A case for outside

With the early snow and unusually cold temperature this past week Winter training is brought to mind.

I am a big fan of outside.

Even with the advent of such impressive tools as smart trainers, and interactive websites, there is great value to riding outdoors in the Winter for mountain bikers.

Riding outdoors in the Winter improves your handling and balance.  Riding on frozen leaves, snow, and ice can be unpredictable.  You need to adapt to the unexpected becoming acutely tuned to the pressure you are applying precisely to your bike and it to the ground.  Rock gardens become that much more challenging when you add in an ice flow.  Riding across glare is possible without studs if you are balanced and smooth.

You learn to use momentum.  If there are leaves or unpacked snow, you need to carry every bit of momentum you can or you'll be walking that next hill.  Have fun when your cleats and pedals are packed with snow and you can't clip in. That glare ice too; if you can roll across it  without pedaling you have that much better of a chance of staying upright.

Winter riding recruit more and different muscles.  You'll be using your whole body to keep moving let alone keep momentum. You thought you were utilizing your glutes and quads to their full potential before!

Strengthens core.  See above.  A strong core is essential to mountain biking, for control and endurance. Winter is the perfect time to concentrate and build on that whole body strength.

Finally, it's just fun.  What can be better than building strength, skills, and base while playing in the snow?!  That's what it's all about; fun (or maybe the hokey pokey).