Sub-zero cycling and the art of staying warm on two wheels

In honour of the numerous cyclists among you who'll continue to ride through the current cold snap, we're offering a prize in two parts; A merino wool jersey to help keep you toasty in frosty weather, and a copy of the book Wheels on Ice for when you get home and want to curl up with a good read.

Merino wool is breathable, naturally anti-bacterial, lightweight and soft - qualities that make it ideally suited to cycling wear. dhb have chosen a mid-weight Merino, blended polyamide to allow for a snug fit and added a polypropylene layer on the inside of the fabric to help moisture evaporate quicker. At this time of year, a merino jersey works perfectly as a mid layer.

Wheels on Ice reveals Alaska's key role in cycling both as a mode of travel and an endurance sport - as well as its special allure for those seeking the proverbial struggle against nature. This collection opens with the first bicycle boom and the advent of the safety bicycle in the late 1800s. At around the same time, gold was discovered in Alaska and the book describes part cycling played for those seeking to make their fortune.

Win the merino jersey and Wheels on Ice book

To be in with a chance of winning the merino jersey and the book, simply leave us a message below and we'll pick a winner next week.

Winter cycling...in 30 degree below

If you're a hardy cyclist who's undaunted by cold weather, doff your cap to the pioneer adventure riders of the 1890s who took to the snowy wilds of northern Canada without the benefit of modern clothing and 80 years before the advent of mountain bikes.

The last great gold rush in the late 1890s drew 100,000 prospectors to the Klondike region of the Yukon in north-western Canada between 1896 and 1899.

It was not an endeavour for the fainthearted. More than half of those who made the journey died and only around 4,000 struck gold. The gold rushers usually bought dog teams and supplies to traverse the frozen wilderness of Yukon and Alaska, but those who were short of money used bicycles.

Mountain biking has its roots in 1970s California, but 80 years earlier the Klondike gold rushers were riding far more primitive bicycles across Alaskan wilderness.

By following in the dogsled tracks the intrepid ‘wheelmen’ cyclists were able to make good time. The bicycles might have been cheaper to buy and maintain than a team of dogs, but they suffered from frozen bearings and tyres.

19-year-old Max Hirschberg chose to use a bicycle when he joined the gold rush in 1900. His journal gives a fascinating insight into the cold weather gear of the day:

“The day I left Dawson, March 2, 1900, was clear and crisp, 30° below zero. I was dressed in a flannel shirt, heavy fleece-lined overalls, a heavy mackinaw coat, a drill parka, two pairs of heavy woollen socks and felt high-top shoes, a fur cap that I pulled down over my ears, a fur nosepiece, plus fur gauntlet gloves. On the handlebars of the bicycle I strapped a large fur robe. Fastened to the springs, back of the seat, was a canvas sack containing a heavy shirt, socks, underwear, a diary in waterproof covering, pencils and several blocks of sulfur matches. In my pockets I carried a penknife and a watch. My poke held gold dust worth $1,500 and my purse contained silver and gold coins. Next to my skin around my waist I carried a belt with $20 gold pieces that had been stitched into it by my aunt in Youngstown, Ohio, before I left to go to the Klondike.”

The ethical choice

The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Over 30 years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance , breakdown cover and mobility scooter insurance while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.

The Good Shopping Guide judges us to be the UK's most ethical provider.

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