Winter Training

There is drafting, and then there's this.
There is drafting, and then there’s this.

Merckx famously professed that after a night of sinning, the body must be cleansed. He obviously meant this figuratively, not literally, because those mud guards on his bike aren’t going to take a big bite out of whatever that lorry has to offer him by way of a Flandrian facial.

Winter is a tough time for those of us pawing about in search of our climbing weight. With the shortening of days, the nesting instinct awakens. Darkness falls in late afternoon and when we wake, we are greeted by the same darkness that wrapped us all through the evening. Nature urges us to combat the darkness with food and drink; summer’s dinner salads are replaced by slow-cooked meat and potatoes served with a side of pasta and bacon and washed down with a few bottles of red.

Weight defies the conservation of mass; it is more easily gained than lost. Fitness occupies the opposite realm; it is more easily lost than gained. Riders like Kelly, Merckx, and De Vlaeminck were famous for their discipline throughout winter; training long and hard to lay the groundwork for their Spring and Summer campaigns. With a sea of months between us and next season’s goals, there is little urgency to train properly. But keeping our weight down and putting in the long base kilometers will reward us throughout the season. Besides, it hardens the character to train in the cold, wet winds that characterize the winter months. The training we do in summer feels a luxury by comparison.

I cherish the winter months when my training is peaceful and free of pressure. I look forward to the sun warming my muscles, but for now I am content to stock up on fresh Flandrian Best, prepare the bike for the winter roads, and submit to the solitude of the cold training hours that lie before me.

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147 Replies to “Winter Training”

  1. Living in the North East of England is enough to toughen the soul. Riding in the wet and cold is arduous but rewarding as well. The sense of accomplishment following a true Rule #9 ride enriches the soul.

  2. Ahh winter. Living in SE Wisconsin it’ll be here soon enough. Rule #9 bike is all ready to go. At least I’m in sync with Merckx on one thing – the fenders are ON!

    Outdoor rides may be a little more frequent this year – I got a cyclocross bike over the summer and there’s a nice gravel trail near here that’ll give me some good miles off the main roads. Otherwise, the trainer is all set up in the garage . . .

  3. 17k commute. There’s usually a wimp-out option of a train, but not this morning. Because of high winds. Blowing from the direction of work.

    And it was one of the days when I had two full panniers with a fortnight’s worth of shirts, socks, pants and trousers.

    And there was rain as well.

    It was very tempting to call in sick. I didn’t.

  4. I hate winter weather but perversely love winter training.  The group I ride with most weekends are all wham bang chain gang types. There are many Sunday’s that I actually enjoy watching them thrashing away while I train properly and get my bases miles in.  They seem a bit incredulous sometimes when i ride by them at the cake stop. As the great Obree once said, stopping for cake on a training ride isn’t training, it’s socialising. I owe @Teocalli an apology for that one.

    Then there’s the turbo. I just plain hate that F’ing contraption but its a necessary evil.

    Guns will be shaved through the winter. Just the way I roll.

  5. I am so fucking sorry in advance for posting this, but given that CX is a viable winter training option, I have no choice but to laugh to the point of tearing up looking at this.

  6. @Cyclops

    All is lost.

    Its not that hard. Just put the fork down.

    But admittedly; over summer an assessment of the beer drawer with one or two beers in it meant, “Ok, I need to head to the store today or tomorrow.”

    In winter it invokes an all-hands panic and rush to the store. And I’d probably run out before getting to the store.

  7. @Lukas

    With The Prophet using fenders on his winter training steed, I will be mounting some on my winter rain bike guilt free.

    I knew that would happen. But the photo is so rad, even a mudguards argument is worth having it on the front of the site for a day or two.

    @VeloJello

    Living in the North East of England is enough to toughen the soul. Riding in the wet and cold is arduous but rewarding as well. The sense of accomplishment following a true Rule #9 ride enriches the soul.

    Nice. Welcome to the fold, mate.

    @moondance

    Last New Year’s Eve. A good ending to a good year. Rule #9 rides rule.

    Last New Years Day. Maui does have its advantages.

  8. @moondance

    Last New Year’s Eve. A good ending to a good year. Rule #9 rides rule.

    Beautiful photo.  I love rides like that.

    @Bumbleberger

    There’s training, and then there’s training.

    The Push

    That workhorse looks built for the task.  I ain’t knockin’ it.  But about that EPMS.  Although those are extreme conditions (which may justify one), that one seems on the order of a Eurasian Posterior Man-Satchel.

  9. @Mike_P

    Then there’s the turbo. I just plain hate that F’ing contraption but its a necessary evil.

    Considering buying a new one for the winter. (My old one requires too much setup.) Not that I can’t train outdoors all the time, but it does offer a certain something to the pedal stroke that gets lost over the summer months.

    And intervals can never be worse than on the turbo. In a good way.

