How cyclists in Oxfordshire can stay safe in winter

Every autumn the shorter cooler days come as a bit of a surprise.

After months of riding with little thought about bad weather I am now looking for my waterproofs and thinking about my lights.

What are the essentials for legal, safe, enjoyable bike riding this winter? A few points about lights and reflectors first. We all know that lights must be worn.

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You may not be aware though that the law also requires reflectors on the pedals as well as the front and rear, so check yours now. It’s good to be seen by other road users so light colours are much better than black. A reflective tabard is much cheaper and more versatile than a jacket and allows you to wear whatever clothes you want.

Photo: Cyclox (Image: Photo: Cyclox)

Lights have got so much better over the years, there’s really only two choices - either go for removable rechargeable lights or fixed hub dynamo lights.

The choice depends partly whether your bike is worth spending £50-£100 on dynamo lights and partly on how much you are riding at night. Regular bike commuting in the dark deserves every benefit of modern technology going and for me, dynamo lights win hands down - they’re hard to steal, always on the bike so you don’t have to remember them, the light is reliable and bright and best of all - you provide your own electricity, no need to plug them in or replace batteries. LED lights can almost be too bright so take care to keep them pointing downwards to avoid dazzling pedestrians particularly when you’re on shared paths.

The other important consideration in wet, slippery weather is having brakes and tyres that do their job.

It only takes a moment to check the tread on your tyres. If there isn’t any, a trip to a bike shop is due.

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At the same time check that the brake blocks are not worn away. It’s quick to do a simple brake test - walk forward a few steps pushing your bike with your hands on the handlebars and then squeeze the front brake sharply (it’s usually the right hand one).

The back wheel should rise off the ground as the front wheel stops on the spot. Do the same walking the bike backwards and putting on the back brake.

Photo: Cyclox (Image: Photo: Cyclox)

Now you are legal and safe, how to be comfortable? Mostly it’s an attitude of mind - you have to enjoy the outdoor air and accept it will sometimes be cold and wet. Everyone wears a coat in winter but you also need hat, gloves and mudguards.

Those three are the extra bits of clothing that make the difference.

Mudguards may not sound like clothes to you, but it helps to think of them that way. They’ll keep you clean and dry better than any garment. If your bike doesn’t have fittings for mudguards, there are cheap options that fix behind the seat and behind the front wheel which will keep off the worst.

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With Christmas in mind, ask for a present of waterproof trousers and even a pair of neoprene overshoes. You’ll need a pannier or rucksack to keep them in so you have them handy.

Finally, the vexed question of keeping your head dry under a helmet. Some people put on a helmet cover, but the rain still gets down your neck. I favour jackets with hoods.

But you need to wear a helmet over the hood, otherwise when you try to look behind you, your head turns into the hood so all you see is its lining not the road, which isn’t very safe!

With such good preparation you will be smiling from ear to ear when the first heavy rainstorm arrives.

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This story was written by Andy Ffrench, he joined the team more than 20 years ago and now covers community news across Oxfordshire.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Andy.ffrench@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter @OxMailAndyF