I do, but only because I’m really looking forward to my two weeks off the bike before I start winter training.
I‘m entirely not keen on riding the trainer during the short, cold and dark days round here. I’ve gotten really good at doing my intervals outside this year, but rain and darkness is still a no go for me, so I’m going to transition to (mostly) indoor training from October on.
There is no such time. Lights and a rain jacket. 
When I was in my best shape I rode all Winter before work in the pitch black, 30 miles loops three to four mornings a week. Seems mad now.
Not looking forward to the dark and have been mainly training inside most of August as I need some new tyres and to get a wheel fixed.
No I don’t look forward to it, we probably had our last real warm Summerday yesterday… It already gets dark to early for me to ride with a bit of Sun, since I can only ride after my Kids are in bed during the week. I have no problem doing stuff on the Trainer but I will miss the outside rides during the Week
Just the obligatory reminder that some of us live in northern climates, don’t ride outdoors much if at all in the winter, and have learned to enjoy riding indoors as a different, fun thing on its own merits. It is not a moral failing.
Lights and a rain jacket?
And a snowplow.
I was going to say, the only time I didnt go out was when it was icy. Tried that a couple of times… didn’t end well.
I was just thinking something relatively similar to OP Monday night. It is supposed to be my taper week before my last race of the season, and Monday night had absolutely perfect weather. I felt way too much guilt “wasting the day” by not going for a long evening ride.
That said, come January I will be in a deep depression with vitamin D levels trending towards negative.
The joys of youth but in Scotland I used to go out on club runs in the snow (at a stupid pace on hindsight) sticking to routes the gritter/ plow passed and stayed upright on roads like the above, I never had a problem with ice until I moved down here (eastern England) and that was a bit ouchie. I guess the roads aren’t treated as well down here. Only bonus is I go through components slower.
Haha, yep. I actually tried commuting through a whole winter in the late 90s. Studded tires, the whole deal. Was amazingly miserable sometimes, incredibly fun other days, and a few ice cream headaches through three layers on the downhills it was so cold. But scrambling up on the snowbanks to avoid the plows was always the most, call it exciting, part. And then getting covered with wet slosh. Whee!
I am just that anxious guy sitting in the corner wishing they would finalize the sunshine protection act of 2021 (abolish clock changes).
I could really use that daylight harvesting as I literally live on the very edge of Central and Eastern time change zone… that and I hate changing the clocks and getting out of my rhythm haha.
Yea, the time change is the worst. I’ve always said I don’t care which one you pick, but pick just one and stick to it!
I just don’t like the cold and dark. I’d rather be on my trainer in the basement than out on dark, wet roads.
I am super excited for the chilly weather. I love cold weather riding on the weekends. I hate the short days - it’s a trade-off for the long summer days.
We have a race here (northern Colorado) in February called Old Man Winter Rally. Might be 60F and sunny and perfect, or it might be 10 and slushy and perfectly miserable.
definitely not looking forward to it. I like the heat. However, as someone who rides 4-5 times inside versus 1-2 outside, it doesn’t make a huge difference for me. I’m a bit fair weather since i’m comfortable inside. Anything below 40F is an unlikely outdoor day for me and any threat of rain. Feels pretty good to me to have the window open when it’s freezing and raining outside.
Today it was 81 degrees here in Ohio and it made me think about this topic. I will take 90-100 any time over the trainer. Let that heat beat down on my back!
The trainer is fine and I like putting on shows, music, and podcasts indoor. It’s a fun change after taking some time off in November. I enjoy less preparation. The exacting nature of the training is awesome. There is a lot to like about it - but - the great outdoors in the heat can’t be beat. I’m just not ready for the trainer yet.
Give me the option of indoors or out and I’ll take outdoors 100:1, but I’ll be the first to admit I’m a fair weather fan. I’ll get on the mtb in the winter down to about freezing. I’m in maryland, so mtb between Jan and March is pretty much get out before the thaw starts. I have little to no desire to ride on the ice in 20 degrees. I’ll get out on the road down to around mid to high 30s
The only cold crap weather I like riding in is cx!
I can’t deal with heat anymore, so yes. I’m looking forward to night rides! (on trails) So much fun.
A little bummed about the season shutting down here in Canada for the season, all the road group rides are ended. I started Trainer Road and riding the trainer this spring and maybe got 4 road group rides in total over the season. Kind of a bummer, I chose instead to sit on the trainer and it made me faster, paid off with race results but felt I missed out a bit.
Still have cross season coming up but once I put my cross tires on I’m not going to do any of the gravel rides that are starting this fall as I don’t wanna wreck my tires. Hoping to do some CX practice with friends but after CX season gonna put road tires on the gravel bike and do some Z2 in the Canadian winter weather but at that point pretty much nobody else rides outside.
Feel like an old person who looks back on my life and wish I had spent more time with friends and family and less time working except my working was doing TR workouts in my apt.
With work from home now permanent, this time of the year has become much easier. Depending on my meetings during the day, I can usually find a 1.5 hour ride during lunch with the best temps and sunshine of the day up here in Quebec. In addition, fatbike season is actually my favourite time of the year! I almost never ride the trainer, and in good snow years, we can get 5 full months of fatbiking.
Reviving this,
I moved to Canada (NB) two years ago. First winter (I arrived during the first winter) some rides outdoor with a MTB, scary and unrideable. Sold the MTB. 2nd year, I replaced ride for run as I had a serious turbo burn out. I couldn’t see trainer, zwift, etc.
My season, which is essentially road, was good, but it was delayed as my base was delayed due to be running, and not riding.
This year I’m willing to keep riding outdoor during winter with a fatbike. Something like 2/3 workouts on the turbo, and then fat bike on trails. The biggest park on the city is basically my garden, it’s amazing and has lots of trails, aside 3 more groomed trails around.
But then I smell a rat as someone here advice me that a regular MTB and icy spike 2.25/2.4 tires would work as well. Not as good as a proper fat, but in groomed trails they work pretty well. So I’d have a mtb for summer, and could do a bunch of rides outdoor as well.
Have you seen something like this? Do you think a regular hardtail with 2.4 spike tires works well in groomed trails?
Ride on.
I happen to enjoy mixing it up - during the week it’s almost 100% on the trainer due to time constraints. On the weekends it’s almost always one day outside. I actually really enjoy riding in cold weather and doing longer and easier rides in the winter. 4-5 hours in 50 degree temps sounds like heaven to me, otherwise you’ll find me in the carriage house.
Same here.
I try to keep 1-2 structured interval indoor rides year round and at least 1-2 outdoor rides year round, the mix is in perpetual flux due to trail conditions but overall I keep it relatively stable. Pros/cons to both as we all know.
