The UK’s Best & Worst Cycling Commuter Cities in Winter

As winter settles in, the dark early mornings linger and the evenings draw in quicker leaving you with fewer daylight hours. Temperatures continue to drop and rainfall and wind make steady appearances making for a chaotic commute. But don’t let that worry you. EBA has you covered with easy-to-follow winter cycling tips to help keep you safe & warm to get you through your winter cycling commute in 2021.
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WINTER ADVICE - tips provided by experts
  • Light it up. Pave the way not only for your ride home but to make yourself more visible to other vehicles on the road. During the winter, the weather can change frequently, so a light that can function in the day and night is a must.
  • Stay guarded. Mudguards prolong the life of your bike components especially the chain, plus make your winter riding more pleasant for yourself.
  • Keep warm. Drinking a warm drink before setting off on your journey can help warm your internal body temperature. Layer up & don’t forget your extremities, top tip you shouldn’t be warm before you start riding if so you are wearing too much clothing.
  • Essential cycle clothing gear. There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad cycling clothing choices. It’s time to layer up & stay warm and dry this season, with the right winter cycle clothing.
    • Insulate from the core. Breathable base layers & thermals are your best friends during this season. Keeping you warm & insulated yet preventing you from overheating as they remove sweat away from the skin.
    • Rain & wind proof ready. Your first line of defence as wind and rain attack is your choice of winter cycling jacket. A waterproof shell jacket will protect you from the rain, whereas a soft shell jacket is made for warmth with wind stopping breathable material.
    • Be safe & seen. Don’t forget high-visibility and reflectivity clothing ensuring that you can be seen by other road and path users at all times.
    • Stop your hands & feet getting cold. Protect your extremities whilst riding, swap fingerless mitts for winter cycling gloves and use overshoes or oversocks to stop water getting into your shoes & keeping your toes warm.
    • Watch your head. A winter hat may be tempting but never neglect your helmet, for extra warmth consider a helmet liner or skullcap instead..
  • Be prepared. Repair kit. The onset of winter makes your bike more susceptible to flat tyre due to sharp road grit & thorny hedge clipping, ensuring you have a puncture repair kit close to hand.
  • Pack a snack. Everything looks different at night time, so pack a snack just in case you take a wrong turn and accidentally add time onto your commute home.
  • Clean after every ride. Riding in poor weather conditions will take its toll on your bike parts, be sure to wipe or rinse your bike after every ride, using a universal bike cleaner solution to remove any dirt or grime. Pay extra attention to your bike chain, keeping it well lubed throughout winter to maintain your bikes performance.
Methodology

This campaign aims to engage with cyclists and ensure that both they & their bikes are winter-ready by providing actionable advice & tips on how to keep safe, warm and make the most of winter cycling this season.

We’ve selected data to showcase the UK cities with the highest number of rainfall days exceeding 1mm of rain cross-referenced with their lowest average temperatures of the year. This data selection helps raise awareness of the wettest locations to commute in the UK alongside their lowest recorded temperatures. Showcasing which cities & cyclists need to fend off winter-related weather threats and ensure their bike is ready to take them all the way to spring, whilst being safe and seen in all the right winter cycling kit.

Sources
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