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Fast descent Strathpuffer 2015.
© Andy McCandlish/Red Bull Content Pool
MTB
10 tips for mountain biking in winter
You better not slip. You better not slide. You better layer up when you go for a ride. Winter nights are coming to town.
Written by Stuart Kenny
6 min readPublished on
When you first think of riding a mountain bike in winter, the first thing that probably comes to mind is a romantic vision of a heavy-duty rider battling through snow in 17 base layers.
The truth of it? In the UK, you’re far more likely to be battling through mud, frost, chilly winds and, of course, perennial darkness. But don’t let that appealing thought put you off. Here are our tips on how to prepare for every eventuality when you’re on your bike in winter.

1. Get gloves

It’s winter, gloves are a must© Rutger Pauw/Red Bull Content Pool
...and don’t take them off for the rest of the year. At any time. Not during the ride. Not while you’re fixing a flat. Not while you’re eating dinner round your mum’s... Pound for pound, gram for gram, gloves are the best thing you’ll buy this season. If you’ve already got a pair of mountain biking gloves that you wear year-round, invest in a pair designed not just for grip, but to keep you warm.

2. Breath out

On the winter days when you know you’re going to spend most of the day trying to avoid slipping off the trail entirely, you’re going to need as much grip as you can get. This means riding a bit slower, but also letting some air out of your tyres will help. Don't go too low on your tyre pressure or you'll leave yourself vulnerable to pinch flats. A little bit of air will do. Do some experimenting to find out what feels right for you.

3. Be serious about your bike lights

Tim Hughes rides at night on his bike.
Richard McGibbon's night session with Tim Hughes © Richard McGibbon/ Red Bull Illume
These days most bike lights are chargeable by USB rather than by battery. This is great. It saves you a small fortune on AAA batteries and reduces waste as well. It also means that if you do run out of battery mid-ride though, you can’t just chuck a new set in and keep riding. Ultimately, you need to make sure your bike light is appropriately charged before you go out in the dark. Let’s say that again, because it’s very important. Make sure your bike light is appropriately charged before you go out in the dark. You might know your local trails well but that doesn’t make the process of navigating home through a forest without a bike light any less dangerous.

4. Dress properly

This is a bit of an obvious one, but you need to dress appropriately when you’re out on a winter ride. The tough part is, this doesn’t always mean chucking on the warmest things you own. If you’re dressed appropriately for a trip out on your mountain bike in the winter months, you should actually be a little cold when you step out your door. If you’re not, then there’s a good chance that within five or ten minutes of starting your ride, you’ll be panting like an exhausted dog in a sauna. The key is layers. Bring a backpack. Wear a base layer, a riding jersey, a mid-layer, a fleece and a packable waterproof jacket if possible – then you can de-layer as you warm up. Waterproof socks and bib tights under baggy shorts will also help you keep warm.

5. Drink water

It may be cold. You may not be particularly thirsty. The idea of drinking any sort of liquid below the temperature of 185 degrees Celsius may not be that appealing. But you are still a human being, even if you are a cold human being. Remember to drink water or you'll quickly lose your energy and may start to feel light-headed or dizzy.

6. Protect your eyes

Rider battles muddy conditions during Fort William World Cup.
Trails can turn to chaos after heavy rain© Bartek Woliński/Red Bull Content Pool
The idea of wearing goggles may seem a little excessive at first, but when you’re spitting up mud left, right and centre, you’ll thank your lucky stars that you brought them.
If it’s going to be a bit of a cleaner day, you’ll get away with glasses, but if it’s going to be super muddy, the glasses won’t keep out the mud. Both goggles and glasses will also keep the wind out your eyes and prevent the draining of every bead of moisture in your body. Just make sure you’ve got clear lenses, so you can still see where you’re going – always a crucial part of riding a mountain bike, we find.

7. Consider flats over clips if you’re not super confident

Josh has returned to flat pedals this season
Josh has returned to flat pedals this season© Bartek Woliński
You may wear flat shoes all year round anyway. You may ride clipless and spit on your own living room floor at the very thought of switching to flats for the winter. Very well. All we’re saying is that if you’re a bit nervous about tackling the slippy winter conditions, or you’re not sure how loose the trail is going to be, switching to flats and using a grippy pair of pedals isn’t the worst idea ever. You’ll have more control and, if needed, you can bail safer, too.

8. Use your momentum

Sloppy mud and deep ruts
Sloppy mud and deep ruts© Bartek Woliński/Red Bull Content Pool
The myth of winter riding is that it’s always going to through hard frost or pure white snow, but this is, naturally, not true. A lot of the mountain biking you do in winter will be on soft ground, either through wet patches and mud or even through terrain that’s been affected by melted snow. This means that you’re going to have to capitalise on your momentum from downhills even more than usual, to get through the trail smoothly. Of course, this advice should be tailored if it is a day of solid frost. On those rides, slow it down, be smart and careful, and pick your lines to make the bumps and jumps as predictable as possible.

9. Know your route

We’re not saying that you should only stick to trails you know when you ride in the winter. It can often be nice to get out and try something new, but if you’re going to do that, make sure you've done your research – and that you’ve timed your ride well enough that it won’t be dark while you’re riding it, or things can get sketchy. Even if you’ve done the research, things can be different in real life than they are online or on a map and, without the benefit of being able to see where you are, there’s the potential to end up in a tricky spot. If you can, try tackling new routes with friends who have done them before.
Raw 100: Moonlit Enduro MTB with EWS's Cody Kelley
Raw 100: Moonlit Enduro MTB with EWS's Cody Kelley© Justin Olsen/Red Bull
If you’re riding a route in the dark, you should have a practised knowledge of the trail.

10. Keep yourself motivated

The toughest thing about winter mountain biking isn’t staying on your bike, finding your way through the dark or even keeping your hands warm. It’s getting the motivation to get up and get out the door to start with. Especially if you're tucked up with a hot chocolate watching The Chase on repeat...
Keep yourself motivated by riding with a new group (check to see if your local bike shop has a regular ride out), trying out a new route through your local hill range or by watching a few more mountain bike edits than normal. If that all fails, just leave your mountain bike out in the corridor where you’ll pass it every day to guilt trip you into riding.
If you REALLY want to stay in, check out our list of the best MTB movies that will inspire you to get out and ride.
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