Winter or summer, which is worse?

Which is worse, winter or summer?

Winter
37
64%
Summer
6
10%
Both
4
7%
Neither
7
12%
Spring
0
No votes
Autumn
2
3%
Ask me in six months
2
3%
 
Total votes: 58

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Cugel
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Re: Winter or summer, which is worse?

Post by Cugel »

Mick F wrote:Winter is horrible.
Wet, damp, cold, dark mornings and evenings, frost, snow, sleet, horrible.

Summer is dry, warm, gentle, balmy, long days, wonderful.


Har har - how long must one live in that soft southern place before even a former Northerner turns into, well, a soft southern jessie, eh, eh? :-)

On the other hand, cycling in the stuff you mention can be trying. It is a-one of those pleasures best characterised as "nice when it stops". But we 'ard Northerners, even the ones who have decamped to balmy West Wales, love it. Oh yes we do!

But why not walk the collie in that weather? Collies love it and this eventually persuades the human to also absorb the strange pleasures of trudging through wet snow as the wind tries to rip off your eyelids whilst pushing your lips off your teeth so it can make them ache. Distract (and also warm) yourself by chucking the stick a few dozen times.

Anyroadup, masochism is highly underrated!

Cugel, actually now a softlad hisself.
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Cyril Haearn
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Re: Winter or summer, which is worse?

Post by Cyril Haearn »

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
Easy, come to Devon summer all year round :mrgreen:

Is that right, is the weather much different in Cornwall? :wink:
Should I have asked 'which is better'? Cannae change the poll now, forbye I disagree with the results
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De Sisti
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Re: Winter or summer, which is worse?

Post by De Sisti »

Worst season for what?
Cyril Haearn
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Re: Winter or summer, which is worse?

Post by Cyril Haearn »

De Sisti wrote:Worst season for what?

Cycling of course
A lovely 'summer' day today, grey, breezy, maybe 15°C
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Carlton green
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Re: Winter or summer, which is worse?

Post by Carlton green »

TrevA wrote:Winter far worse. There are days when it is dangerous to ride due to ice/snow. It’s usually wet, the roads are wet even if it’s not currently raining. You have to dress up in multiple layers and I’ve yet to find a pair of gloves that keep your hands toasty warm when it’s really cold.

Summer brings its own problems - over heating, excessive sweating, sunburn, but I still much prefer summer cycling. Autumn is probably my favourite time, before it gets too cold you can get some really nice autumn days that are ideal for riding a bike.


That’s just about my view too if tempered a little. Winter can be horrid but mostly it is not, however if you have to ride in the cold, dark and wet then you’re in a difficult and unpleasant situation. Summer brings its own challenges too in that sunburn is no fun and certainly something to be considered - likewise melanoma which just took a cycling friend. Now I would choose not to risk it and avoid cycling around noon on a sunny ‘summer’ day - find some shade and continue later, there’s usually plenty of daylight time left. Dehydration can be another issue in the summer too. I suppose it’s all a case of taking note of how we interact with the weather and acting accordingly, perhaps it’s easier to do that in the summer.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
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Re: Winter or summer, which is worse?

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Oh no, 'winter is worse' has most votes
A few awfully hot summer days inspired this thread
Looks I am 'losing' the poll again :wink:
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andrew_s
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Re: Winter or summer, which is worse?

Post by andrew_s »

I also voted winter.
It's dark for too long, and sometimes I have to wear socks with my sandals, or even break out the boots.

Summer can also have problems, like clouds of insects to breathe in, or, if you insist on going to FOREIGN places, excessive heat, but I generally find summer riding more pleasant.
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foxyrider
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Re: Winter or summer, which is worse?

Post by foxyrider »

andrew_s wrote:I also voted winter.
It's dark for too long, and sometimes I have to wear socks with my sandals, or even break out the boots.

Summer can also have problems, like clouds of insects to breathe in, or, if you insist on going to FOREIGN places, excessive heat, but I generally find summer riding more pleasant.


Aye, head down into Derbyshire or, heaven forbid, Nottingham and you have to take off at least two vests! :lol:
Convention? what's that then?
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Tangled Metal
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Re: Winter or summer, which is worse?

