Why gravel riding is better than road cycling in winter

Four reasons you should take to the trails in the snow and ice

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By Oscar Huckle

Published: December 16, 2022 at 4:00 pm

Winter has arrived in earnest for many of us in the northern hemisphere, with temperatures plummeting below freezing paired with daily lashings of frost and the odd sprinkling of snow.

Around my neck of the woods, the trails have been particularly muddy in recent weeks, but the arrival of frosty conditions has changed their characteristics for the better.

I typically ride more on the road in the winter, because many of my local clay-based trails become boggy. It's never fun cleaning a bike after every winter ride, let alone a mud-encrusted one.

However, with the frosty and icy conditions, I’ve left the road bike stored comfortably inside to avoid the risk of slipping on black ice. Instead, I’ve been upping the mileage on my gravel bike, and loving every minute of it.

Here are four reasons why you should follow my lead and head off-road when the temperatures plummet below freezing.

Previously sloppy trails take on a totally different character once frozen, and cold weather means you can ride trails you would typically avoid when they’re wet and boggy.

The surface becomes hardpack-like and line choice on technical sections isn't quite as critical – a cathartic experience that (almost) reminds me of summer.

Tyre choice isn't so critical compared to when riding in the mud – gravel tyres designed for hardpack conditions are hopeless in the mud but rideable in the snow.

You will need to adjust your tyre pressures accordingly to the conditions – I found I needed to increase my pressures slightly because I was running them a bit softer to conform to the mud.

Once frozen, mud won't cake your bike in the remnants of the trail.

There's nothing worse than riding sodden trails and having to stop regularly to de-clog the underside of the fork crown or the stays.

Finishing frozen rides with the bike more or less in the same condition it went out the front door in is a thrill – after only a brief wipe down, the bike is ready for its next sojourn.

It's easy to get stuck in a rut riding familiar trails but, when frozen, it affords them a new quality that can make you fall in love with them all over again.

Getting to ride in these conditions is an infrequent treat in the UK and the Narnia-like aesthetic not only makes for arresting vistas, but also prime content to share on Instagram.

Braving Arctic temperatures is an achievement in itself, so any thoughts about training go out of the window.

Some rides are just about getting out and enjoying the scenery and reminding you why you took up cycling as a sport in the first place.

It's easy to sit on the sofa and eat Christmas chocolate, and heading out on the trails will help you earn the sweet treats.

Technical writer

Oscar Huckle is a technical writer at BikeRadar. He has been an avid cyclist since his teenage years, initially catching the road cycling bug and riding for a local club. He's since been indoctrinated into gravel riding and more recently has taken to the dark art of mountain biking. His favourite rides are epic road or gravel routes, and he has also caught the bikepacking bug hard after completing the King Alfred's Way and West Kernow Way. Oscar has a BA degree in English Literature and Film Studies and has close to a decade of cycling industry experience, initially working in a variety of roles at Evans Cycles before joining Carbon Bike Repair. He is particularly fond of workshop tool exotica and is a proponent of Campagnolo groupsets. Oscar prefers lightweight road and gravel frames with simple tube shapes, rather than the latest trend for aerodynamics and full integration. He is obsessed with keeping up to date with all the latest tech, is fixated with the smallest details and is known for his unique opinions.

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