Having spent far too much time on zwift over the past few months I’ve decided to bin the turbo for a few weeks and get out on a proper ride.

Did 90 min today, it was cold, windy, slow, and generally unpleasant. Mudguards and some top end winter kit made it slightly less miserable but still not much fun.

2 things stood out.. how much I miss riding with my mates, especially when weather is like that. And how much slower it is when the conditions are miserable. I didn’t break 16 mph today, in the summer on same loop I’m over 18-19 for same power.

However our trails are deep in mud and puddles at the moment, so road is *better* until they can dry out a touch.

I did a couple of hours on the road yesterday, for the first time in months, and it was bloody brilliant.

Despite a bit of spray and a headwind some of the time.

I would find Zwifting utterly miserable though, so perhaps it depends on your personality.

Did 70 miles yesterday, forecast was 10% chance of rain, rained for 60 of those miles. Was with a mate which made it better but was still wet and cold and I had dressed for the forecast weather not the actual weather.

Lets call it character building, 90 mins on zwift would have been nicer, but I’d never manage more than that indoors so good that I got out.

I went around at over 18 mph as a pair at a fairly easy pace. Did a slightly longer version of the same loop in the summer in a group of about 6 at over 20 mph.

It certainly takes a different mindset to ride in the winter, I do quite like it but it’s definitely type 2 fun.
There’s a very good reason why I do a lot of running in the winter months…

I would find Zwifting utterly miserable though, so perhaps it depends on your personality.

One is cycling, the other is doing a hamster impersonation. I know which I prefer.

I don’t normally road ride this time of year but went out last week, the roads were at peak tractor mud/leaf sludge, horrible. The Wattbike arrives later this week and I’ll probably leave the roads until Christamas Hols by which time they tend to have cleared up even though I’ve just had full Guards fitted on the winter bike.

I get a masochistic enjoyment out of winter road riding. Even on the grimmest, greyest day it’s still better than sitting around getting fat. There’s always something to see that reminds me what a beautiful planet we live on and how fortunate I am. Picked a kilo of bullaces on my ride yesterday, which will go into some gin that will make the winter months a bit more bearable.

My last road ride was grey, drizzly, a bit breezy and the roads were slimy in places. Oh and my legs always shut down below about 7 degrees so pace goes through the floor. No it’s not as nice as breezing along on a warm summer’s day, but for me it’s a whole lot better than pretending to be riding a bike while sat in my garage.

Meh, still averaging 100+ miles a week on the road at the mo. As long as its not lashing down I quite enjoy it. Had the first couple of sub zero rides this last week.

Looking forward to a return to group riding and cafe stops in the next few weeks though.

Trying to put indoor training off as long as I can…

I do find I like to go somewhere on a winter ride, it feels like it puts a purpose to the ride rather than just going for a loop.
That is just doing a short, sharp thrash.

The driving at this time of year is usually a special type of utterly abysmal as well.

Not sure if it’s people still unused to driving in the dark after a summer of not having to, the bad weather not factoring in their decision to overtake with 3″ to spare, the extra shite on the roads pushing you further out into “their” lane or what but yes, I hear where you’re coming from!

Getting out the door is often half the battle, I loathe high winds so if I see the trees bent at 45degrees, it’s often a struggle to get out. Often, it’s never that bad in the end and enjoy it, just choose the route carefully.

Must admit, going on the club run makes it much more enjoyable (we’re in tier 2 Scotland, still allowed under Scottish cycling and government guidelines) in the winter, bit more social and wind less of a bugger when you get your turn at the back. Plus, if I’ve signed up, I feel I’m committed, even if the weather looks pish on the day!

And how much slower it is when the conditions are miserable. I didn’t break 16 mph today, in the summer on same loop I’m over 18-19 for same power.

It’s 16 mph faster than being sat on the sofa…

I admit I’m finding it hard to get motivated: I miss the social aspect and I miss the mid-ride cafe stop.

