Mountain biking in winter can be a LOT of fun, especially if you go on tracks and trails that you know, but there are a few things that you need to look out for when on the trails in darkest winter.

Here are our top tips for riding safe:

1. Thoroughly check the bike beforehand

This should really go without saying, but checking your bike over beforehand will be the best way to ensure you don't have any nasty surprises whilst on the trails - the last thing you need is a chain break or your brakes failing whilst flying down your favourite track.

We all know that winter cycling can test your resolve, whether it’s commuting, chaingangs and club runs or just general riding one look out the window and it’s amazing how quickly we can come up with better things to do.

No matter what style your bike is - whether it's an all singing and dancing full carbon road bike or your battered old commuter - you need to prepare it for the harsh elements of Winter. 

Even if you don't commute or only ride occasionally, these few simple tips will help keep your machine running smoothly and avoid the breakdown of any cycle components. 

Cycling in winter is a perilous activity. If you’re not battling snow and ice, you’re likely battling wind, rain and freezing temperature, so being prepared is vital to keep you comfortable and safe.

Although nobody will be setting any personal bests in winter – even on a fancy new carbon road bike – you still need to get the base miles in so you can maintain some fitness for summer. Here are our five most important pieces of winter road cycling clothing.

1. Gloves

Gloves are vital for cycling in wintery conditions, because they keep your hands warm and protected from the weather. The warmer your hands are, the more dexterous they are, meaning that you can change gear better and feel the brakes better.

A decent pair of gloves is a solid investment if you intend to go out on the bike in winter, as cold fingers on the bike are extremely uncomfortable and numb fingers are downright dangerous.

We now have the range of 2016 Cannondale road bikes at Cycle Division, including the 2016 Synapse and Caad8.

The 2016 Caad8 Cannondale road bikes have kept much of their specifications from the 2015 version, which won plenty of accliam for it's performance on the road. The Caad8 features innovative ideas from Cannondale such as their asymetrical chainstays which load the drivetrain side with more weight whilst shaving it off the non-drive side. This allows for more lateral stiffness and makes it a great bike for dropping your mates on the club run. Cannondale have also included their externally machined headtube which saves a significant amount of weight by removing excess material from the low stress points of the tube, allowing it to be one of the lightest bikes at this price point.

Every year the UCI hold the World Championship races to decide which rider will be able to wear the World Champion’s ‘Rainbow Jersey’ – the road cycling jersey that has the rainbow stripes of the UCI across its chest.

Although the jersey is the only thins won by the riders, it is quite popular for World Champions to have custom made road bike shoes with rainbow stripes, some even colour their cycling components in the rainbow stripes such as carbon wheels or even their bike frames.

There are several events in the World Championships which usually last a week, all hosted in the nominated city on variants of the same course.