Can you ride a bike in winter? Yes, but the combination of bike + winter is definitely not for everyone; many bikes are put into a months-long winter hibernation from autumn onwards. That doesn’t have to be the case, because there are now lots of accessories that help you make winter a cycling season too. Here you’ll find plenty of tips to help you get through cold, ice and snow on two wheels. There are bike parts that adapt your bike to the requirements of winter weather; in addition, you should also have the right cycling clothing in your wardrobe.
That’s how winter on the bike becomes totally relaxed (instead of dangerous)!
The conditions on winter roads are, at first glance, rather suboptimal for cyclists. It’s wet, it’s slippery and it gets cold in your fingers, feet and everywhere else. Reason enough to leave the bike alone? No – with our suggestions you can still do training rides on winter days or commute to work.
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Here you get an overview of our recommendations and ideas. Many tips are explained in more detail again in other articles; you can simply click them directly. |
No lights, no mudguards… to ride this bike in winter, you’re still missing a few parts! Image © Lifecyclemedia
1. Your bike needs lights in winter!
From autumn it gets dark earlier. Especially when the clocks are put back for winter time, some cyclists ride to and from work in the dark. That’s why in winter it’s absolutely life-saving if your everyday bike is well lit. Even if you’re doing training rides on dull days or going mountain biking, you’re harder to see. So make sure your bike has good lights in winter! Whether you buy a bike with dynamo lighting or you equip your bike for winter light conditions with battery lights, it’s pretty much the same. Anybike lights are better in winter than none at all and both options have been legal for a while now.
The side light strip isn’t a design gimmick; it makes your bike visible from the side in winter! Image © Sigma
How to buy the right lights if you want to ride in winter:
- The “better” the lights, the safer you are on the road. Better means for bike lights: brighter! So look for a high lux value. More lux means brighter light, which improves visibility and makes you easier to see.
- A long range of the light beam is also important, so you can illuminate a larger area in front of you.
- Don’t worry: you can easily adjust the headlight beam of your bike by turning it slightly up or down, so you don’t dazzle oncoming traffic.
- If you ride in the difficult light conditions of winter, you should also ride with daytime running lights even during the day. If you want to buy bike lights with a battery, the longest possible battery life is particularly important, because even the best bike lights won’t help if they run out of power all the time! With many lights, daytime running lights are combined with an energy-saving mode, so the lights last long enough for winter bike tours!
- Many modern bike lights don’t just shine forward; they also have a side light strip. That’s a great invention, so you’re also clearly visible from the side!
- Reflectors on the wheels are also absolutely essential in winter, because they make you visible from the side.
- No matter whether winter or summer – if your bike lights have a TÜV approval, you’re also legally on the safe side!
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Our tip: If you then wipe the reflectors and lights now and then , your bike will be exemplary in terms of lighting – because only clean lights and self-illuminating lights are easy to see. Moist air and spray water with road salt form a film on the lights that works like a dimmer. |
✅ Bike lights for a safe winter ✅
Fahrradbeleuchtung Akku | Fahrradbeleuchtung Dynamo | Reflektoren
➜ More info in the Bike Blog: What does a road-legal bike need?
2. The right clothing for a safe winter on the bike
What does clothing have to do with safety in winter and cold? It’s quite simple: your health is important, and you don’t want to catch a cold all the time from the wind while riding on the bike or E-Bike, right? But that’s only half the story!
Cold muscles respond sluggishly!
If your hands, arms and legs are properly cold, they can’t react quickly and smoothly anymore. That increases the risk of accidents and crashes. That’s why it’s important that you wear suitable clothing in winter that keeps you warm and dry on the bike.
For many cyclists, bike gloves are one of the most important accessories in winter. As soon as it gets cooler in autumn, windproof gloves are often worn, because your hands get a lot of wind and cool down quickly.
High-Vis clothing
A big problem in winter cycling: drivers often recognise cyclists far too late in fog, darkness, rain or snow showers. If you wrap yourself in bright cycling clothing, you’re simply easier to see. You don’t necessarily have to put on a warning gilet (although many cyclists do, so they’re spotted better). There’s more and more high-visibility clothing (High Visibility = high visibility). These bright or reflective garments and bags can be worn by cyclists in winter or in bad weather so they aren’t overlooked. At the very least, your cycling clothing should have bright prints or zips. These details are also found on bike bags or backpacks.
And of course, a bike helmet is mandatory on slippery roads!
