Winter is well and truly here, and with it comes a whole host of different considerations for riding our bikes. Numb hands, more punctures, and dirty bikes are just a few of the things we have to contend with, and that means investing in gloves, warmer cycling kit, and better maintenance kit.
Unfortunately none of the above tends to be particularly cheap, but fear not - it's Black Friday. With huge sales on across the cycling industry, I have picked out a few of my go to winter essentials that are on sale this weekend! Let's dive in.
Mini pump
Punctures are unfortunately synonymous with winter, even in the days of tubeless technology and puncture resistant tires, and annoyingly they are even harder to fix during the winter months.
Cold hands coupled with grimy tires and muddy wheels can often make for a frustrating process, and the last thing you want is a mini pump to let you down. I have used two of the Pro Bike Tool mini pumps since 2018, and found them to be built well, functional, and stylish too.
Fenders / Mudguards
I will preach them till I die - put mudguards on your winter bike! As well as saving your bike from a mucky demise, you'll make friends on group rides, and you will stay a whole lot drier too.
My go-to's are the SKS Raceblade Long XL set. They do a pretty good job of coverage as they are long enough, and still don't weigh too much. They are simple to attach too which makes the summer/winter swap super quick - which here in the UK we often have to do in the summer months...
Winter Gloves
I've had my pair of SealSkinz gloves for about 4 years now, and they are still going strong after a vast number of winter miles. I was gifted them back in 2019 and they were the first pair of winter cycling gloves that really stopped numb hands - and that is no mean feat.
As someone who suffers from poor circulation, and who is quite slightly built, I really struggle with the cold, so any gloves that keep me warm, I will happily vouch for them!
Bike cleaning kit
Bike washing is another one of those monotonous winter tasks that just needs to be done - and when its raining, pretty much every ride... That said, it can save you money in the long run, by decreasing drivetrain wear, and also gives you a nice little moral knowing you are at least going out on a clean bike.
I have used Muc-Offs bike cleaner for a little while now, and it makes light work of the grime we so often face here in the UK.
Over the Black Friday weekend we are trawling the web for all the best cycling deals.
Check out our main Black Friday bike deals hub page for all the latest discounts and deals as we find them.
