Spring has sprung! The grass is turning green, the tulips are blooming, the squirrels are copulating, what more could you ask for? Unfortunately spring also means cold, wet, dreary, and rainy days. It is really easy to ride your bike to work/class/downtown when it is 70 degrees, the sun is shining, and the birds are singing but it becomes more difficult when it is raining. I'm going to share with you a few tips to make your rainy day ride bearable if not as enjoyable as a ride on a beautiful day.
1) KEEP YOUR BIKE WELL MAINTAINED! - This doesn't mean
adjusting the rear derailler or re-greasing the bottom bracket, the most important thing is to keep your chain WELL OILED. Go down to Mike's Bike's or Milltown Cycles in Faribault and pick up a bottle of chain lube!!! they are really cheap and it is an easy way to make you bike last much longer. The trick is to lube the chain after it gets wet, or once every couple of weeks. this keeps the chain from rusting, the chainrings (gears) from suffering unnecessary stress, and the rear derailer (a $50 - $80 fix) from snapping. The following link is for Ernesto chain lube which is a soy based, biodegradable, and renewable chain lube. How's that for sustainable? Plus it works like gangbusters! Pick up a bottle of this stuff, it will protect your bike, you'll spin faster and with less resistance, and if your bike is squeaking, oiling the chain will most likely solve your problem.
http://ernestolube.com/
2) Carry a plastic bag in your pocket - This is for when you need to park your bike. Put the plastic bag over your seat so it stays dry. That way when you get back on to ride again, you don't look like you're sweating profusely from an undesirable area. Plus sitting on a dry bike seat is much more comfortable than a wet one.
3) Invest in some rain gear - A no-brainer. Get some quality rain gear that you can use. If you don't want to get your hair wet, an easy way to prevent this is to wear either a baseball cap, cycling cap, or anything else under your helmet.
4) Don't pump your tires to their maximum pressure - This is just simple physics. when the ground is wet, it is easier to slip and wipeout so you want more of your tire making contact with the ground. You should be able to look on your tires and see a range of PSI. On wet days, stay in the lower range of PSI. You may be a bit slower but you won't slip out.
5) Dry your bike! - Once you've been out in the rain, be sure your bike gets dry again. If this means bringing it inside or under an overhang, do it. If you are really serious, pull the seat out of the frame and flip your bike upside down to let the water drain out. Rusty chainrings and chains are an easy way to ruin a perfectly good bike.
6) Ride more conservatively - The ground, your brakes, and your tires are all wet. Don't expect to be able to come to a screeching halt. Also, if you tend to run stop signs (as many cyclists do including me) when it is raining out BE SURE to at least slow down. I've had too many an instance where I've almost caused an accident only to escape because the car saw me in time. Cars weigh more than bikes. Even if you have the right of way, it's not worth playing chicken with a one ton brick of steel and metal.
7) Wear a helmet - Suck it up and just do it.
The big thing to overcome is the mental block of biking in the rain. Trust me. It's not that bad. Plus you can roll into your next class or pop into Blue Monday and look like a real hardcore badass. Sustainability isn't just biking when it's convenient for you, you really have to make a commitment to it. Especially now when gas prices are meant to reach $4 a gallon by June, motivating yourself to ride in all weather should be much easier. Here's to a greener, more bike friendly planet!
Go ride your bike!!
--Beck
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