Winter can be a depressing time for a cyclist, and getting cold, wet and muddy does not help! There are things that you can do to improve the quality of time you have on the roads:
Clothes – Wearing the appropriate clothes can not only keep you warm and dry. The best way to do this is to layer up, so if temperatures change, then you can adapt too. Thermal layers as well as waterproof outers will keep you warm and dry. Try overshoes to keep your toes warm, also thermal gloves to protect your fingers, and thermal face and neck masks to keep the chills at bay!
Mudguards – It sounds silly, and may reduce the coolness of your ride, but mudguards will will stop you getting mud and water splattered up your backside! This in turn will keep you warm and dry! Luckily most Powabykes come fitted with mudguards as standard!
Tyres – Use tyres that give you that little bit of extra grip. Yes I’m afraid you may lose some of that top speed or range on an ebike, and it may also feel harder to ride, but ultimately anything you can do to help improve your bike’s grip is surely a good thing? You can also try reducing tyre pressure by a few lbs to improve grip. Remember wet leaves, mud and puddles could be just around the corner! You may want to think about fitting puncture resistant tyres as well, these are great for reducing the risk of punctures with the increased debris found on roads during the winter months.
Winter Cleaning – This is crucial for the longevity of parts. Dirt, salt, mud and water are a bad mix for cyclists, so by keeping your bikes clean, you will in turn increase the life of chains, derailleurs, cranks, bottom brackets, brakes etc. There are loads of websites telling you how to clean a bike, This is a video from Cycling Weekly showing you the basics.