    @Bumbleberger

    There’s training, and then there’s training.

    The Push

    That’s completely fucked. And welcome to you as well. (Not your first post, but close.)

  10. @frank

    @Bumbleberger

    There’s training, and then there’s training.

    The Push

    That’s completely fucked. And welcome to you as well. (Not your first post, but close.)

    Amendment to Rule #9: If you are out riding in weather so bad your bike stands up by itself, you are a badass, period.

  11. I picked up a Kinetic Rock n Roll trainer off Craigslist last year. I love it. The wiggle you get really makes things more fun. There’s something quite satisfying to doing 90 minutes without free-wheeling and it can do wonders for the magnificence of one’s stroke. No more getting in the car and driving to the YMCA (with their silly hours, screaming kids, jocks and poseurs) Bottom of the stairs, in the garage. Easy to get at and ride, even for an hour or so.

    I also use mudguards on the winter bike – always have done: I grew up in the west of  Scotland where to go on a winter group ride without them was to be highly antisocial – no-one wanted a face full of shit off perenially wet roads. Even solo, not getting icy water all over your feet and arse is worth the rule violation.

    I guess one secret to staying in some kind of shape over the dark months is to remove as many excuses as you can. Given the amount of sweet stuff that lies around work, I need the motivation.

  12. @frank

    I am so fucking sorry in advance for posting this, but given that CX is a viable winter training option, I have no choice but to laugh to the point of tearing up looking at this.

    That is WAY funny.

  13. Just picked up a bunch of Castelli Nanoflex stuff. It does exactly what it says. Road spray just beads up and runs off. Warm enough that at 4c it was very comfortable while pushing at a decent pace.

  14. Just as you (Frank) have said on this site before, “The key to anything difficult is getting past the starting.” We started a first winter ride (South Carolina) last weekend with 30 minutes of our faces falling off to get things started. The duration went well after our faces stayed on. 89 kms of pushing thru 32 degrees to something warmer later on. Now we just need to convince the rest of our gruppo that staying inside is not a plan.

  15. @wiscot

    I also use mudguards on the winter bike – always have done: I grew up in the west of Scotland where to go on a winter group ride without them was to be highly antisocial – no-one wanted a face full of shit off perenially wet roads. Even solo, not getting icy water all over your feet and arse is worth the rule violation.

    It’s not a Rule violation; there is no Rule against it. It’s just a moral contravention if Rule #9.

  16. I have ridden so many cold wet winter miles in my life.  Now living in the bay area, I’m looking forward to just wet winter miles.

    Here’s to moving up in the world.

  17. @frank If you are thining of a new trainer, may I suggest a combination? A set of rollers (must be Kreitler) to maintain souplesse, and a LeMond Revolution for interval sessions. You wont be sorry.

    I use them both, even in good weather.

  18. What trainers are good to look into?  Or, what do you look for in a trainer?

  19. In my opinion, the Kurt Rock’n’roll is pretty cool as it moves. the Kurt Kinetic has also gotten very good reviews. I have had one for 2 years and have been very happy with it.

  20. He who says a resistance trainer benefits his pedal stroke has never ridden rollers.

  21. Weight defies the conservation of mass; it is more easily gained than lost. Fitness occupies the opposite realm; it is more easily lost than gained.

    This is good stuff Frank!  Very nicely said!

  22. e-Motion rollers can’t be beat in my experience.  Living in Canada I’m often faced with ice conditions and I like my collar bones the way they are.

    People cite Rule #9 all the time. I must ask, what is more mentally difficult, riding outside with friends (peer pressure to go out in the slop) or facing 90 minutes indoors alone on a trainer or rollers pushing out constant power and intervals?

  23. @frank

    I am so fucking sorry in advance for posting this, but given that CX is a viable winter training option, I have no choice but to laugh to the point of tearing up looking at this.

    Yes, tears…hilarious.

  24. @Inspector Gadget  Indoor, hands down.  The rigors of outside winter training are soon supplanted by the knowledge you are connecting with your ideal badass.  Even if that badass is freezing.  However, on the trainer you are constantly battling the voice saying you can just stop pedaling anytime.  Go ahead.  It’s easy.  No one will know.

  25. I have a Kurt Kinetic – just the standard trainer – no rocking, no rolling.  It does the trick when the snow starts to pile up in Toronto.  If the weather isn’t too bad I will set up outside so that I can get the benefits of the air and the sun while listening to some tunes and pushing the pedals for an hour or more.  It makes a big difference come spring when the riding buddies are all slow and fat and stoopid…

  26. @Nate

    He who says a resistance trainer benefits his pedal stroke has never ridden rollers.

    And FWIW, a couple of times on the road I’ve had to resort to a balancing move that was learned from avoiding falling off those damn things.