Post by Tangled Metal »

Depends whether I'm at the end or beginning of a season.

Early autumn is nice before I get sick of the wet, stormy weather.

Early winter is nice with the fresh cold of morning but by the end I'm sick of the cold and it's feeling damp again.

Early spring is nice with that first sunny day that nature uses to wake up and come out to play. That is often earlier each year and can still be cold. Later on it's wet or windy and wet. Plus you never know if you can go out without a coat or not.

Early summer is nice. The sun comes out but isn't quite at full strength. It isn't at its hottest but you can go out on t-shirt and shorts. It's long days and short nights. Evenings can be spent out and about. But later on you get it too hot and / or summer rains come in. Hot and humid, nasty weather IMHO. I get sick of the British summer by the end of it.

So early anything with the seasons is the best because it's kind of full of hope and excitement. The end of a season is about being sick of it, wanting a change and having had enough already.

Does anyone understand my pov/feel the same?
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Re: Winter or summer, which is worse?

Post by Cyril Haearn »

I sort of agree with TM, enjoying the start of autumn already :wink:
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Cugel
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Re: Winter or summer, which is worse?

Post by Cugel »

Tangled Metal wrote:Depends whether I'm at the end or beginning of a season.

Early autumn is nice before I get sick of the wet, stormy weather.

Early winter is nice with the fresh cold of morning but by the end I'm sick of the cold and it's feeling damp again.

Early spring is nice with that first sunny day that nature uses to wake up and come out to play. That is often earlier each year and can still be cold. Later on it's wet or windy and wet. Plus you never know if you can go out without a coat or not.

Early summer is nice. The sun comes out but isn't quite at full strength. It isn't at its hottest but you can go out on t-shirt and shorts. It's long days and short nights. Evenings can be spent out and about. But later on you get it too hot and / or summer rains come in. Hot and humid, nasty weather IMHO. I get sick of the British summer by the end of it.

So early anything with the seasons is the best because it's kind of full of hope and excitement. The end of a season is about being sick of it, wanting a change and having had enough already.

Does anyone understand my pov/feel the same?


Whilst I understand your feelings, my own have evolved into a different state. Although I tend to the fair-weather cycling mode in summer, I look forward to the conditions where one has to brave the elements, get dressed in lots of merino and go out so that on return "it's nice when it stops". This is a form of mild masochism and has the pleasures associated with that habit.

It's easy, in this day and age, to assume that being "comfortable" is the singular top condition to aim for in all activities. (It used to be "happiness" but everyone knows, now, how daft that is) I blame the central heating!. However, some of us borned and raised in the 50s have a fond attachment to discomforts of one sort and another. It's a queer thing (probably some twisted form of nostalgia) but a harmless habit really. It does enable one to attempt things that a centrally-heated coddled Molly might baulk at. :-)

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Audax67
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Re: Winter or summer, which is worse?

Post by Audax67 »

Winter is worst for me, but I was tempted to vote summer because some minor disaster usually happens to upfuXX0rz mine.
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feefee8
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Re: Winter or summer, which is worse?

Post by feefee8 »

I prefer summer. It doesn’t get too warm in Scotland. It still rains a lot but you get used to that.

Winter days that are sunny and crisp are some of my favourite but the default in Lochaber is sideways rain....!

No such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.
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Re: Winter or summer, which is worse?

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Had a good cycle ride yesterday, quite grey and wet, not many other cyclists, even enjoyed the hilly bit, did more than half a metric century, exhausted today, had to stay home

Cycling to church tomorrow for harvest thanksgiving

Yes, 'fall', autumne, Herbst is my favourite
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TrevA
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Re: Winter or summer, which is worse?

Post by TrevA »

There are still some nice days at this time of year, despite the seemingly incessant rain. You have to pick your days to cycle. It’s looking good for Tuesday, Thursday and Friday as well as the weekend this week. Yesterday and today have been a washout. It is getting colder too. The worse time is after the clocks go back. It is noticeably colder from lunchtime onwards and gets dark increasingly early - 3.30pm in the depths of winter.
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