WINTER RIDING

Its Winter once again and with it short days and cold weather are in abundance so it can be hard to fit in a handbike run or two but not impossible. For many handbikers riding through the winter is a necessary as part of a training program, the miles covered over the winter will pay dividends next summer when the racing season gets under way, for the rest of us it is nice to keep up a base level of fitness and avoid the necessity of a fresh start in the spring. So what are the alternatives open to you to keep riding through out the winter.

Move somewhere warmer: Well you could move to somewhere warmer,  this might appeal to you but be a totally unrealistic idea, you could go for a couple of weeks though and enjoy warmer climes that way, more of that later.

Turbo training: Handbiking indoors with the use of turbo trainer is a good option. I know here in the North of Scotland there is likely to be several weeks, usually in January and February, when the chances of getting out will be very limited. Using a turbo trainer during this time will keep me going and give me a decent workout . Personally I find turbo sessions to be a bit boring, watching TV while you ride can be a good distraction this is a popular solution used by many cyclists but can be counter productive as you just go through the motion and don’t apply as much effort as you should. I much prefer using a cycling training DVD which has an interval session on it. This gives me a very hard 1 hour session. The session comprises a warm up followed by a series of short high intensity interval followed by a series of steady state interval then a warm down. To get the intensity high I wear  a heart monitor so that I can see exactly how hard I’m trying. There are many of these DVD’s available so hunt around for one that’s suits you.

On the road: Its quite possible that there will be days when it is possible to get out on the road. For me road riding is the best, its so difficult to recreate the nuances of the open road in any other way so when the chance presents itself I will try and get in an hour or two on the road. There are a few things that can make winter riding a realistic possibility. The main themes being staying warm  and staying safe. Dressing right is a very important  the body works better when its warm . Starting from the feet up here is what you might like to consider; warm socks and a pair of neoprene boots ( surf booties are great) to keep your feet warm.  A decent pair of cycling bottoms, there is a huge selection out there choose a pair with windstopper outer layers and fleece lining. Many clothing companies make training tights referred to as Roubaix style tights that have these properties. In addition to these a pair of thermal long johns will add another layer and increase the insulation for you.
On your upper body again start with a base layer of a thermal  vest, wear a thick polyester training jersey and top this of with a high visibility wind/water proof  jacket.

Decent cycling gloves with  palm grips and a windstop  layer,  a fleece beanie hat under your crash helmet and a pair of glasses and you ready to go. Other things you can do is insulate your handgrips with some cloth tape of some neoprene, this helps prevent chilling your fingers and hands on freezing cold handgrips.

Your bike: Make sure your handbike is good mechanical order. Having a mechanical out on the road is a pain at the any time of the year but in the winter  it is a sure way to get cold. Pay particular attention to your tyres. Fit a decent set of winter type tyres, check them after every run for cuts and splits, keep the tyre pressures up to the manufacturers  recommended  level , soft tyres are a sure way to get punctures especially the classic snake bite or compression punctures caused by hitting potholes. Fit some flashing LED lights to your bike they help to make you more visable. Fit a flag, make sure you carry your emergency repair kit with a muti tool, puncture repair kit, a pump and finally take a mobile phone in case you need help.

Warm weather  training: A week or two in the sun during January or Febraury can be an absolute pleasure. The Canaries enjoy very pleasant weather  and are a popular destination for sportsmen during the winter months, there are organised training events for handcyclists on Lanzarote  and the neighboring island of Fuerteventura  is also good cycling territory . Majorca is another popular spring destination with many training camps taking place on the island.