IT IS tempting to pity cyclists at this time of year. You needn’t bother. Winter cyclists don’t need to de-ice windscreens or carry a snow shovel, blankets and a flask of tea – a bike can be lifted out of deep drifts by the puniest rider.

And unlike bus passengers, there’s no juggling with reduced services or the risk there won’t be any buses home.

As I convinced my wife just before Christmas, winter cycling is all about being prepared, and is perfectly enjoyable even at -12C.

We took the train to London for a day out. For years, I have preferred the express buses. They’re usually cheaper and they’re handier from East Oxford. But it was just after that Oxford Tube had rolled over on the M40 and with ice on the roads and more snow forecast, the train seemed the safer bet.

We cycled in Dr Martens (me) and Ugg boots (her) with thick socks. This is enough for short jaunts to the station and for stomping along Regent Street.

For longer commutes, it’s all about layers: two pairs of thin socks are better than one pair of thick ones. Leggings under jeans are essential for anything longer than a 15 minute ride: what feels chilly on the flat will feel like you’re having your legs peeled down a hill.

Breathable or wicking layers will prevent you from boiling alive. For short trips, regular coats and woolly hats are fine. Riding without a woolly hat in sub-zero makes your ears sting with cold. Balaclavas are perfect. Ladies are less averse to a man in a balaclava than you might think. Something to do with a man in (anti-terror squad) uniform?

Light cycling gloves with ventilated fingers are ideal in springtime, but miserable in winter. We wore waterproof winter cycling gloves and our hands stayed toasty.

Falling snow makes it hard to keep your eyes open. If you don’t wear glasses, skiing goggles work well, as does going slowly and blinking a lot.

I tutored my wife in sub-zero cycling techniques. Most importantly, go very easy on the front brake. If it locks up, you could lose control instantly. At corners, turn slowly and wide. Never brake while you’re turning. Brake in a straight line.

Use higher gears than usual to avoid wheel spin. On roads that have been cleared, ride in the middle of the cleared area, away from the slush. On side roads, it may be safer to cycle through loose snow rather than snow that’s been compacted by car tyres as this is often icy.

Black ice is especially dangerous and hard to spot. If you find yourself gliding silently over ice, never brake – just freewheel to a stop, then get off and push.

Skinny tyres with no grip are as useless in snow as car tyres without snow chains. We were riding hybrid bikes with chunky tyre treads, but ideally you want mountain bike tyres fully pumped to avoid snakebite punctures.

When we arrived back at the station at 1am, we had to hack lumps of ice off the saddles but the bikes worked fine.

A lot of people at this time of year have problems with frozen brakes. You can’t wiggle frozen brakes back to life. You need to defrost and lubricate the cables.

Prevention is better than cure: if you haven’t got a shed, store your bike under a tarpaulin so the cables don’t get wet in the first place.

So, with the next big snowfall, wrap up and get out on a fat-tyred bike. You’ll probably have the road to yourself. And, as my wife discovered, the worse you’ll suffer, even at -12C, is a dripping nose and healthy red cheeks.