Every October the same thing happens in the Lower Mainland. The rain settles in, the clocks are about to change, and a lot of good riders quietly park the bike until March. Then spring arrives and they spend April and May trying to get back to where they were last September.
The Masters riders who show up in spring fit aren’t the toughest people in the group. They aren’t riding the most hours in the worst weather either. They have a simple system for the wet season, and they decided on it before the first grey Saturday arrived.
Here’s the system I’d give most Masters riders around Port Moody, the Tri-Cities and the North Shore this winter.
What winter base is actually for
Winter isn’t the time to prove anything. It’s the time to build the engine and the body that carries it. For a Masters rider, that means three things:
- Aerobic endurance. Steady riding you could hold a conversation through. This is the foundation everything in spring sits on.
- Strength. Two short sessions a week in the gym or at home. As a Masters rider, this is the part of training you can’t afford to skip. It protects your joints and your bones, and it helps you hold on to your power.
- A little quality. One short, focused session a week (tempo or a few controlled efforts) so your top end doesn’t fade completely by February.
Notice what isn’t on the list: four-hour rides in a cold downpour. Big miserable rides feel heroic, but they mostly lead to a cold, a sore back and a skipped week.
Write your rain rules now
The weather in this part of the world isn’t a surprise. It rains a lot from November to March. Yet most riders make the “do I ride today?” decision at 7 am on a Saturday, looking out the window with a coffee in hand. That’s the worst possible time to decide anything.
I’ve coached riders since 2009, and my master’s research was about how adults learn and follow through. The pattern is consistent: people stick with things when the decision is made ahead of time, not in the moment. So before the season starts, write down your rain rules. They’re simple if-then plans:
- If it’s raining but above 5°C, then I ride outside with fenders and full rain kit, and I cut the ride to 90 minutes.
- If it’s pouring, icy or below 3°C, then I do my long ride indoors as 75 minutes of steady endurance, plus a strength session.
- If there’s a dry window on the weekend, then that’s my long ride, and the rest of the week moves around it.
Your numbers will be different. The point is that the decision is already made, so a wet morning doesn’t become a debate you lose.
The kit that makes winter riding possible
Most winter riding problems are really equipment problems. A short list that changes everything:
- Full fenders. Most winter group rides here expect them, and your riding partners will thank you. They also keep your drivetrain alive for longer.
- Lights, front and rear, day and night. Grey November afternoons are darker than they look from inside a car.
- Two pairs of gloves. Swap to the dry pair halfway through a long ride.
- A dry change of clothes in the car or at the cafe. The ride ends far more happily when you’re not sitting in wet chamois.
A quick bike wipe-down and chain lube after every wet ride takes five minutes and saves you a pricey drivetrain in March.
Indoors isn’t cheating
Some riders treat the trainer as a failure. I see it as a tool. Indoors is where structured work is easiest: no traffic lights, no wet descents, no stopping. Use it for your quality session and for anything with specific targets. Save outdoor time for long, steady endurance rides when the weather gives you a window, and for the skills work that only happens on real roads, like cornering in the wet, riding a wheel and descending with confidence.
A simple winter week (6–7 hours)
- Monday: rest
- Tuesday: indoor, 60 minutes, including 3 × 10 minutes at tempo
- Wednesday: strength, 40 minutes
- Thursday: indoor or outdoor, 60 minutes of easy endurance
- Friday: rest or a 20-minute mobility session
- Saturday: long ride, 2.5–3 hours steady (or your rain-rule backup)
- Sunday: strength, 40 minutes, plus an optional easy hour on the bike
Every fourth week, cut it back by about a third and let your body catch up. As a Masters rider, recovery is where the training actually turns into fitness.
The takeaway
Before the next wet weekend, take ten minutes and write down your three rain rules. Put them on the fridge or in your phone. Winter fitness isn’t built on the epic days. It’s built on the ordinary, slightly damp Tuesdays you didn’t skip.
If you’d like help building a winter plan that fits your work, your family and the weather, book a free welcome call. We’ll talk about your goals for next season and what a realistic week looks like for you.