Serpentine Sunday Rides – Kit to Look After Yourself

Riding in winter, the weather is unpredictable and the extra clothing worn, kit carried and cold temperatures eat up a lot more energy. Make sure you are properly equipped with Lucy Dove's guide:

Essential to wear:

Helmet (done up properly – they don’t work if they are loose!)
Cycle jersey or something with easy access pockets at the back.
Gloves – cycling gloves have some padding to reduce shocks in your hands, keep you warm, and will protect your hands if you were to fall off.
Cycling shorts – for comfort.
Tights/leg warmers – to keep your knees and legs warm.
Waterproof jacket – preferably in a bright colour, and something that compacts well to allow you to carry it when not required.
Cycling shoes.

You may also want to wear:

Glasses – many cyclists wear clear glasses in winter to protect your eyes from dust and rain.
Arm warmers – basically just sleeves, an optional extra for warmth.
Overshoes/booties – to cover your cycling shoes keeping the worst of the wind and the rain out.

Essential to carry:

Fluid – water, juice, energy drink – whatever you like.
Food – bananas, energy bars, malt loaf, dried fruit – anything to keep you going.
Cash and/or cashcard – for café stop and any semi-emergencies (train journey home etc.)
Tyre levers.
Spare inner tube.
Puncture repair kit.
Pump.

You may also want to carry:

Allen keys/ multi-tool.
Map (we all occasionally have rough days and its useful to be able to bail out to the nearest train!)
Mobile phone (ride leaders may give out their contact details in case you become separated from the ride).

A roadworthy bike

The checklist above misses out one key item! Before getting on your bike you should get into the routine of checking the following:

Wheels – pick your bike up and spin them slowly, check that they are centred (spinning straight) and that the wheel rims are not excessively worn by old brake blocks.
Bars – if you can see metal at the ends of your bars, it's time to replace your bar tape. Exposed ends are very dangerous in a crash.
Tyres – as the wheel is spinning you can also check that your tyres do not have any nicks, worn patches or embedded glass – perfect conditions for a puncture.
Brakes – are the blocks worn down? If so get them replaced. Are they gripping the wheel rim square on? If not, adjust or replace.
Frames – check for any cracks around joints.
Check everything is done up properly – handlebars, seatpost, saddle, any accessories attached.
Think about the conditions – if the road is wet, you want some give in your tyres to avoid slipping, so let a bit of air out of them (around 100 psi) otherwise check that tyres are hard enough (125 psi) to avoid punctures and keep you rolling along.

See Neil Melville's bike buying guide