Essential training, nutrition and gear advice to optimise your autumn and winter riding. Discover the best trainers and apps for indoor riding; what to wear to beat the elements; and the best races for 2025. All this and much more.
Road Cyclist Off Season Training Manual 2024
Welcome
Essential Gear
SMART RAINERS • With smart trainers and gamification platforms bringing both fun and data, indoor riding is far more than a lockdown fad. But which turbo and system is for you?
FRONT LIGHTS • Yep, it’s probably getting dark when you’re riding home from work. So now is the time to assess your bike light set-up and invest in a new front beam if yours needs an update. We test six lights from £70
Rear lights • £39.99 - £64.99 Be safe, be seen with these high-lumen lights
WINDPROOF JACKETS • More versatile, stashable and breathable than a rain jacket, a windproof shell can be an inspired purchase. But what should you look for? Here we test six for their wind-thwarting powers…
Waterproof Jackets • £49.99-£425 Which of these outer layers is best at keeping the elements out?
3 ISSUES FOR JUST £5
Bib Tights • £134 - £159.99 Trusty bib tights are essential for enjoyable winter riding. Here are our top picks…
Winter Gloves • £50 – £95 Which pair works best in the wet and cold?
Winter Tyres • £24.99 – £49.99 Find your perfect combination of durability, grip and speed
Training & Nutrition
COLD WAR • Our 10-step winter survival guide will help you endure, even thrive, through the season cyclists dread most..
COLD CASE • New research suggests exposure to cold can unlock a host of surprising performance benefits. We explore the power of winter cycling – and reveal how to prepare to win the cold war
WINTER WARMERS • Creating a warm ‘microclimate’ around your skin is the secret to staying warm on winter rides
Virtual Realities • Turbo training addicts reveal their hard-won tips, racked up over countless indoor sessions, for thriving throughout the winter
ANATOMY OF A CYCLIST HONED TONED & ZONED • The off-season is the perfect time to hit the gym and shape up for your year’s key event. But what does it take to get the physique of a pro?
I got skills they’re multiplying • We asked our colleague from our mountain-bike titles, Tom Marvin, to show how riding a bike away from the road this winter can turbo-charge your prowess on tarmac
FOOD FIXES • Whether you just can’t stomach energy gels or you have a weakness for greasy post-ride takeaways, every cyclist has their own food quirks. We reveal the most common conundrums - and show you how to fix them
Christmas cracker… • Before you know it, Christmas will be upon you, which can mean gluttony. Here’s how to enjoy the festive fun and freedom while swerving the season’s healthbusting pitfalls
Camps and Events
Islands in the sun • Escape the British weather this off-season with these southern European cycling hotspots…
THE BEST UK SPORTIVES • Epic climbs, sweeping descents and maximum satisfaction, tackling a sportive is an essential cycling high. From all-dayer epics to gravel overnighters and beginner-friendly options, here we pick our ultimate events for 2025
EUROPE’S TOP-10 CYCLING EVENTS • Your motivation will crank up to 11 with this brutal but beautiful bucket list…
