Most cyclists don’t leap for joy come winter. Well, maybe the slightly crazed ones with an appetite for expensive rainwear do. Unfortunately, their excitement rarely lasts beyond the first ride in that new packable that rolls up into a fist-sized ball, breathes like a hippo with very clear nostrils and doesn’t let a drip in – but still fails to rose-tint the sight of the dreary naked hedges.
Despite the displeasure most of us greet winter with, we generally make an effort to keep up the miles: we love cycling and in many cases, we’d suffer separation anxiety if we stayed off the bike for too long.
Though collectively we all deal with winter and you don’t see the cycling world disband for a couple of months a year, we all react differently to the change of the seasons. Here’s a look at some of the personalities you might encounter – or recognise within yourself – this wet and windy season…
Turbo Tornado
Whilst some riders simply can’t stand the idea of pedalling indoors, others absolutely lap it up. The turbo tornado (may also be found using rollers, watt bike or spin bikes) has probably already devised a winter training plan and is churning out the ‘goal specific sessions’ like everyone might be her last.
Threshold intervals, Vo2 max efforts, sprints: this indoor rider has it all covered. Ask her how training is going with caution (unless you want to hear the unabridged version over the course of the next hour). Keep up to date on her adventures, too though – this rider is mega motivated and you can bet on seeing success come the season’s goal events.
