Clancy BriggsBlog

In almost all weathers, our academy sessions will still go ahead as normal.  We only cancel sessions if it would be unsafe for riders.  Cancellation would therefore only be needed in the event of ice, snow, or strong winds – at the Doncaster cycle track we have a fantastic venue that’s’ s treated for Ice, so it’s even more likely our sessions will go ahead.

We want all our members to get the very best from their sessions & love every minute of cycling!  This means making sure you have all the necessary kit with you for winter bike riding.  Even in wet, cold conditions, it’s possible to stay warm and reasonably dry if you wear the right clothing.

We asked Pro-Cyclist and our Co-Founder, Graham Briggs, to give us his advice on how to get your kids prepared for cycling in winter.

“My first piece of advice is to make sure they have gloves.  The hands are the most exposed to the elements, even if it doesn’t feel so cold to start with, once you get riding and the wind and rain start blowing on them, your hands will really start to feel uncomfortable.”

Keeping your hands warm is critical so that you can brake properly and change gears easily.

You don’t have to spend a fortune on expensive kit.  If your child already has bad weather clothing they use for school or other activities then these will be fine.  A track suit or waterproof trousers are a great idea.  If you don’t have waterproofs, just layer up.  Remember, when cycling legs are generally warmer than your upper body because they are moving all the time. Make sure to layer up your top half with 2 to 3 items.  You can shed layers as and when you need to, but you can’t put it on if you don’t bring it with you!

We all love the feeling of wearing shorts & jersey’s (just like the tour de France pro’s), however we promise it doesn’t feel so good in British winter conditions!

But pro-cyclists would never start a ride without the right kit.

When it’s cold and wet, they make sure their legs are covered with winter bib tights or leg warmers.  They’ll be wearing overshoes, a cycling cap or skull cap under their helmets, a base layer and arm warmers.  They may only start shedding layers after an hour once they’ve got going.

The British weather is always changeable too - you may start the session at a sunny 10 degrees but then a rain shower will soon leave you feeling cold. The last thing we want to do is stop the session to get warm & miss out on some fun bike riding.

What about MTB sessions?

Our MTB sessions are just the same as at other venues, if anything correct clothing is probably even more important. When we’re at our off road mtb coaching sessions in winter, it’s not only the cold temperatures that we have to deal with, but the ground conditions too. We often have big muddy puddles (who can avoid splashing through those?) & sloppy trails to contend with. We’d really recommend waterproofs for these sessions, even a basic set of waterproof trousers will provide protection from the mud, help keep you dry and warm & importantly save the washing machine later that evening! Our coaches are usually head to toe in Madison’s off road clothing line – we think they make some great gear – check them out here.

1. Legs covered
2. Coat (Water resistant or waterproof is ideal) 
   
3. Full fingered gloves - Madison Clothing do some great children's gloves
   
4.  2-3 Layers (at least one long sleeve jersey or top)
   
5.  Cap or hat under helmet
   
6.  Neck Warmer
   

1. Long tights or bib shorts and leg warmers
2. Long top (layers)
   
3.  Rain Cape
   
4. Overshoes Cap or hat under helmet
   
5. Full fingered gloves
   
6. Neck Warmer
   
7. Snack - bag of jelly babies, cereal bar, anything small to provide extra energy
   
8. Drink
   

  And last but not least, our famous Clancy Briggs bobble hat will keep you warm in-between rides!

Now you know how to best dress to ensure you have the most amount of fun at our winter sessions, why not checkout our Christmas Sherwood Pines MTB session or if you need to build confidence before moving onto 2 wheels then have a look at our January Learn to ride course.

Visit the shop to browse our winter cycling clothing

Read why Graham Briggs LOVES winter cycling