Warm hands and feet make for a happy rider

If you ride in Britain, it’s more than likely you have been under-dressed for a ride at some point. With the temperamental nature of our winters, you can often find yourself riding in freezing rain one minute and under blue skies the next. Therefore, wearing the right kit is imperative to a successful winter on the bike and for Rowsell, this starts with what you wear on your hands and feet.

“It is important to keep your hands and feet warm,” says the 26-year-old. “There is nothing worse than riding with cold hands and feet; it makes you miserable. Especially in Britain; one minute it can look sunny but then it could be freezing.”

Rowsell advises always carrying a spare layer in one of your jersey pockets and also taking a spare pair of gloves.

Don’t be afraid to modify your bike

This is one issue that certainly divides the cycling community. While using mudguards, wider tyres and disc brakes is certainly more practical, some purists – including many pro riders – see this as sacrilege and won’t be caught out with any of the three.

– How to modify your road bike for winter –

Rowsell, however, is a big fan and believes in any bike modification that can make winter on two wheels more bearable. In fact, Rowsell switches from his regular race bike, the Genesis Zero, to the wide-tyred, disc-equipped, mudguard-ready Genesis Datum adventure bike for winter.

“There is a big debate over mudguards between us professionals, but personally I am a big fan,” says Rowsell. “If you can fit them, it helps so much in keeping you dry. I am lucky because I have been riding the Genesis Datum, which is basically a gravel bike, so I can fit full mudguards with no rattling and they have made a huge difference.”

– Six highlights from the Genesis 2017 road bike range –

Rowsell also recognises that taking mudguards on and off again can be inconvenient, so sees no reason not put them on in November and ride with them until the winter’s out, whatever the weather.

As for disc brakes, while Rowsell isn’t ready to ditch rim brakes in racing, he sees discs as a real benefit for training in wet winter conditions, with wider tyres also going a long way in making winter easier.

“I would also suggest bigger tyres,” Rowsell says. “I usually ride with 28mm tyres throughout winter, which is wider than normal. Anything between 25mm and 28mm is ideal, but if you can go bigger then why not?

“Also, this is my first winter riding with discs and you can notice a difference in braking, especially in the wet. I’m not convinced about racing on them but for winter training it’s certainly worth it.”

It’s turbo time!

No, we aren’t talking about the 1990’s Christmas classic film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger but the dreaded indoor trainer.

– Five of the best turbo trainer sessions –

Mustering the motivation to spend an hour burying yourself in front of a wall can take a lot of will power – but Rowsell sees the turbo as a vital part of winter training and has his own tips to make it more bearable.

“The turbo can have huge benefits,” he says. “You don’t need to be on it for more than hour; just keep it short, sharp and intense.”

While an hour isn’t long out on the road, it can seem a lifetime on the turbo – so preparation is key.

“Make a good playlist and put your turbo somewhere warm. There is nothing worse than walking out to a cold shed at night,” Rowsell says, though you’ll need a fan or similar setup to stay cool during the heat of a turbo session.

– Beginner’s guide: everything you need to know about Zwift –

“You can also set up a laptop or TV and watch a DVD or old clips of races on YouTube. I have been known to train while watching Paris-Roubaix from years gone by.”

So forget you’re training indoors and instead visualise yourself dropping Fabian Cancellara and Tom Boonen on the cobbles.

A trip to sunny Spain

At this time of year, almost every professional team will be holding training camps in warmer climates, usually the east coast of Spain or islands like Mallorca*, Tenerife and Gran Canaria. These trips were once viewed as solely for the pros and keen amateur racers, but now more and more riders are fleeing the British winter.

– Seven of the best training camp destinations –

With budget airlines offering cheap flights – we found some as cheap as £37 return to Mallorca from London – and the rise of cycling-friendly hotels, Rowsell believes a week or even weekend away can be just the answer for your winter woes, giving you the opportunity to log quality miles on beautiful roads ahead of a busy spring and summer.

“I love it so much abroad that I used to live in Girona,” he says. “The change of scenery, good weather, dry roads – it’s fantastic. Even if it is for a few days, going abroad can be hugely beneficial. It is amazing what having the sun on your back can do.”

– How to choose the right training camp for you –

The benefits a few days abroad can have on your fitness and morale are undeniable – you will come back raring to head into a season full or sportives and racing, and may even have a little winter tan.

*The eagle-eyed among you would have noticed from Team Sky’s social media that it was snowing in Mallorca in January. RoadCyclingUK cannot control the weather – but we promise it is usually a lot warmer than the UK during winter.

Don’t be afraid to switch it up

Sometimes we all have to admit defeat to the weather when it comes to riding a road bike in winter but this shouldn’t stop you getting in some top quality training.

– Fifteen tips for winter training –

Rowsell advises using the winter to enjoy some other sports and use these to improve your cycling. Richie Porte is known to swim regularly and the great Eddy Merckx would cross-country ski in the winter. Rowsell is no different in switching it up.

“I usually cross-train throughout all of winter,” he says. “I will dedicate two days a week to mountain biking or hiking, which I love to do. MTB is fantastic for your fitness and gives you a real upper body workout.”

As well as being less affected by the weather, Rowsell also says mountain biking can help to develop your bike handling skills, while also adding high cadence and high torque work into your training.

“Sometimes a two-hour MTB ride feels like a five-hour road ride,” he added. “It’s a bit of fun, different and great for motivation.

Bike maintenance is something you either love or hate. Some people enjoy spending hours and hours tinkering with their machine, while others dread even changing an inner tube, but Rowsell emphasises the importance of taking the time to make sure your bike isn’t showing any signs of wear and tear.

– Six essentials maintenance skills every cyclist should know –

“Bike maintenance,” he says when asked for one final piece of advice for getting through winter. “Keep on top of looking after your bike. The last thing you want is to be out in the winter, snap a chain and then be left on the side of a road in the cold and damp.”