Get your Tomos ready for winter | Maintenance and riding tips

Ride your Tomos safely through winter | Maintenance & riding tips

Riding your Tomos in the cold winter months is very different from the warm summer season. Dark, cold, wet roads and slippery surfaces demand extra attention for tires, brakes, lighting and your riding style. In this blog you’ll find key maintenance steps and riding techniques so you can safely hit the road with your Tomos. Whether you’re commuting to school or cruising with friends in the chilly winter air.

Why extra attention for your Tomos in winter?

Riding your Tomos in winter is more challenging. The mix of cold, moisture and fallen leaves can make roads extremely slippery, which means your braking distance becomes longer. Mist, rain and shorter days reduce visibility, so good lighting on your moped is crucial to spot hazards early. That’s why it’s smart to ride slower and keep a greater distance.

What should you check before riding your Tomos in winter?

Lighting and visibility on your Tomos

In the dark it’s vital to see clearly. But even more important to be seen. On your moped you’re much more vulnerable than in a car. Make sure all lights on your Tomos are working properly. Good lighting and visibility greatly reduce the chance of other road users overlooking you, especially in rain, fog or early darkness. And of course, it’s legally required. A fine for faulty lighting can reach up to €100.

Check the headlight, tail light and indicators. Replace burned-out bulbs. (Inspect the wiring if bulbs keep blowing or don’t work.)
Clean lamps and reflectors to stay clearly visible.
Wear a bright helmet, high-vis jacket or safety vest for extra visibility.
Use a pinlock system or anti-fog spray to keep your visor from misting up.

Extra tip: Upgrade to LED lighting.

LED lights produce far more brightness, use less power and last much longer than standard halogen bulbs. LED requires DC current instead of AC, so you’ll need to install a rectifier on your Tomos to use LED lights.

Want to learn more about Tomos bulbs? Read this blog.

Or interested in LED lighting on your Tomos? Check out this article.

Tire tread and pressure

Tires are the only contact between your Tomos and the road. On cold, wet or slippery surfaces, worn or underinflated tires lose grip, making cornering and braking more dangerous. The right pressure and enough tread provide stability and shorten braking distance.
Check tread depth and replace tires with insufficient tread. Good depth is essential on wet roads as the grooves disperse water and dirt.
Inspect for cracks or wear. Tire rubber can dry out and crack. Small cracks aren’t immediately dangerous, but they signal it’s time for a new outer tire.
Stick to the manufacturer’s recommended pressure (around 2 bar for standard Tomos A35 tires). Low pressure reduces stability, too high gives less grip. Also check if your tire holds air. Replace the inner tube if it slowly deflates.
Be careful on cold tires: ride gently for the first few kilometres so they warm up and gain grip.
Want to know more about tires? Read our tire blog here!

Brakes on your Tomos

On wet roads braking performance decreases and stopping distance increases. Worn or dirty brakes make this worse. Well-functioning brakes are essential to stop in time and prevent slipping.
Check the brake shoes or pads for sufficient thickness.
Clean the braking surfaces and remove dirt or sand from pads and drum/disc.
Test your brakes in a safe area to ensure proper performance in emergencies and to feel how wet roads affect braking distance.

Tomos chain and bearings

Water and road salt are real enemies of bearings and your chain. They cause extra wear, making things run rough or even break. Check your bearings and chain more often during winter and keep them maintained.
Inspect chain tension, wear and lubrication. Use a proper chain spray that doesn’t attract too much dirt. In winter, apply a bit of extra chain lube. Tip: lubricate the chain after riding, when it’s still warm, this helps the lube penetrate and stay in place.
Check if the bearings spin smoothly. Replace them if they feel rough or damaged.

Chrome and painted parts

Moisture, salt and dirt cause corrosion on chrome and unpainted parts and damage the paintwork. Winter salt gets everywhere, and once rust sets in, it’s ugly and costly to fix. Regular cleaning keeps your Tomos in top shape and extends part life.
After every ride, clean chrome and bare metal parts and coat them with WD-40. This leaves a thin protective film against moisture and dirt.
To protect your paintwork, clean it after each ride using standard car shampoo, then finish with a wax layer to “seal” it. This keeps your Tomos shiny and protected longer.

Winter riding tips

Adjust your speed

Ride slower than usual and keep extra distance. Braking distances increase on wet, cold roads. Your reaction time and visibility are reduced, same goes for other drivers.

Ride smoothly

Avoid sudden steering, acceleration or braking. Sudden moves can cause a loss of grip and a fall. Be smooth and gentle with all controls.

Watch for slippery surfaces

Be extra cautious on bridges, road markings, leaves, manhole covers and tram rails, these get very slippery.

Choose the right position on the road

Ride in the car tire tracks when possible; they’re usually drier and clearer of leaves. Keep distance from the road edges where debris and salt collect.

Tomos winter ride checklist

Headlight and tail light checked and clean
Tires at correct pressure and with enough tread
Brakes working properly
Chain checked and lubricated
Warm and waterproof clothing and gloves ready