For most of us, the realities of winter road riding mean grinding away on grit-strewn roads, trying to catch a ride in the precious hours of daylight, only to be passed by cars emerging alarmingly from the gloaming.
For mountain bikers and gravel riders, a quick jolly turns into a logistical nightmare as post-ride clean-up can easily take as long as the ride itself.
Others will turn indoors, toiling away on the smart trainer to help maintain fitness through the darker months.
As the weeks roll – seemingly ever slower – towards the end of the cold, wet months, even the most committed cyclists can’t help but wonder why we bother.
But as spring bulbs begin to emerge from the grimy roadside verges turned black from a season’s gritting, a little inkling of form starts to creep back into your legs.
Like a Gore-Tex-clad onion, your winter-paled flesh is slowly exposed as gloves, arm warmers, and extra layers are shed progressively with each ride. Days stretch out, and the prospect of long rides once again feels possible. Everything begins to feel more optimistic.
Here in the UK, come the turning of the clocks, everything that makes bike riding good comes into full flow.
However, it’s all too easy to stumble upon this magical moment and find yourself lacking direction – or the form needed to make the most of these precious warm, long months.
With that in mind, we invite you to start 2026 right, in association with ROUVY.
Over the course of this themed week, we’ll be sharing practical training tips and riding advice to help ensure you’re in top form come spring.
Covering races and must-visit destinations, we’ll also bring you inspiration for the year ahead from some of the finest cycling spots around the world.
Thanks again to ROUVY for supporting this week, and I look forward to seeing you down the road in fine fettle come spring.
