We’ve enjoyed some unseasonably warm temps BUT brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr wait for it…brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. The old man from the north is a knocking! If you are like me it is a combination of exercise and outdoors that helps to keep ‘SERENITY NOW!‘ during winter. Here are 4 quick tips to help keep you riding outdoors this winter.
#1 Warm beverages. Trust me folks, being able to sip on a hot beverage on a cold ride helps a ton physically and mentally. Hydro Flask makes a awesome product. Keeping liquids hot/cold for hours upon hours. I mean it! I use this in winter and summer. 4 hour rides…still warm! The model shown in the photo has a flip top lid that works great for cycling. I like to drop in some Earl Grey tea and add the CLIF LEMON LIME-ADE hydration mix. Tastes great! To check out Hydro Flask click here.
Works great with Arundel cages.
#2 More storage. Dressing for winter rides is all about layers and options. Heck I’ve been known to carry 4 sets of gloves on long winter rides. Often you start a ride and it warms up so you gotta shed those layers or vise-versa. It gets hard to find places to store these items. Jersey pockets fill up quick! Take an old water bottle and cut the top section off. Then use it for storage. You can get away with this in the winter because you are not drinking as much on the bike and most likely stopping at a gas station to refill and warm up.
#3 Maintenance. Make sure your steed is well maintained. Nothing worse than changing a flat in frigid temps with gusting winds. It’s so hard to warm back up after that. Keep your bike in tip top shape. You’ll be happier and so will the group you ride with. Don’t be that guy that always has a mechanical!
#4 Mountain or gravel bike. Invest in a mountain or gravel bike. On the coldest days being able to ride trail or gravel is a MUCH warmer option. LESS windchill and greater protection from the wind in general. Quite frankly if you are not riding a mountain bike in NWA you are missing out.
I would love to hear your tips. Leave a comment below!
The warm beverage idea sounds great in theory, but I can’t imagine downing a mug of tea when I’m out of breath. Do you use a camel back or anything of the sort when riding or just take your flask? I reckon I could take both on shorter rides. I may try it!
I do use a CamelBak on mountain bike rides or longer gravel road rides. But usually not heated or cooled liquid. I suppose you could put ice in the bladder or heat the liquid to have hot or cold water for a time. But the flask actually keeps beverages hot or cold for longer periods of time. Give it a try!