Winter riding = better rider?

Not sure if this ones been discussed before....

Editorial type piece in Visor Down this month, 10 myths of biking. One that the chap stated was a myth was that biking through winter makes you a better biker. His evidence was a mate who did it this year is now crap. Not exactly scientific (although I am sure the piece was not meant to be entirely serious).

But it got me thinking, who thinks that riding through winter improves skills? Anyone think the opposite? Anyone get suddenly naff after biking through winter?

Personal opinion, I returned to bikes last Oct after a 17 year absence. Sold the car and got the SV for my commute (and also because I was missing bikes too much). Commuted through winter and think that the re-baptism of greasy roads forced me to concentrate far more than if I had started again at the start of summer. I'll never get back to the level of fearlessness I had at 20, but I think that the winter commute progressed my rusty bike control and confidence very quickly back towards a reasonable percentage of what it was many moons ago.

Maybe the guy who said he was "crap" thought so because his mate was riding more sensibly than him. Typical weekend warror mentality - look at me ride like a cu*t - that makes me better than you (yeah yeah, i know not everyone who rides purely for pleasure fits into this catagory - but some do). His mate may have been just being more observant etc and not taking so many risks? Dunno, that might be it?

I fail to see how more hours in the saddle and experience of adverse road coditions can make you worse. Maybe slower in some situations as you are more aware of the hazards.

Commuting though winter made me a more cautious/ safer rider....but does that mean better??

Also now its sunny out i can see people and they can see me alot better than in snow ( and they seem to pay attention unlike in winter/ the dark )
But no it has not done anything to make me a better rider as i dont ride like i did over winter.

[G]

As per philbut... What's the definition of a better rider.

A quicker rider?

A safer rider?

I know people who ride all winter, afterwards they tend to fear road conditions way to much, take no risks at all and ride quite a bit slower than they used too. Debatably slower, safer, more aware of risks and more observant. But, perhaps now lacking confidence, being to risk adverse and overly observant ruining what biking enjoyment was to them.

Very fair point G.

Yes, IMO.

Specific scenarios aside, I generally believe that the longer you spend on the saddle themore experience you get, whether you have been riding one month or one decade.

Learning to ride in adverse weather conditions only expands on that.

Get what is being said about being overly cautious due to experiences in the winter but everything is so subjective to ones opinion right?

i recon you can be good in the wet or the dry, but the two are totally differant, being good at one does not neccesarily make you good at the other.

When I used to commute all year round I believed it made my forward observation better. After a frosty night with 0 to 1 degree temperatures the last thing you want to do is grab a hand full of front brake.

[yorkie_chris]

Maybe, maybe not.
Maybe you are used to sliding around all over place so ride slower, expecting no grip. Maybe summer guy is used to grip everywhere so takes it for granted and uses more of it.

I reckon it makes you a better rider overall.

Define better.