Winter cycling

A lot of people express surprise that I continue to cycle right through winter. They can’t seem to get their head around the fact that I don’t mind cycling in the rain. While I prefer to cycle in fine weather with a temperature somewhere in the low to mid 20s, I’m happy to ride no matter what.

Sometimes when it’s raining I even sit on my bike at the lights looking at everyone else in their cars feeling sorry for them, knowing that they’re missing out on feeling truly alive. I reckon you experience so much more of life on a bike.

Take this morning for instance. It might have been cold and wet on the way to work but in the back of my mind was the thought that I’d soon be able to thaw out with a steaming hot shower before putting on some nice warm clothes. No problem.

So today was probably not the best day for the hot water system at work to stop working.

Posted by Rodney Olsen



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About the author

Rodney Olsen

Rodney is a husband, father, cyclist, blogger and podcaster from Perth Western Australia.

He has worked in radio at Perth's media ministry Sonshine for over 25 years and has previously worked at ministries such as Compassion Australia and Bible Society.

The views he expresses here are his own.

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4 Comments

  • Not all people cycle regardless of the weather. My wife Fay doesn’t ride when it’s too hot. She also doesn’t ride when it’s too cold. Windy weather doesn’t turn her on at all. And the time that she flat refuses to ride: when it’s magpie season! I’m hoping to ride with her to Freo but the weather certainly hasn’t been helpful.

  • One of my most memorable rides was on the infamous Gordon River Road in Tasmania. Freezing rain, 60km/h winds and three mountain passes, with only a tent to crawl into at the end of the day. Then there was the cyclone in Feb 2004, or the flood a couple of months ago.

    I guarantee you’ll remember the wet ride for a lot longer than you’ll remember most of the sunny ones. 🙂

  • I know sometimes I look at the rain in the morning and decide not to ride my bike to work. It seems that invariably some guy on his bike pedals by my bus or car having a great time on his bike in the rain, and I wish I had not chickened out.

  • Hmmmm, still avoiding wet weather on the bike. Two reasons,
    1. hate cleaning the bike afterwards,
    2. haven’t bought myself truly waterproof clothing yet, and you know how I react to being wet and cold on a bike!!
    Oh, and 3. No shower at work!
    Bruce(dry weather riding for me)A

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