  27. @Inspector Gadget

    People cite Rule #9 all the time. I must ask, what is more mentally difficult, riding outside with friends (peer pressure to go out in the slop) or facing 90 minutes indoors alone on a trainer or rollers pushing out constant power and intervals?

    The answer, of course, is yes.  Movies help with trainer time; my favorites are Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns.  I don’t do well with bike races, since I tend to model what I’m watching on the screen rather than what’s called for in the workout.

    Did my first semi-Rule #9 ride of the winter season (such as it is in Louisiana) yesterday, two hours of a three and a half hour ride in the rain…with a flat that appeared right after I rode out of the rain.  It didn’t suck.

  28. I’m gearing up for cold wet days of commutes as well as my Sunday 50+. Train hard no matter what you do

  29. @Inspector Gadget

    I must ask, what is more mentally difficult, riding outside with friends (peer pressure to go out in the slop) or facing 90 minutes indoors alone on a trainer or rollers pushing out constant power and intervals?

    C) 200 km solo efforts in freezing rain starting at dawn, ending at dusk.

    Incidentally, riding in freezing rain is the coldest you will ever be.

  30. I’ll Trade anyone for my awesome winters for colder winter on the condition we trade summers also. PS I sent my resume to a place in Bend and one in Seattle. probably wont come of anything but fingers crossed.

  31. Just coming out of winter here and the days are getting longer and warmer.  Saturdays ride was bathed in sunshine and not a breathe of wind.   Ahhh bring on January and the TDU !!

  32. Winter… yes just coming out of it here too. Still, the only Rule #9 condition you have to worry about here is rain, and that’s jsut about every day in summer along with gale force winds.

    We race in winter here, too hot in summer. Summer we head to the track (outdoors) and race at night when it’s cool. The road season is my focus, so I allow for recovery during the track season but the upshot is there is no offseason.

    Winter is just like summer, only dry. Really we only get two seasons; Wet and Dry. Min temps rarely get below 10deg C, but summer is approaching 40 with very high humidity. Still, I’d rather my weather than yours!

  33. @RedRanger

    I’ll Trade anyone for my awesome winters for colder winter on the condition we trade summers also.

    This… I’ll even throw in some of my many flat bits.

  34. @frank

    the sad truth of the first 2 Segments of that video was the start of my race sunday costing me a carbon tubbie front rim (fortunately didn’t realize at the time, was discovered well after the race). But if u run with the big dogs u cant cry when u get bit. That’s racing…

  35. @RedRanger

    I’ll Trade anyone for my awesome winters for colder winter on the condition we trade summers also. PS I sent my resume to a place in Bend and one in Seattle. probably wont come of anything but fingers crossed.

    Cool. Yeah those summers in Tucson are a bit over the top. Bend, Oregon could be your place. Seattle could be too much of a shock to your system.

    @frank

    Love that photo. Who doesn’t love jumping in behind some large truck and getting some monster draft? Eddy would go.

  36. @Gianni

    @RedRanger

    I’ll Trade anyone for my awesome winters for colder winter on the condition we trade summers also. PS I sent my resume to a place in Bend and one in Seattle. probably wont come of anything but fingers crossed.

    Cool. Yeah those summers in Tucson are a bit over the top. Bend, Oregon could be your place. Seattle could be too much of a shock to your system.

    @frank

    Love that photo. Who doesn’t love jumping in behind some large truck and getting some monster draft? Eddy would go.

    Speaking of “Eddie would go”

    Have you seen this today ??

    http://www.smh.com.au/sport/surfer-rides-monster-wave-20130130-2djvs.html

  37. @Gianni

    @frank

    Love that photo. Who doesn’t love jumping in behind some large truck and getting some monster draft? Eddy would go.

    Nothing like it! Big diesel Trucks, concrete mixers especially easy, buses hmmm some of the newer ones have a pretty good acceleration, great doin seventy just off the bumper staring at the brake lights, praying he doesn’t spot you and line up a hazard to ruin your day.

  38. @Barracuda

    @Gianni

    @RedRanger

    I’ll Trade anyone for my awesome winters for colder winter on the condition we trade summers also. PS I sent my resume to a place in Bend and one in Seattle. probably wont come of anything but fingers crossed.

    Cool. Yeah those summers in Tucson are a bit over the top. Bend, Oregon could be your place. Seattle could be too much of a shock to your system.

    @frank

    Love that photo. Who doesn’t love jumping in behind some large truck and getting some monster draft? Eddy would go.

    Speaking of “Eddie would go”

    Have you seen this today ??

    http://www.smh.com.au/sport/surfer-rides-monster-wave-20130130-2djvs.html

    @Gianni – I should of stated before my post that I assume your reference was to Edward Ryon Makuahanai Aikau.

    If not, forget my link and move on !

  39. Here is to not getting lapped by the A’s! Thats what my ego feels like when happens. I miss the PNW winters, in SOCAL now and tired of the sunshine to tell you the truth.

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