Winter Bike Prep: Our Workshop’s Autumn Checklist for Darker, Wetter Rides
The clocks go back on Sunday 25 October, and almost overnight the after-work ride becomes a ride in the dark. Add wet roads, leaf mulch on the lanes and salty air blowing off the estuary, and autumn is when we see the most worn chains, squealing brakes and flat batteries come through our workshop door.
The good news is that most winter problems are cheap to prevent and expensive to ignore. This is the checklist we run through ourselves, in the order we’d tackle it, plus the bits of kit we think earn their place on a winter bike.
1. Be seen: lights before the clocks change
In the UK, riding after dark legally means a white front light, a red rear light and a red rear reflector, plus amber pedal reflectors on bikes made since 1985. Beyond the legal minimum, we’d always rather riders carry lights they can actually rely on, and that means rechargeable ones you’ll remember to top up.
For commuting and town riding, the Oxford Ultratorch Cube-X LED light set gives you a front and rear light that charge over USB, so there’s no stash of batteries to manage. Charge them on a Sunday night and they’re ready for the week.
Quick check: mount the rear light where a bag or mudguard won’t hide it, and angle the front light slightly down so you don’t dazzle oncoming drivers.
2. Keep the spray off: mudguards and fenders
A stripe of road grime up your back is annoying; grit sprayed into your headset, fork seals and bottom bracket all winter is what really costs money. Even a short guard makes a big difference.
Mountain bikers with a RockShox Pike fork can bolt on the Syncros Trail 2 fender, which sits close to the fork crown and keeps mud out of your face on wet trail days. Not sure what fits your frame or fork? Bring the bike in and we’ll match a guard to it rather than you guessing online.
3. Switch to a wet-weather chain lube
Dry lube that worked all summer washes off in the first heavy shower. In winter we recommend a wet lube: it clings on through rain and puddles, which means less rust and a quieter drivetrain. The trade-off is that it attracts more dirt, so wipe the chain down after a mucky ride and re-apply little and often.
We use and stock Oxford Mint Wet Chain Lube for exactly this job.
Workshop tip: if your chain is already stretched, new lube won’t save your cassette. We can measure chain wear in seconds when you pop in.
4. Wash off salt and grit, even if you don’t have a hose
Living near the coast means salt in the air and on gritted roads, and it gets to work on bolts, chains and brake parts quickly. A quick clean after wet rides is the single best habit for making a bike last through winter.
If you live in a flat or don’t have outside space, Muc-Off High Performance Waterless Wash lets you spray and wipe the frame clean indoors, no bucket needed. Keep it off your brake discs and rotors, then re-lube the chain once it’s clean and dry.
5. Tyres, punctures and the roadside kit
Wet roads wash flints and glass to the edge of the lane, exactly where you ride, so autumn is peak puncture season. Check your tyres for cuts and worn tread, keep them at the pressure printed on the sidewall, and carry a small kit so a flat doesn’t mean a cold walk home.
- A compact pump such as the Oxford Airflow Mini Alloy pump, small enough for a jersey pocket or frame mount.
- A classic patch kit like the Oxford Feather Edge puncture repair kit for inner tubes.
- Running tubeless? A Muc-Off Tubeless Puncture Plug Repair Kit plugs holes that sealant can’t close on its own.
6. Brakes: the check you shouldn’t skip
Wet grit wears brake pads far faster than dry summer riding. Squeal, a spongy lever or a lever that pulls closer to the bar than it used to are all signs your pads or cables need attention. Rim-brake riders should also check the rim surface for grooves. If anything feels off, don’t wait for it to get worse — stopping distances in the wet are long enough already.
7. E-bike owners: look after the battery in the cold
Lithium batteries don’t like the cold. You’ll notice less range on frosty mornings, which is normal. To help it, store and charge the battery indoors at room temperature, and if the bike lives in a cold shed, bring the battery inside between rides. Before a long winter break, leave it part-charged rather than completely flat or full.
8. Dress for it, so you keep riding
The riders who keep going through winter are usually the ones who stay dry. A packable waterproof such as the Oxford Venture lightweight waterproof jacket folds away when the shower passes and makes a cold, wet commute far more bearable.
Rather we did it? Book a pre-winter workshop check
If you’d rather hand the checklist over, our workshop will go over gears, brakes, tyres, chain wear and bearings and tell you honestly what needs doing now and what can wait until spring. Booking before the clocks change helps you beat the rush we always see when the first dark, wet week arrives. You can also browse our full range of bike accessories online.
Come and see us at Les’s Cycles, 365 Long Road, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 0JQ, call 01268 695877 or email sales@lescycles.co.uk to book your bike in.