Im pretty new to the road thing really, lockdown has seen me more on a gravel bike than MTB due to where I live. Two hours yesterday in a bit of rain, srong headwinds, bib tights and a helmet with no peak! Really enjoying it, no amount of money spent on an indoor set up appeals to me but horses for courses or bikes for courses.

85 miles yesterday. Pretty nice other than a rogue hail shower.

First 50 miles were almost all into the wind and included 6000 feet of climbing. Was averaging a truly pedestrian 12mph by the end of that lot!

I commented in the 100 Days thread that I was pushing to average 22kph yesterday. Wind, temperatures, tyres, clothing, heavier bike. All have an effect.

I think November is the worst month for road cycling. The roads tend to have more mud from the farms and decomposing leaves so there’s just less fun to be had.

didn’t break 16 mph today

That’s me pretty much every ride regardless of the weather or season.

I went out yesterday, 100km.

I went to a well known cafe to see if it was still as terrible as I remember, and gratifyingly, it was worse.

Ran out of sugar horribly towards the end, but stumbled across a garage which sold CHOCOLATE COATED FLAPJACK!!!!

Scoffed that after which I was FLYING (admittedly it was also downhill with a following wind from there).

It’s always slower than the Summer, but I would never swap it for a turbo.

I went out yesterday on the road (yes that’s a road in Shropshire)

Slower than summer, but the roads were more fun as basically mud baths. Avg 14.5 mph, and just as tired as a summer ride averaging 19/20 mph.

As with some others, I’d far rather be out in some weather than sitting indoors staring at a computer screen—I spend most of my waking life doing that anyway.

Personally I’ve gone right off mountain biking in the winter: just too much hassle cleaning bikes and kit off afterwards and then drying it so that it doesn’t either rust or stink. Road is just a case of get back in, let the toes warm up while having a beer, and then jump in the shower.

Driving standards do always seem to suck in November more than other months (presumably Neanderthals still getting their heads round the clocks changing) but careful route choice and a gravel bike makes for being able to avoid it a fair bit.

I went out with my wife at lunchtime.  She was very slow, I won’t be doing that again in this weather.

Preference in order of miserable-ness

1. mountain bike ride

2. MTB in the cold

3. MTB in rain

4. Road ride

5. Road in cold

6. Road in rain

7. rollers/turbo

Just back from a fairly high intensity 50km. Felt relaxed and fit, very little traffic and nobody tried to kill me. Win. Feels like I’ve reset my brain and ready to do another few hours work. Love it.

82 miles for me yesterday. Was a glorious ride, sunny, hardly any wind, not many cars. Met a pal and did 40 miles and a coffee stop together, then I did the rest solo.
I honestly love this time of year, road riding in autumn and spring down here in the chilterns is awesome!
I am now of the age where I no longer go out in all weathers though.

I tend to try and do 80/20, 80% outside proper riding but long and steady in zone 2 either roads or on mountain bike, and 20% HIIT work, usually on turbo, but sometimes by riding singlespeed road bike and attacking climbs, and cruising the downs.

It can be miserable, averaged 19mph to coast on saturday, and then 11 on way back due to 40mph gusting winds.

BUT, as someone who works at his dining room table all week and barely has left rural village since March, if i didn’t ride bike or the odd family walk, i’d be climbing the walls if i couldn’t get out

just too much hassle cleaning bikes and kit off afterwards

Yeah, kit more than bikes. I’ll happily hose if the bike (if it’s particularly manky) and stick it in the garage but riding almost every day results in a huge pile of dirty kit (which reminds me, must get off this phone and sort some out).

I will add that my rule for winter road riding is a take on Keith Bontrager’s rules for bike kit (cheap, strong, light, pick 2).
Wind, rain, cold, any 2 is fine, all 3 is grim and should ideally be avoided.

Turbo is a grim slog. However actually racing people on Zwift is reasonbly fun, and is better than a shit* outdoor ride.

But I can’t do it all the time, I have to get outside regardless. Did 15 sodden muddy ‘gravel’ miles on Saturday and it was glorious. But I will be Zwifting til the weekend with race night on Wednesday.

