Tips on how to stay motivated for cycling in winter

Even when winters are less demanding in terms of weather, pedaling during these months of the year becomes difficult if we have to combine our work activities with the few hours of daylight that end up taking away the energy needed to have enough motivation to get on the bike every day. We have to do our part to maintain the pedaling routine.

Find the lost motivation

Cycling is a demanding sport and, no matter how much we love it, there are times when we simply don't feel like going out to ride and suffer difficulties that during this time of the year multiply in the form of cold, wind, rain or scarce daylight hours.

Like most factors that affect the bike, the head is a strong conditioning element. Fortunately, there are aspects that are in our hands and with which we can maintain the motivation to continue pedaling even if at this time everything is against us.

Set yourself goals

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It is difficult to maintain motivation and to force yourself to a pedaling routine if you do not have defined objectives. It is not worth the simple "I ride a bike because I like it" because at the minimum that we have other things to do, or that the weather does not accompany us, we will give in and stay at home.

When setting goals, they must be demanding enough to require us to make an effort but without becoming unrealistic. A goal can be anything from doing this or that race in good shape when spring or summer arrives to simply completing a certain number of hours of cycling per week or finishing the year with so many kilometers in the season's account, any aspect that helps us to achieve the necessary motivation.

Appropriate clothing is essential

It's hard to stay motivated to ride if you know you're going to suffer in the rain, cold or wind. However, it doesn't have to be that way, as it is now possible to ride in these conditions without suffering more than the pedaling demands.

Today's cycling apparel companies have increasingly advanced products that will keep you warm and dry so that cycling in the worst conditions is not a constant battle against the elements. They can be the difference between enjoying a pleasant winter ride or returning home completely broken and freezing cold.

Better with company

Having a cycling companion is another good way to add motivation. Whether you want to or not, if we have already made an appointment with someone, we force ourselves to at least make an appearance and once you go out, at least you get a couple of hours of cycling.

If you do not have anyone willing to accompany you, we always have the option of joining a club near our home that maintains a routine of routes also in these dates, since there are many who during these months cease their cycling activity.

Try something new

Keep the routine of outings and routes through the same places we cycle throughout the year can become mentally hard in these months. To avoid falling into the demotivation that this entails during these months we can opt for other alternatives, for example, another modality such as gravel that allows us to discover new routes, or simply dedicate ourselves to investigate new routes that add extra interest to the outings.

If we are looking for a more radical change, there is also the option of trying another sport during these months, such as running, which allows us to keep in shape while finding the motivation offered by a different activity.

Set yourself a challenge

The challenges offered by the Strava app have, as the company's yearly data shows, led those who follow them to ride substantially more than those who ignore them.

Who would have thought that in this last week of the year there would be lots of cyclists trying to complete a not inconsiderable figure such as 500 kilometers just to complete the Rapha Festive 500 challenge that has become a tradition at this time of year. Besides, every month we can find new challenges in the popular application that can be worth as motivation to keep adding kilometers.

Try virtual cycling

If nothing of what we have discussed so far to find the motivation to go out cycling, there is always the option of the turbo trainer to avoid the harshness of going outdoors during these months.

Although mentioning turbo trainer and motivation in the same sentence may seem paradoxical, nowadays, with virtual cycling applications this has changed, becoming an activity that can become tremendously addictive, especially if we start signing up for the various events such as races and social rides that are organized on their virtual roads and with which we can have a good time pedaling without getting cold or wet.

And what about you? How do you find the motivation to ride your bike during these months? Tell us about it on our social networks!