Rainy Weather Riding Tips, Tactics & Technique

Bike Check before you go

Performing an ABC Quick Check on your bike before you head out is even more crucial when facing bad weather.  This will catch any small issues that you can address quickly before hitting the road. Pay special attention to your brakes: checking that you have plenty of rubber left on the brake pads and when squeezing the brake levers firmly there should be a thumb’s width gap between the lever & the handlebar.

Rain dislodges hazards & can make them mobile, hides tire-eating road cracks & other sharp threats, causes potholes & ruts to appear, and washes debris into the road & bike lanes. All of these reasons mean that your chances of getting a flat when riding in poor conditions is increased. Now is not the time to forget your flat tire repair kit at home; you may want to consider bolstering it up with an additional spare tube.

Ensure that you have the appropriate amount of PSI (air) in your tires by checking & inflating with a floor pump. Having your tires inflated properly is the best way to prevent getting a flat. If your tires indicate the recommended PSI as a range (example: “40 – 65 PSI”), some veteran cyclists will intentionally target the lower number in the PSI range for slightly better traction.

S-l-o-w down

As the rain falls, you may be spurred to ride faster to attempt to make a clean escape, but we implore you to resist that urge and in fact, do the opposite. Slow down. When riding in wet conditions, it’s safest to slow your roll & ride more cautiously for these important reasons: 1. Your braking power is jeopardized the wet conditions, and 2. Wet roads become slick, and speed + slippery streets = higher chance of you going down.

Wet brake pads (particularly rim brakes) are much less effective when water is involved and will take longer to bring you to a stop. Plan accordingly by gradually slowing, and give yourself way more time & space to stop (at least twice as long!). Riding at a reduced pace has another benefit – decreasing your speed will diminish the spray splatter from your wheels & the road onto you. The help shed moisture off the surface of your wheel’s rim you can drag both brakes lightly on the rim to clear excess water, making them grip better.

Caution: Slippery when wet. Watch where you ride!

Be wary of biking over anything metal such as manhole covers, metal construction plates, or railroad tracks, which will get far more slick in the rain. Avoid them if you can, and if you cannot do not make any sharp turns and try to limit your brake usage when riding over them.

Thick paint on the road that makes up the lane lines and other traffic markings will become slippery when wet as well, so use caution when changing lanes or riding across them.

Steer clear of piles of wet leaves gathered in the road; they could be covering a surface defect that you won’t know about until it’s too late. Same with puddles! Quash your childhood instincts of jumping through puddles if you cannot see clearly what’s lurking below the murky surface, especially on roads you’re not familiar with.

Parking your bike?

Find a place to lock your bike that provides shelter from the elements. Reminder: take anything off & with you that could be easily stripped from your unattended bicycle. That means lights, fenders, panniers, etc.

If you know you must leave your bike outside in the rain, bring a rubber band & plastic grocery bag or shower cap to shroud your saddle so when you need to jump on the bike again you’re not putting your toosh onto a sopping wet seat.

Change of clothes can change your mood.

Stash a clean set of clothes (don’t forget the undergarments too!) in a dry bag before you head out, or keep a spare outfit at work to change into. Having a towel to dry your body can be nice if it’s a super soaker kind of day, but the best way to get comfortable is changing out of your wet ride clothing and sliding on a dry pair of socks & shoes.

Stuffing old newspaper into your drenched shoes will absorb the moisture from them quicker, as well as help to cut the funk of wet footwear. Stick them in front of a fan to assist with airflow, and replace the newspaper every once in a while for a faster dry!

Show your bicycle some love.

Moisture does a great job of attracting grime and other junk to your bike & components, so when you are done with your ride, simply hose off your bicycle with gentle water pressure to remove majority of the grit (got a water bottle handy?). If you’ve got  more time to spare, use warm soapy water and a sponge to clean off the more stubborn gunk, paying attention to the nooks and crannies in your bike’s components.

Now it’s lube time. To extend the life of your bike & it’s parts (and save you $!) you need to apply lube every once in a while, but absolutely after every wet ride. Lubing your chain removes grit & prevents rust from building up on the chain, which in turn keeps your shifting smooth & bike functioning efficiently.    

If you’re pau riding for the day, wipe your bicycle dry so that it’s ready for it’s next adventure with you!