. Its been the wettest winter in 130 years according to recent reports. The temperature has been fine and I’ve never really been bothered about the cold anyway. Its just the constant water on everything thats made local trails unridable. A few gravel paths are ok but I cant even walk on the rest.

My winter bike is called Zwift. Spent years riding in the mud and one day after a couple of punctures in the rain had enough.

I tend to stick to trail centres more during the winter months, slogging through mud gets rather tedious.

Rain is fine, it wont kill you.

Yes. I can count on one hand how many dry days we’ve had since October. Its been the wettest winter in 130 years according to recent reports.

Again, depends on where you are in the UK. I’ve had a mild and not too dry winter.

? How much rain have you had in recent months?

The below map shows rainfall amounts from October to 3 January compared to average for the full 4-month period. You’ll see how some areas have already seen more than 50% more rain than average.

A short thread on winter rainfall ? pic.twitter.com/XvI2DH0N5X

— Met Office (@metoffice) January 5, 2024

Yes. I can count on one hand how many dry days we’ve had since October.

It probably feels that way, but I’d wager it’s not as bad as that

Yes, it’s been wet and it’s severely hampering things at work. Every other day I’m saying to myself, will it ever stop raining. But….

Live in Derbyshire – so middle of the country and one of the wetter areas on that map.

Been through my ride photo’s from October (tend not to take many when it’s raining) and there have been a fair few rides where it has rained – however, there were around 20 or so rides where the conditions looked acceptable, it definitely wasn’t raining and around half a dozen with blue skies showing through

Rigid fixie.

Half the brake pad wear, far fewer bearings, no suspension wear.

Probably not a “skills compensator” though.

Yes. I can count on one hand how many dry days we’ve had since October. Its been the wettest winter in 130 years according to recent reports. The temperature has been fine and I’ve never really been bothered about the cold anyway. Its just the constant water on everything thats made local trails unridable. A few gravel paths are ok but I cant even walk on the rest.

As per Matt’s image above, it depends where you live in the UK. My instincts are correct and I’ve had a bang average winter in terms of rainfall. Though not enough of it fell as snow for my liking.

Things that have helped make winter riding less unpleasant

Massive mudguards front and rear

Race face defy fire trousers- mostly water proof and toasty

Seal skins gloves

Having a daughter born in November so every ride , no matter how horrible, feels like a treat

2h rides not all day in the peak. I’m Still mostly warmish and dryish at the end.

I love a good mid winter 25 miles bog fest in the peaks, extra points for side ways rain/ sleet/ snow. These are not happing much with a tiny one.

I’m with the OP too, **** hate mtbing in the wet, every pedal stroke and wheel revolution just sounds like pennies being drained from my bank account.

Also can’t be arsed sorting out wet and muddy kit and and I hate the Cannock chase grinding paste getting everywhere.

if it carried on indefinitely I wouldn’t quit, but I’d probably get rid of the full suss and run a hardtail with big permanent mudguards. And a gravel bike.

It’s an El Niño year,suck it up Adapt or Die ;-)
https://wmo.int/news/media-centre/el-nino-expected-last-least-until-april-2024

That Met office chart is pretty skewed by late autumn.  Looking at SEPA data for my local station (2 miles away) October was twice its historical average and November was one and a half times. December was slightly drier than average and Jan/Feb were bang on average. Kind of backs up how it feels, in that it’s not been that wet but winter seems to have gone on forever. Very few hard frost or snow days. On the Scottish east coast, it’s been more persistent easterly winds that’s made riding a pain.

Top stuff tall_martin👍

Was visiting my parents in dunstable yesterday

nearly didnt make it back home, flooding was nuts, the area had over 100mm rain in about 6 hours, the average for the whole of September is about 50mm!!

https://twitter.com/ChrisKimberley/status/1838140336469577818

Yep.

I miss the still, warm evenings which used to draw me out in Summer.

And the crisp, cold mornings which used to draw me out in Winter.

Now that it’s constantly windy and usually wet as well, every ride feels like one I have to force myself to begin and endure.  A lot of the pleasure of riding came from that sense of just enjoying the world for its own sake and being out in it. Adding miles to the spreadsheet* was just a by-product.

Makes me quite depressed to think about it.

I’m still trying to motivate and force myself to go out but it’s definitely getting harder, and less fun. I’m considering picking up a cheap road bike for the Winter months, it’s got that bad.

* I’ve never maintained a spreadsheet, but Strava’s just a fancy spreadsheet, so you know what I mean.