Is anyone else looking forward to Autumn and Winter riding?

It occurred to me yesterday that I quite like it colder, fresh and a little damp. Am I a weirdo? Also it clears the trails and makes it easier to park.

Weirdo.

Road yes, mtb NO

Me, just got a new-to-me bike having had no MTB(due to thievery) for the best summer in decades, ill take any riding conditions I can get!

no

turns to shite round here very quickly

I like the cold but shitty, shitty mud – no thanks

I do like it when it’s sunny but slightly cold, the autumn countryside also has a different feel to it, it’s nice. I do hate the cold generally though and I also hate mud and rain. On reflection I’d much rather the summer any day, being able to cycle in shorts and T shirts on dusty trails with sunset starting at 10pm is awesome and the best part of the year. Depths of winter with base layers on, jersey, jumper, jacket, scarf, wooly hat under helmet and thick gloves on is a massive pita!

I was thinking I’ve been missing the sloppy slippy conditions, but not looking forward to cleaning my bike after every ride and getting out in the cold first thing on a morning!

You can’t beat them 0’c fresh clear skies, frozen mud trails!

(Well you can.. Its called Summer)

Not really. The summer has been great. Ride all hours, no need to worry about what kit to take, bike stays clean.

Love the autumn colours and temperature , hate the mud .

One thing I hate about summer riding is gagging after swallowing flies! 🙁

i love riding all year round.

night riding!!!!!!

Weirdo.

I do like nice crisp cold autumn/winter days but only if it’s relatively dry or frozen.

There are advantages to all the seasons really. In the autumn/winter the vegetation dies back a bit, so I don’t get whipped by gorse bushes, which is nice. But it’s all good.

Not for riding so much, but for running definitely.

I have to say I like cold autumn/winter mornings, but not the wet clay around here, renders most local trails virtually unrideable.

yep, great colours in the trees, crunchy leaves under tyres, places less busy, and nettles dying back on some nice routes that have been impassable for a while

For the forseeable future my bike is on ‘holiday’

This may be a week, may be several months.

So all of my riding for now is in the gym on a spin bike….

I’m a bit gutted, but the long term is looking rosy 🙂

You always get the best sunsets around this time of year. Which is always nice mid-ride.

Rogan Josh – Member

Road yes, mtb NO

And this is exactly what I like about it. The trails lose the fair weather riders who are scared of getting their mtb’s dirty 😆

Lovely quiet trails, the smell of autumn and cool colours.

No.

Looking forward to? It’s already here

Yup.
Can’t beat riding in nice crisp squeaky snow.
Although wet slushy mush on the roads is not exactly pleasant.

ChunkyMTB
Lovely quiet trails, the smell of autumn cowshit and cool colours.

It’s kind of my riding season really, as the family business takes over between May and September..

I’m not relishing dragging myself out into it, but I’ll love it once I get into the swing of things..
Roots are boring when they’re dry anyway.. 😈

@Joolsburger – hell yes, love winter riding – mud, rain, snow, it all turns boring trails into much more challenging terrain and a bigger challenge than just riding a bone dry trail. And, the trails are a lot quieter. 😀

I think I am…I like it when the leaves start to change colour and fall. The damp ground is gripper too…the summer has been great by the Chase has been pretty slippery and loose. I live getting out first this when there’s frost on the ground.

One of may favourite rides last year was in Sheffield early October, first frost if the year on a sunny day. The views from the top of Stannage were amazing.

Not so keen on the darkest depths of winter though when the trails are like a bog.

Back into night riding this year and it’s been ace so far although I’m a bit if a girl on the descents.

Last Monday when I rode it was sunny,hot & the ground was dry….I wore summer clothes & even thought about wearing some sun block…
Looking out the window I don’t think it’ll be any of those today things & I definitely won’t need any ****’ sun block !

So in answer to your question – NO I’m not!!!

I love Autumn, I’ve always said my fave riding temp is c12degrees.

Autumn’s the best season IMO… Most interesting weather, most changable views and rides, best trails (mix of mud and dry, everything’s stuck back together but not too wet), air is cold enough to ride like mad without drowning in sweat… No stingy nettles and other assorted undergrowth bastardry… Obviously it rains a bit more which isn’t ideal and the wind can be trouble but no season’s perfect.

I love the sun but not to ride in! Nasty stuff, blinds you and makes you too hot.

Its all good, although thick sticky mud, wind and rain I could do without.
Having said that, I was out last night and it pissed down, I got completely soaked and it was lovely!

I like it when it’s damp, and the foliage is starting to recede, so the trails open up a bit. Sadly that period never lasts, as it turns to a bog.

I’ve really enjoyed the lack of cleaning required this summer, after last year where bikes were hanging after every single ride.

I’d love a mild autumn and winter with not much rain, I struggle to be motivated to go riding I the dark anyway, sadly it won’t be long until we’re stuck for just weekends. It’s been a great year though 🙂

yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeno

I’m looking forward to not being as sweaty, and to the cold frosty mornings, and to fitting my mud tyres for some slidey action. I’m looking forward to night rides.

I’m not looking forward to cleaning the bike and ‘that’ sound of mud grinding in the gears.

I’m interested in how the narrow/wide chainrings are going to get on through the claggier months 🙂

can’t wait to get digging in adel, esholt and riding Leeds again.

Yup, I love propper muddy nightrides. Although I did figure out the other day that the value of my ‘winter’ gear (i.e. anything I bought specificaly to make riding through till Spring a bit less painfull/miserable/messy) is more than my bike by a considerable margin!

roubaix bibs – £70
endura jetstream top – £60
northwave boots – £150
merino socks – £10
winter gloves – £30
lights – £120
insulated bottle – £12
bike rack – £60
towbar – £80
portable washer – £40

=£630

Rigid SS – £550

Is anyone else looking forward to Autumn and Winter riding?

Yes it’ll be great getting kitted up like an astronaut to ride around in circles in the dark/cold/mud/snow/ice. really looking forward to it.

Nope. Not one bit to be honest.

Woke up this morning and opened the door to let the cats out to be greeted by a windy blast with a decidedly cold edge.

Made me despair slightly to be honest. Wet roads, cold roads, darkness, icy uncertainty, thick mud, puddles, mud guards, Dirtworker……you can keep it. I’d much rather it stayed warm and dry; in fact I said as much to my OH yesterday evening when she asked if I was going for a ride after work tonight….

What’s not to love??

Autumn
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Classic[/url] by ScotRoutes[/url], on Flickr

Winter
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Allermuir Sunset[/url] by ScotRoutes[/url], on Flickr

Ummm…tough one, hate the dark evenings, but I love the extra challenge of night rides. I don’t like the hassle of cleaning a filthy bike in the dark before I put it into the car though.

Motivation can be hard too mid January when it’s f’ing freezing and wet and cold.

Autumn – Yes. My favourite season.

Winter – Not so much.