Tips For Cycling In The Rain

Cycling in the rain always seems a nerve-wracking task. You want to cycle and stay active, even in the cold rainy winter weather, but the damp roads and waterlogged pavements might put you off.

Below, you’re going to find the best tips and tricks on cycling in the rain, perfect for getting you back out of the house and active and on your bike! 

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Waterproof Clothing

Investing in good waterproof clothing is a key step for cycling in wet weather. Choosing a good waterproof jacket will of course keep you dry, but also help you regulate your body temperature as the surrounding temperature drops.

Choosing a thinner waterproof jacket can be worn over (or under) any other clothing items you may have.

 
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Mudguards

When you’re cycling in the rain, even when it stops you’re going to find your tyres stay wet. Adding a mudguard to your bike will prevent most spray being generated by the wheels from getting onto the bike.

Often, mudguards are permanent fixtures on touring bikes. This is an affordable way to protect your bike in wet weather.

 
Lights

In wet weather, often you’ll find the darkness creeps closer quicker, especially in the cold winter months. To stay safe on the road in these kinds of conditions, buy yourself a light to attach to your bike. Not only do they benefit you and your visibility, but also make you more visible to passers-by and drivers too.

Bike lights are often lightweight and easy to attach, so you won’t find these distracting or getting in your way whilst you cycle. 

 

 (Metric Bike Helmet Matte Blueberry)

Proper Head wear

Most helmets are designed to keep the rider cool with plenty of air vents and gaps. However, during the damp weather, water can leak into these gaps, resulting in the rider having water in their eyes and their faces. Not ideal!

Using a bike cap under your helmet will keep your head warm but also dry, ensuring any water droplets are kept away from your face whilst you ride.

 
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Footwear

Having shoes that grip is an essential part of safety when cycling. You’ll need to get yourself some shoes that have a secure grip at the bottom, that fit well and that also keep your feet warm and dry.

The moment your feet start to go numb and get wet, your ability to control the bike becomes impaired. There are some great ways to find out which shoes are perfect for cycling! 

 

 (Brownie 7 Dutch Bike)

An Up-to-date bike

Making sure your bike is road-ready is a key step. If you’ve used your bike a lot and it’s a few years old, why not take a delve into the bikes we have here. We even have accessories such as lights, helmets, bells and more so everything you buy can match!

When you're using a bike in the rain, although normally waterproof, electric bikes aren't always your best option for the simple fact they're electric. The best bikes to use are lightweight bikes such as road bikes, hybrid bikes, like electric bikes, aren't the best to choose for rain cycling either.

 
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What To Avoid

When you're cycling in the rain, try sticking to cycle lanes and cycle tracks. Busy roads, even with the normal road bikes, aren't your safest option with wet tarmac. You'll find the roads safer in the sun or when it's quiet. 

If you do happen to cycle on the road, make sure you're as safe as you can be by wearing a cycle helmet and watching out for other road users as well. 

It's also important to watch out for horse riders in the wet weather, you have less braking time on wet pavements and roads. This also applies to a zebra crossing too, your brake time will decrease in the rain so keeping an eye out for pedestrians on a zebra crossing is key.

With all of these safety tips and wet weather tricks, you’re now able to head out into the rain and stay safe whilst riding your bike with ease. Don’t forget to take a look at all of the bike accessories, adult bikes and children’s bikes we have! Now all you have to do is head down to your local cycle park or head onto your favourite cycle routes and get in some physical activity!