All weather biker?

[Dr Jekyll]

Do you avoid winter riding altogether? Ride occasionally on the odd winter day? Or try and get out as much as possible all year round?

[spoodler]

Being an "open face, jeans and leather jacket" type, I'd rather not be riding in icy rain and sleet (and an eye problem means I need to be home by the time it gets dark, which seems to be all the time in winter), but that doesn't stop me using the bikes all year round. They're all old or retro styled, so no fairings or heaters... but still plenty of pleasure to be gained from a pleasant bimble on a frosty day. Would certainly rather ride in dry and cold, than warm and wet...

[Tasmin200]

I'm done with winter riding. It's just not fun for me as it's slippy, cold and knackers your bike. I've done my time when I was a 365 days a year rider but not any more.

[shirt]

Here, winter is mid 20s. Summer can be above 50 but I’ll still go riding after midnight when I need to blow the cobwebs away.

Was in uk last week and followed a chap on a GS and all the kit, riding in the sleet and cold. Didn’t look fun at all.

[lukeyman]

I voted 'Occasional winter ride if dry'. (And no salt lying around!)

I've only ridden twice so far this year. On the 1st of Jan on my own to try and instill the 'start the year as you mean to go on' mentality... and then a spur of the moment invite with a friend of a friend who lives nearby. It was OK but I was rusty and had to lead aimlessly.

When I started riding I didn't have a car so I had to ride all year round. Nowadays I don't have a commute full stop and no real social aspect motivate me!

Edited by lukeyman on Wednesday 23 February 11:25

[Zarco]

Need an option for 'Ride in winter if it's warm' as that's me.

Got the bike out in February last year.

[PTF]

Used to ride year round commuting into cambridge. All weathers as long as i could get the bike out of my garden

Now i don't really like riding unless it's double-digits degrees C. And i hate riding at night.

So gone down from a few bikes to just one.

[Bikerjon]

All year unless icy, but I would also add that I hate riding when its very hot too! Even allowing for typical British summers I'll usually take the car in July/Aug. Spring is by far my favourite time of year for bikes.

[SAS Tom]

Not anymore. I used to ride all the time but getting a car stopped that. Winter riding was never much fun and I’m glad I don’t do it.

[Donbot]

All year round regardless. About 20 yards up the road from my house the roads are well gritted.

Riding over the sheet ice on the 125 is fine, but I wouldn't do it on my 600 / whatever other big bike I have as I doubt I'd be able to save the front if it goes.

[Freakuk]

I'm fair weather these days, but if it's dry and not too cold I might venture out with the full goretex rather than 1 piece leathers.

[8IKERDAVE]

Occasional winter ride if the conditions are right. I only own summer gear so have to put a base layer and long johns on if it's too cold. Wet riding has no appeal what so ever to me. As echoed by many on here, I rode all year round when I was younger but this was essential. Now my bike is my toy and used for pure enjoyment.

[Biker 1]

Fair weather rider here, although I try to get out for a half hour blast on a weekend, even mid winter, providing the roads are reasonably dry....

[_Neal_]

I split my commuting into central London between bike and train, using bike when weather is good and after-work drinks aren't a factor

Not interesting in riding in the cold/wet but been out 5-6 times over winter when it's been dry, just trying to keep my hand in really. Also, heated gloves are the absolute future.

[GriffoDP]

Similarly to a few above, I used to commute all year round and didn't have a car. Now I have a car and wfh permanently. My bike also has way too many orange parts, so part of my reason for leaving it in the garage lately is "oh god I don't want to have to clean it again!"

[DirtyHarley]

Commute all year round pretty much no matter the weather from east Kent to central London. The main factors are that the bike works out a little cheaper in comparison to the train, the bike is door to door, the bike isnt limited by train times so I can leave at my own time, the bike works out half the commuting time per day (a big factor as I have small kids at home), and the bike means I don't have to share a carriage with snotty/sneezing/coughing commuters.

The price of petrol going up is rapidly cutting the financial gain of commuting by bike, but all the other factors still swing it heavily towards being better than the train.

I do however only really ride for pleaure trips/ noodling about the countryside during warmer weather as riding in the wet/windy/icy/cold/salty crapfest isn't exactly the most enjoyable experience.

[bogie]

Used to commute year around when I was younger, but have been based from home last 15 years and only go out on business for longer trips, usually with luggage via the airport. No need to go out on a bike in winter unless its nice. Nice to me is over 5 deg and dry with no risk of frost or ice on the hill tops or shaded valleys.

Been out last couple of days for couple of hours each day, 8-10 degC, it was quite pleasant on a tourer with big fairing, heated seat and grips. Would be more chilly on a naked bike

[Waynester]

I only ever rode through winter once, and that was in 1989 aged 17 on my Honda NS125F. Appalling experience, frozen hands, frozen snot, fogged up/iced up visors..topped off by sliding on black ice arriving at work, buggering my wrist. Never again, and I never have.

[bogie]

Waynester said:

I only ever rode through winter once, and that was in 1989 aged 17 on my Honda NS125F. Appalling experience, frozen hands, frozen snot, fogged up/iced up visors..topped off by sliding on black ice arriving at work, buggering my wrist. Never again, and I never have.

LOL, sounds familiar, when I was 21 years old commuting on my ZX-10 mid winter. I worked shifts 8 miles away down country lanes, usually fun to ride. I would look out of the window at the morning frost and wish I had booked a taxi the night before, even if it cost me £6 each way. So I risk it on the bike, end up sliding at a few junctions, but make it down the gritted roads into work, im freezing cold, but ok.....then I drop it on the ice skating rink of the work car park a valuable lesson learned for the future ....£12 on a taxi fare is cheaper than levers n fairing panels.

[wa16]

all year - not been too bad so far, bit of ice in December just pushed the bike to the main road and carried on, and i re-arranged my diary for last Friday due to winds.