We have benefited from extended good weather this year, but that’s it now folks, winter has officially arrived. Christmas is round the corner, the decorations are up in our shopping arcades, stores are packing all manner of delectable tat for you to purchase for your loved ones and Jack Frost is routinely using the bat phone to the weather centre in an attempt to gain extra media attention.

And what about us cyclists? Well it’s time to sort the wheat from the chaff and the men from the boys as the outwardly masculine phrase goes.

The fair-weather cyclists have already resigned their bikes to the shed.

Only the hardcore remain – we don all manner of woollen, hi-vis, flashing garb in an attempt to see and be seen, but mainly to stay warm and dry and we dart around from office to home, shop to pub because dawdling is no longer an option.

But I must say, I rather enjoy cycling in the rain.

Don’t get me wrong, it can be miserable if you are not prepared for it, but if you have the right get-up it can be a truly magical experience.

For example, on a long commute in the rain I don full length waterproof trousers and a jacket with hood.

It lifts my spirits so much that I am dry and happy underneath this clothing, I have been known to sing aloud.

I am not much of a singer, but I truly believe a bit of rain while cycling can bring out the inner Debbie Reynolds in me.

However, unlike Debbie, in my raingear I look like a gender non-specific fluorescent road worker – and that’s not a good look for a fashionista on the move.

The British have plenty of experience of rain, hell I reckon some claim we even invented it, but snow, ice, frost that’s just not cricket.

The cycle lanes are now reserved for the unyielding cyclist, the fearless cyclist and well let’s admit it, kids, as they never seem to feel the cold.

Many a lesson was learnt by any cyclist who made it through last year’s snow avec bicycle and if you fancy having a go at beating the weather this year and you really want to know the secrets of keeping warm ask a winter cyclist, we will bore you no end with what to wear and where.

First line of attack is always a ruddy good pair of gloves. Leave home without them and you risk frost bitten fingers as I learnt the other morning, this year I will be trying sealskins or something from the Altura range in a bid to keep my digits warm.