Riding a bike in winter is safer when you’re easy to see! This jacket reflects incoming light. That way you’re guaranteed not to be missed. Image © Biehler
▶ Warm cycling clothing for winter ◀
Thermojacken | Winterschuhe | Winterhandschuhe | lange Unterhosen
➜ More info in the Bike Blog:
Fahrradbekleidung für den Winter
3. The right bike tyres for enough grip in winter
If you can’t give up riding your bike even in winter, you should definitely set it up with the right tyres depending on the model and where you’ll be riding! Mountain bikers and road cyclists distinguish mainly between tyres for dry and wet conditions, especially in races. Even with the Gravel bike for leisure use or for your daily commute to work, it’s worth taking a look at the tyres.
In general, you should consider the following for your bike tyres in winter:
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Is there still sufficient tread left, or is the tyre worn out? The tread pattern is crucial for grip (= traction) on the surface and therefore decisive for safe riding. If your tyres are worn out, you should fit new ones before winter. |
- Is the rubber compound soft or rather hard? Soft, “sticky” rubber compounds are better for slippery conditions than hard tyres.
- There are all-weather tyres that may be enough for occasional rides in good winter weather.
- If you ride regularly in winter, you should fit special winter tyres. The manufacturers then use a special rubber compound that promises good grip. In addition, the tread is designed for wet conditions.
- The wider the bike tyre, the more contact area and grip it offers. So in winter it can help to mount a tyre that’s wider than an all-round tyre for summer, even if that means slightly higher rolling resistance.
- The lower the tyre pressure you ride with, the higher the grip. But beware: lower tyre pressure also means higher rolling resistance and that in turn increases the risk of punctures. Follow the minimum pressure recommended by the manufacturer.
- If you ride in areas with lots of snow and ice, it can be a good idea to mount a tyre with studs on your bike for winter, so you always have enough grip everywhere.
Even if winter roads are covered with ice and snow, studded bike tyres bite through. Image © Schwalbe
➜ Here you’ll find grippy new Bike tyres!
❗If you need more information, you can read the article “Do you need winter tyres for your bike?”!
3. Mudguards – so the snow stays under the bike in winter!
Dry, cold winter days are no problem for most cyclists. It gets really nasty in wet conditions. A wheelset becomes a vicious circle here. You need a good tyre tread so your bike has good grip on winter roads. But lots of tread can also “soak up” a lot of water and throw it at you at the highest point. In the worst case, flying dirt can even impair your visibility. That’s why you should definitely have mudguards on your bike in winter to catch water, slushy snow and grit before it flies into your face and onto your back.
Depending on the rear frame construction, mudguards that are attached with Velcro mounts even work on MTB Fully. Image © Topeak
Which mudguards are best if you ride more often in winter?
If you ride your bike regularly in winter, or even count it as your daily commute to work, it’s definitely worth fitting more stable mudguards for a few months.
If you’d rather wait for the winter sun to show and the roads to dry, you should still have mudguards at home as a precaution – and maybe even take them in your backpack.
- If at the start of winter you notice your bike needs mudguards, you can look for mounting eyelets on the frame. If they’re there, you can retrofit permanently mounted mudguards with side stays.
- If your bike doesn’t have the screw-on eyelets, you can use mudguards that are attached to the frame with Velcro straps or clamps or use clip-on mudguards. If your bike only needs mudguards for winter, that’s a workable solution.
4. Are your bike brakes ready for winter?
A bike with worn brakes + winter is not a good mix! A wet road surface and slipperiness make braking harder and increase stopping distance. If your brake pads are also worn out or the brakes aren’t set up properly, it becomes really dangerous. So it’s worth checking your brakes before winter rides!
Before winter starts, you should replace the brake pads if necessary, whether you ride disc brakes or rim brakes. Maybe your bike also needs a brake service? Then you should plan that before the winter grime weather really hits!
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And watch out! Even with brake pads, there are different material mixes that suit different weather conditions. |
Brake pads can also be adapted to weather conditions. Image © Kool Stop
It can also happen that your bike brakes freeze in winter! You’ll find tips for that in the Bike Blog too.
➜ Bike brake frozen – tips & quick help
5. Bike in winter? No problem!
With our previous tips, you’ll certainly get through winter well on your bike. The right equipment and adapted cycling clothing are a good start. But in the end we also want to encourage you to do regular bike washing, because it’s particularly important in winter. Moisture, ice and grit are bad for your bike, but with a bit of extra care you’ll get through the cold season well and without unnecessary wear. And a well-cared-for bike is also a safe bike – and above all in winter, that’s your life insurance! For that too, we have an instruction under “Cleaning your bike in winter”.
There are more articles on the topic “Ride safely through winter with your bike”, so keep reading:
Title image: Lifecyclemedia
