Now that the snow seems to have engulfed the UK and does not intend to slow down, many of you will park your bike up for a week or so; and to be honest I don’t blame you. But for the rest of you who have to ride out in this weather (or even for those of you who will start riding a couple of days after the snow has begun to clear), here’s some tips on how you (and your bike) can stay safe in this white weather.
Number one. The cold is a MASSIVE problem for riders in this weather. You need to dress accordingly when you intend to go out and about. The prime directive of your body’s warmth is your vital organs, so the consensus is that you need to keep your head and torso warm primarily. This is to prevent all the blood rushing there. Your helmet provides some of this warmth with the foam padding etc, however a balaclava such as the Cold Killers Core Collection Hot Hood Balaclava is great in this weather. In regards to your torso, thermal base layers are a great thing to have. Products such as the RST Thermal Wind Barrier Gillet, Cold Killers Sport Top, Cold Killers Wind Buddy, and even the Weise Tex Thermal Fleece, are all worth a look at.
Number two. Your hands. When you get cold and the blood rushes to protect your organs, the extremities are left to suffer. Gerbing Heated Clothing have revolutionised biking in the cold weather with their Gerbing Heated Gloves. With many bikers swearing on them, and wondering how they survived with just heated grips, ALL their gloves are worth the time of day in my opinion.
Number three. Outer clothing. Now believe it or not, leather is the ideal outer layer for cold weather riding, with its windproof quality next to none. However, the vents need to have a tight closure, and a full body rain suit such as the RST WP 1PC Suit, the Weise 1PC Unlined Oversuit, or the Spada Eco WP 1PC Suit; are all quality suits at a budget proof price, great to go over the top of your gear. Another great idea is zipping your top half to your bottom half. This prevents any wind riding up, and if you have the RST gear, the RST Belt Zipper Connection is perfect for keeping your midriff cosy.
Number four. Common sense. Make sure your bike is in tiptop condition. Such as the oil checked, and the tyre tread depth sufficient. Moreover, most importantly, if the weather is really too bad, stay at home. It’s not worth risking it all for a few moments of riding.
Any further advice we can offer you guys, feel free to get in touch! Stay warm, stay safe, stay riding!