What I love most about cycling in England through the winter is...

sounds like a good idea!

it turns into spring, then summer. tonight, no gloves, no hat, we made it.

The warm bath have after getting soaked in the rain, which is also nice.

The hot steamy orgasmic bath I had after getting soaked in my own sweat.
Also nice :D

days like today where the spring is just around the corner.
beautiful sunny day, going out on fixed bluecat to spin some miles out, see the sea, and enjoy hight speed flowing in and out of the traffic, sharp, clear, focused.

I had a nice ride in today too.
The cold, still air seems thinner somehow, offering less resistance.
The sun being low in the sky seems brighter and more intense, and when it does hit you the warmth is noticeable, while the shadows make you shiver.
The roads are cracked and white with salt, and are bone dry.
Spring is just over the horizon...

The low sun casting long shadows through the trees, your shadow flickering as you ride past, reducing your smooth pedal stroke to a series of zoetropic stills...

mmm.... nice.

wearing flat black wrap arounds in winter sun, sliding through the traffic like a ninja.

Exploring a longer way home in the dark, contending with a different set of commuters in tin cans and learning a new set of pub names for future navigation. All the while knowing that the extra lungfuls of cold air and a few more hills will pay themselves back when springs events arrive...

those crisp, blue, cloudless mornings out of London when no one else is around and the cold spurs me on —*have to push hard to stay warm.

Getting caught out by the rain while out without enough layers on. Dealing with it for as long as possible before finding somewhere that sells hot, sugary milky tea and getting back on the bike for more suffering

Last night: getting home from a long, cold and dark ride .. to a steaming hot bath, huge lasagne, weed and clean sheets on my bed. 10 hours premium sleep guaranteed. Bosh

I'm sure it'll have been said before but the best thing about riding in the winter is knowing that soon enough, you'll be riding in the summer.

EDIT: naturally, after reading all the other posts in this thread i'm thinking i should just enjoy winter riding more instead, haha.

I would normally argue against that statement, but In about half an hour I'll be riding in -3 temps, with added windchill.

I'm not as keen as I was a few hours ago!

Haha, same here. Riding to work this week has been generally lovely. Taking excessive routes to prolong the ride etc but when it reaches 6pm and it's black and freezing outside it's not quite as appealing. Winter riding is usually at it's best around 11am on a Sunday.

Very true. ;-)

Mmm, riding a bicycle in winter. Isn't it? Mmm? Icy fingers, Jack Frost nipping at the nose. Smell of woodsmoke. Small boys in the park, hipsters for goalposts. Enduring image.

Smell of woodsmoke.

This.

Dunno 'bout the rest of the list though.

Mmm, riding a bicycle in winter. Isn't it? Mmm? Icy fingers, Jack Frost nipping at the nose. Smell of woodsmoke. Small boys in the park, hipsters for goalposts. Enduring image.

Beans on toast for tea? Probably, don't quote me on that.

Mmm, riding a bicycle in winter. Isn't it? Mmm? Icy fingers, Jack Frost nipping at the nose. Smell of woodsmoke. Small boys in the park, hipsters for goalposts. Enduring image.

Yeah I remember all that .

I used to cycle in winter, 30 years man and boy. Had to give it up in the end, very bad back injury. Do you like the music of Frank Sinatra?

The cold, still air seems thinner somehow, offering less resistance.

Where the fuck have you been riding? Somewhere the laws of physics have been inverted?

You're just riding slower; and for that, you should be ashamed of yourself.

^My car overboosts like crazy in the cold weather as the wastegate was set up for air at an ambient temp of around 16 degrees.

I am lolzing here at *m.f's Taoetry and Wiganwill's pisstaking. Heh.

I am not sure Lucifer's wastegate is that temperature-sensitive.

Thats a question for everyone out there people - " Do you like the music of Frank Sinatra? "

It was his voice that did it for me. Never rated his guitar solos.