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Hey Frosty! Don’t put away your bike just yet! The ground is still hard and rideable!  If the summer passed you by and you just didn’t find the time to get your bike out then try getting your trusty steed out before the snow gets really deep!  Winter riding is not just a whacked out past time of adventure racers and bike couriers, it really is a fun way to blow off the winter blahs.  Here are a few tips about riding in the winter!

Winter Riding 101

Wear a good shell and dress in layers. You may start out cool, but in a couple of kilometers that snowsuit may be a little moist. If you are warm when you start, then you are probably overdressed.

Change gears often. If you are riding in snow or slush your gears will freeze up. By continually changing your gears you will prevent freeze up. A can of spray lubricant works wonders!  Remember to get the salt off by washing your bike.

Cover the vents! Most cycling equipment is made to vent the heat of summer riding. A quick fix is to cover the air vents in your helmet and shoes with tape to keep jack frost at bay.

Start out small. Winter riding can offer some great rewards and challenges, just be prepared to cut it short, due to muscle fatigue or a favourite coffee shop!

I finished a bike race last weekend and if I hadn’t run out of water I would have done sooo much better. I’ll admit my logic was flawed and I never should have tried to save weight by trying to get by with as little H₂O as possible – do you know how much that stuff weighs?? Adversity and unexpected pitfalls (not to mention poor planning) are going to happen in any race, especially adventure racing.

The best teams use methods and systems to overcome the bad things that will inevitably happen. These may include, but are not limited to : flat tires, lack of food consumption, sore knee, getting lost, broken paddles, cramping, lost fingernails, not enough water. This sounds like a great list of excuses but the reality is that every team has obstacles and difficulties that they must overcome throughout the race.  Great teams work together, plan and problem solve well.

Minimize you chances for these hazards and be ready for when they happen.

I don’t expect to run a “perfect” race anytime soon, but I now know that water weighs a kilogram a litre… the 2.2 pounds, this would have salvaged my latest race!

The Effects of Dehydration

Did you know that nearly half of all exercisers start their workouts dehydrated? Dehydration can impair performance, which can lead to injury. Here are some important points to consider.

Fatigue

On average, exercisers fatigue about 25% sooner when they don’t drink during exercise and become dehydrated.

Endurance

A 2% loss in body weight due to dehydration can cause at least a 7% reduction in endurance.

Fluid Loss

Beverages that contain caffeine such as colas, coffee, or tea stimulate fluid loss and promote dehydration.

Fluid Consumption

Exercisers who drink fluid may go 33% longer than exercisers who don’t drink anything.   (source propelwater.com )