It's funny how at the first glimpse of a few frozen water crystals falling from heaven the whole country goes into a contagious meltdown. Roads closed, public transport frozen, emergency service sirens sweep across the land as if the end of the world is just a heart beat away. Quite simply, pathetic.

Winter is a great time to strengthen your core stability and there's no better way than to ride on roads of sheet ice, that's provided you don't crash and burn in the process! No matter how long you spend on the Swiss ball each week a couple of hours of shifting your weight to correct your pedal stroke and centre of gravity will leave you feeling more agile than an alley cat on amphetamines. And when you’ve mastered that, turn out the lights and do it at night for an even more surreal experience.

Don’t reach for the remote when it looks a touch dicey out. Reach for the mountain bike and Exposure lights. Guaranteed you’ll be glad you did.