Video: Motivation for your winter rides

Even under the best of conditions, getting out for a long training ride can sometimes be a slog. So when the mercury drops, the bone-chilling winds pick up and the light wanes, you might be tempted to become a hibernating bear. But winter riding can be fun and can make a huge difference in your fitness and readiness to race when spring rolls around.

There are many ways to get on the bike in the winter. You can head to a spinning class or get out and do a fun cyclocross ride. To get you started and fired up, we spoke to some cyclists who’ve come up with ways to stay fit – and have fun – this winter.

Kim Donnelly is the owner of Cykl in Toronto. Kim helps cyclists of all abilities stay in shape. She says joining a group at a spin class helps to bring a sense of camaraderie and fun to your riding,  motivating you to get you out the door.

James “Cranky” Ramsay is a masters-level racer and writes his “Crankology” column for Canadian Cycling Magazine . James suggests investing in good-quality thermal layers and drinking quality coffee to make the miles melt faster than a snowflake in a volcano.

Business consultant Edmond Mellina says he keeps up his mileage by doing a bit of everything. And to top it off, nutritionist Tara Postnikoff provides a bit of nutrition advice.

If you have any tips you’d like to share, post them on Canadian Cycling’s Facebook page.