This Tuesday, October 20, the BTA will be giving an American Sign Language-interpreted All-Weather Bike Commuting workshop. More info can be found at http://bta4bikes.org/resources/commute101.php.
If you can’t join us, here’s a short list of my favorite all-weather biking tips:
1. Keep a plastic bag stuffed under the rails on the bottom of your bike seat. When you park your bike outside, cover your seat up. I’m always happier to get on my bike when my seat is dry!
2. Fenders are worth the investment. When you’re on your bike, the rain comes from at least two directions: the sky above and the street below. Put on a pair of fenders, and viola! – you’ve instantly eliminated about the half the rain hitting you.
3. Light up! The dark part of the day is getting longer and longer, and rain reduces visibility as well. Keep those bike light batteries well-charged, and consider adding lights to your usual set-up. If you’re buying a new raincoat this season, consider going for a nice bright color.
4. Keep a stash of dry stuff. I keep a pair of dry wool socks at work and pair of extra wool gloves in a plastic bag in my backpack. If I ever get caught in more rain than I was bargaining for, I’m happy to have something cozy to change into for my day or my ride home.
5. Adjust the way you ride. Winter weather can affect your stopping distance, you ability to see hazards in the roadway, and the ability of others to see you. That said I still feel very comfortable biking in wet conditions; I just slow down a bit to make sure I feel I have the same level of control. You might also find you like different routes at different times of day or during different kinds of weather.
Rick Stanton geared up and ready for a February commute in Eastern Oregon.
You can find more biking tips on the Bike Commute Challenge Resources page.
If you’re considering a front-wheel rebuild, consider a dynamo hub – shimano makes ones that work with roller, disc or rim (obviously) brakes, and then you don’t have to worry if your batteries are charged ever again. Plus, the internal dynamo works much better than tire dynamos, which tend to slip when it gets really wet. I think that and fenders are two of the best things you can do. Fenders not only eliminate half the water you get hit with, but also all the dirt you get hit with.
Not just fenders, but the longest fenders you can fit on the bike. If they reach below the axle, they’ll block every bit of mud and grit your tire can throw at you. No skunk stripe. I look at the sorry numbers that clip onto seatposts, and racks that claim to be good fenders, and feel very good about my setup.
Fenders are great, yes – essential even – but an effective rear fender concentrates gunky wet spray at the front end, where a good sidewind can direct a lot of it right onto your ankle, where it then runs down and fills up your shoe.
Neoprene booties really help (in the really cold, too). (I like the ones from biketiresdirect.) Booties can snag on pedals, though, so be extra careful when unclipping.
Wool is like magic.
After riding a mountainbike for many years, I now use a hybrid bike. The greater wheel diameter rendered my old clip-on rear fender useless (not long enough). I lengthened it by adding a section cut from a 2 liter soda bottle. Works great now.
LEDTronics makes a great LED reflective safety vest that velcro-adjusts to go over any cold-weather outfit. It is very bright and has a different light pattern, making you more visible. It is a fashion statement.
My wool socks and wool jerseys are perfect warmth and breathablility-and they don’t “pit out” (smell). I get way too hot in the hi-tech fibre.
The best booties I have found are from Mountain Equiment Co-op. Mine came from Vancouver, BC – I haven’t seen them in PDX. Good reflective stripes, EASY to get on, work with clips. They work great for both water and wind / cold protection.
If you have a long ride on a cold wet day, neoprene gloves like those typically worn by commercial fishermen and kayakers are a real worthwhile investment. You can find them cheap and they will keep you dry and will keep you warm even if they get wet.
I agree with those who have seen the benefit of using full fenders. As an added measure one can add a mudflap at the trailing end of each fender utilizing a plastic water bottle that has been cut in half. I just pop-rivet mine on, but I am sure that other attachment methods would work, also, baby bottles can be sustituted for water bottles and they come in many colors which can coordinate with your machine.
Riding in the rain can be very enjoyable!