Cycling in the Rain

I occasionally enjoy riding in the rain. I don’t love it; I won’t say that. But as long as I am dressed for it, and the rain isn’t coming down too hard, cycling in the rain can be an enjoyable experience.

When we are children, we sometimes want to play in the rain. Most people develop an aversion to being in the rain as they get older. We’ll hurry from the door to the car with an umbrella over our head, trying to minimize the amount of time we spend in the rain. Choosing to bike somewhere even though it is raining is a way to relive the childish enjoyment of just being out in the rain.

Here are some tips for cycling in the rain:

Don’t bike in a downpour. If it starts to rain hard enough, being out on the streets becomes dangerous. You are harder to see, and drivers may not expect cyclists to be out in such a heavy rain, and so may not be on the lookout for them.

Rain jackets that are meant for cycling come in bright colours, often red, blue, or yellow, and have reflective strips on them. If you cycle in the rain, make sure to wear one of these cycling rain jackets, or at least wear a brightly coloured rain coat. I recommend jackets specifically sold to cyclists, because they usually have reflective strips.

You may not enjoy riding in the rain if your clothes are soaked, so make sure you are dressed properly. To keep your legs dry, you can wear rain pants. Or, at least bring a change of pants that you can get into once you have got to your destination.

Keeping your feet dry is also an issue. If your shoes are just water resistant, your feet are going to get wet. Make sure to bring a change of socks, or wear waterproof shoes or boots. Cycling shops sell overshoes for wet weather.

Bike shops also sell rain hats for wearing either under or over your helmet. An over-the-helmet hat is a good option if you would rather not put a tight cap over your hair.

When cycling in the rain, you may come across the odd puddle in your path. Puddles are common on the sides of roads, where we often cycle. Some of them can be a few centimetres deep, and you may wish to avoid going right through one. If you are cycling in traffic, be very careful about swerving to avoid puddles. If you notice that you are approaching a puddle, slow down (but not suddenly) to minimize the wash of water that will be thrown up. Or, you can go around the puddle, but only after you have checked over your shoulder to make sure no cars or other cyclists are coming up.

Enjoy being out in the rain, but be safe and dry while doing it.