Bicycles Maintenance

Winter Cycling - The bikes

Details

Parent Category: Bicycles Maintenance

Category: Bicycles Maintenence, Road and Mtb

Published on Tuesday, 29 November 2011 06:33

Written by Luca Salvatelli

How to face the winter and go riding in the cold and rain

In the past go riding in the winter and rain required a great passion, materials available today allow us to use the bike in absolute comfort and safety in all weather conditions, even with very low temperatures and rain.

Obviously you need to prepare properly the bike and carefully choose the appropriate clothing. Only then you can ride safely. We will analyze, therefore, the preparation of the bike (Road and MTB) and the choice of clothing.

The road bike

For use with maximum safety the bike in the winter it is preferable to take the tires/tubes specific for rain, however, with a tread appropriate. The inflation pressure should be between 6 and 7 bar, more preferred the first because it ensures a greater footprint and a better grip. Want to take the tires with a superior fit to the classical 23mm, for example, measures between 24 and 28mm, depending on the offer from various manufacturers. In any case, it is important to choose a specific product that allows for rain and low pressures. In addition to the tires will be the adoption of a couple of lights, front and rear, to ensure good visibility passive, as well as help us to better see the road in poor visibility conditions. The adoption of the lights is often overlooked but very important, even during the day, to be best seen by car. Considering the weather is better, then, do not use rims with carbon braking surface, but normal aluminium wheels that provide a better braking. The most careful and technicians will use very soft brake pads, which provide improved performance in rain and cold.