* by shit I mean either windy on the road or really muddy off road. I hate wind because it robs you of most of the benefit of road riding which is zipping along quickly; and mud off-road has a similar effect, meaning you can’t ride anywhere near as well and you get filthy. Ok maybe if you had 2.6 Marys on it’d be better but my XC bike doesn’t

cheer yourself up by wearing a brighter colour

You guys are managing some serious speed in not the best conditions – I did 85k yesterday with 90% of it on roads that looked like tracks and was coated in crap (probably literally) and still only managed 29kph av. I also abandoned the last 15k of the ride as my knee was really starting to play up.

I’ve tried and failed before as per the OP – I find winter road riding thorouhgly awful. I’d MUCH rather be skidding and slipping around in muddy slop on the MTB.

Whilst I enjoy ANY ride off road, the only enjoyably road riding to me is Summer (evening?), smooth road, no wind, no traffic, warm sun, just bibs and s/s jersey, the ‘perfect’ conditions.

My own version of @nickc chart would go like:

1. MTB ride

2. MTB in the cold

3. MTB in rain

4. Road ride in the Sun

5. Turbo on Zwift

6. Road in cold

7. Walk.

99. ‘Dumb’ Turbo looking at back of garage door.

100. Road ride in cold, rain and wind (AKA Winter).

only managed 29kph av

Only?

@Kryton57 I feel your pain. Tried to do an evening ride about two weeks ago with my OH. I generally average 17.5mph and we were managing 14.2mph when my fella made some dig about me always dashing off (beyond 5 metres) so we then managed a phenomenal 13.6mph…. I couldn’t stand in the shower afterwards as my feet were so painful!!

Some road rides lately I feel like a proper rebel going out in it when I know so many others won’t. Yesterdays ride along a lane which had just been trimmed wasn’t one of those occurances, especially after 30 miles the day before and the fact it was a smidge too cool for my outfit.

You guys are managing some serious speed in not the best conditions – I did 85k yesterday with 90% of it on roads that looked like tracks and was coated in crap (probably literally) and still only managed 29kph av

29kph is 18mph…if I could do that for 85km in the winter id be delighted. As per my op, I managed 15.7 mph today, on an albeit fairly hilly, 25 mile ride. I was not exactly pootling either according to my power numbers.

For me road vs turbo is a toss up. The biggest barrier to road riding is motivation to step out your cosy house. I have a good turbo set up however, so just sitting on that for an hr indoors is always pretty appealing.

still only managed 29kph av

Daffy, king of the humble-braggers! 😀

Did my semi-regular sort-of outdoor sweetspot loop today, wind was all over the place, some blatty rain came and went, roads were a mess, but I have all the right gear and kept it short, felt great. 16mph with headwinds and hills for what it’s worth 😉

Happily I ALSO enjoy turbo/rollers although keep it short and sweet, usually 20 minutes max warm-up and longest workout will be 3x15min sweetspots.

Also will be leaning quite heavily on the CX bike for some short, sharp outdoor sessions, just to keep the handling skills sharp/from deteriorating any further…

Daffy, king of the humble-braggers!

Yep, I was quite happy with my 25.1km/h average (about 15.5mph) for yesterday.

But now I feel all inadequate.

It was quite hilly though. And there were a lot of leaves on the road in places.

When winter comes I find road riding really grim. Its at this time of year that gravel riding (or light off road) really comes into its own. A couple of hours of forrest track or bridleway is far better than wet and muddy roads on a skinny bike and with less faff than an MTB.

It’s just expectations Vs reality innit.
Ignore all those Rapha lifestyle **** ad’s doing the rounds on YT, and cut back on the zwift. Real life isn’t as glossy but it has it’s own rewards.

The extra bit of effort necessary to get your arse out riding in the winter is worth it for the smug feeling that comes with actually doing something, and coming home half exhausted, while others are just tucked up inside watching netflix and gobbling Maltesers.

A bit of cold weather isn’t actually that bad, it’s when it’s already cold and then starts to properly rain, that is truly demoralising. When you reach the saturation point of your clothing and know you still have half an hour of hypothermia inducing riding into a headwind until you can get back home…