8 Ways for Mountain Bikers to Stay Fit, Engaged, and Happy during the Winter Months

Eric Isaacson

Are you feeling the blues because the trails are covered in snow and it’s too cold to ride? Fear not, mountain bikers! The off-season is the perfect time to focus on your fitness, skills, and mental well-being so you can hit the trails stronger and more confident than ever before. You could sit around watching videos of others enjoying rides when the weather was good or here are 8 ways that you can do to stay engaged, fit, and happy during the off-season.

1. Indoor cycling

Indoor cycling options, such as stationary bikes and trainers, can be a great way to stay in shape for mountain biking during the winter. Stationary bikes can provide a full workout and are great for building endurance, while bike trainers allow you to use your own bike, and often provide a more realistic riding experience. One of the newest technologies in bike trainers is “smart” trainers, which can connect to apps and software, such as Zwift, that provide virtual training experiences and allow you to compete with other riders in a virtual setting. Smart trainers can also adjust resistance automatically based on the terrain of the virtual course, providing a more realistic and immersive experience. Another new technology is the use of virtual reality headset with your stationary bike or bike trainer to create an immersive experience. This technology also allow to ride on virtual mountain biking trails, which can help keep your mountain biking skills sharp during the off-season.

2. Strength training

You’ve done great not ignoring leg day. It’s your bread and butter, really. Well, at least during the summer it is. Maybe it’s time for upper body season in a gym or maybe it’s just time for more legs. Either way, find a gym or a good callisthenic routine. Strength training is great for mountain biking, as it helps to build muscle and improve power. It won’t be nearly as fun as getting your workout on a bike but it will keep you from becoming a blog. It will also help maintain your levels of endorphins and dopamine that you get so easily during biking season and, when it is time to hit the trails again, you’ll be ready to go.

3. Bike maintenance

The winter months can be a great time to maintain and repair your mountain bike. During the winter, you can perform a thorough cleaning of your bike, lube the chain, and check for any wear and tear on the components. You can also use this time to inspect and replace any worn out or damaged parts, such as the tires, brakes, and suspension. You can use this opportunity to make any upgrades or modifications you’ve been thinking about, such as installing new handlebars or a dropper post. Not only can this be a great time to do it simply because you’re not using your bike. It can also minimize the period of getting used to your “new bike” after changing out components since you’ll have to get used to it again anyway when you can start riding again. If you don’t want to do the upgrades yourself, you can take it to the bike shop without worrying about how long it might take to complete the work. You weren’t using it anyway, right?

4. Take up fat biking

Fat biking is a great way to keep riding your mountain bike during the winter months. With their wide tires, fat bikes are able to float on top of the snow, providing excellent traction and stability. Plus, the added surface area of the tires means that they can be ridden at lower pressures, which helps them to conform to the terrain and increase traction even further. While fat biking may feel a bit different than riding on dry trails, with a little bit of practice you’ll be able to navigate through snow-covered trails with ease. One of the great things about fat biking is that it allows you to continue to challenge yourself on your mountain bike, even when the weather is less than ideal. Some lift serve hills have areas to fat bike so you can take the lift up and enjoy some downhill mountain biking, even in the winter.

5. Hit the Trails

Okay, so your trails are full of snow. That might keep you from taking your bike on them but it may not keep you off of them entirely. Many XC mountain bike trails become groomed cross country ski trails during the winter. Others are great for snowshoeing and those closest to civilization often have enough foot traffic to just walk in your boots or even ride your regular bike on. If you usually hit up lift serve trails in the summer, just switch to a snowboard or alpine skis and get back out there. You might be amazed at how different your trails feel in the winter. With snow covering everything, no leaves on the trees, and the crisp air, there’s a different kind of feeling, almost like a crisply peaceful feeling.

6. Work on some skills

There are a lot of skills you can work on in your garage and sometimes even in the house (shhhh!). Obviously, you’ll want to be careful not to damage anything wherever you practice. How’s your track stand? You don’t even have to have any extra space to practice a trackstand. Simply grab your bike and practice balancing it while you watch a movie. You can also use a manual machine to practice your manuals. If you do have a bigger garage, you and your friends could play footdown or even set up obstacles to go over. You can practice a slow moving bunny hop or even some shorter skinnies. Use your imagination.

7. Head somewhere warmer

Odds are, there’s somewhere South of you that still has pretty great mountain biking. Make a trip of it. Grab the guys, the girls, your family, or whatever group you need to make this an epic trip, find an AirBnB and spend a couple of days riding somewhere that doesn’t see winter or maybe just feels like summer compared to where you live. Having this scheduled can help you stay active and engaged through the winter, knowing that you need to be ready and in shape for your trip.

8. Plan your next ride

Is there an epic ride you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t been able to get around to doing it, or even planning it. Use your off-season to do some research and plan things out. Even if you only get the ball rolling now, you’ll have something more solid rolling around in your head and dramatically increase the chances of actually making it happen.

Staying active, engaged, and happy during the winter months as a mountain biker CAN be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. By incorporating a mix of strength training, indoor cycling, cross-training activities, fun, and maintaining a strong social connection with other riders, you can stay in peak physical and mental condition until the trails thaw. Remember to also take time for rest and recovery, as well as setting achievable goals to work towards. With a little bit of effort and creativity, the winter months can be a great time to improve your fitness, skills, and overall well-being as a mountain biker.

Eric Isaacson

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