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TIPS ON CYCLING IN WET CONDITIONS
By Doc Larry

1. Avoid cycling in wet conditions if you have narrow tires or rim brakes. Or both. Narrow tires have limited contact patches, and rim brakes are substantially weakened by water and muddy contamination of the braking surface.

2. If you cannot avoid cycling in wet conditions with the above features on your bike, learn how to brake effectively with wet rim brakes (you need to clean the braking surface with your brake pads) and lower your tire pressure to minimum recommendations (printed on your tire) to maximize braking power.

3. Ride slower. Even if you have disc brakes, your tires and the road will still be wet and this means your maximum braking power will be reduced. There is a significant risk of skidding or locking out your wheels if the road is wet but your brakes are at their normal operating power. Brake cautiously. Ride slow so you don’t have to be aggressive with braking. I’d recommend 20 kph maximum.

4. Practice braking hard in the rain in safe conditions. If you have the opportunity, ride at 20 kph and then brake as hard as you can in an environment where this will not hurt you. You may need to know how to do this on the road. Practicing this skill only when there is a 20 ton truck about to kill you is not good. This will also inform you about your bike’s braking distance in the wet. Obviously, do not ride at a speed that you did not practice how to stop.

5. Have fenders. Getting questionable ground fluids flung at your mouth and nose isn’t fun.

6. Do not ride on smooth cement, oil, metal, or paint if you can help it. These surfaces become very slick when wet. If you have to ride through these hazards, keep the bike going straight and do not lean or use your brakes. Even if these surfaces are dry, your wheel may not be - only ride on these surfaces when both wheels and the surface are dry.

7. Avoid riding through puddles or flood. Puddles and water can hide potholes and rocks that can throw you off your bike. They can also hydroplane your wheel if you brake while negotiating a puddle at speed.

8. If you cannot avoid riding through a flooded area, follow the wheel track of cars, motorcycle riders, or other cyclists going through the area. The behavior (or crash) of the users in front of you can tell you whether the path is safe or not. If you don’t have other users to follow, go very slowly - less than 10 kph. Always expect your front wheel to encounter a rock or a deep pothole.

9. Maintain more distance from drivers and riders. Most drivers and riders don’t slow down enough, or practice braking in wet conditions. They are prone to misjudging and regularly crash in wet conditions.

10. Use your night lights to improve your visible footprint to other users. If the rain is coming down hard enough to obscure vision, stop riding. At no point should you ever ride on a road with motor traffic when the visibility is severely compromised.

11. Always double bag your equipment. If you have a waterproof bag, you can still bag your stuff for a double bag effect. Waterproof coverings can be bought cheaply, and they are cheaper than garbage bags if you ride in the rain often enough. Recycled cookie containers (Fibisco, Fita) are great for small items. Take out plastics (Jollibee, McDo, etc.) are great to stuff in your bags in case you need more waterproofing in an emergency.

12. Always take a thorough bath after riding in the wet. Our floodwaters and even surface waters are not clean. They contain oil-based discharges from motorized vehicles, and organic discharges from animals (and occasionally humans). Wash that off as soon as you get home or at the office. At work, you can settle for soaping down and washing your exposed skin (hands, feet, legs, face).

13. Keep up your core temperature. Cycling in the wet can be very cold, especially at night. Drink warm fluids, use waterproof clothing, or increase your cadence to generate more body heat.

14. Clean your chain as soon as you store the bicycle. You don’t need to clean everything. Just dry the chain. Run the chain through a dry cloth as long as it takes for the chain to run through dry. Leaving corrosive flood and surface water on the chain is why people’s chains rust during storm season.

15. Have fun! 🙂 Riding through the rain can be an entirely different experience from normal sunny day riding, but it has its upsides. You don’t get sunburned, it won’t be hot, and you will absolutely be faster than everyone else. Haha. Chill riding is for cool weather! Stay safe.

At least check your wheels and brakes before you head out. 🤣

We've all been there! Here's your reminder that it's worth checking over your bike before you head out for a ride

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