Die Hard Cyclists!

[cycleman]

On many occasions when it is absoloutly chucking it down with rain I still see cyclists in Lycra, or wearing shorts above the knee with no waterproof footwear.

I know it can rain at anytime, but before you leave your house you can tell if there is a strong chance of it raining if you look outside.

I have seen cyclists regularly and I'm sure they have left thier house wearing minimal clothes in adverse weather conditions.

Over the past few years when we have had extreme snow and ice and cold, I have still seen cyclists bombing about on sheets of ice risking life and limb.

If it is really chucking it down before I leave, I will stay indoors. Do some people love cycling so much they don't care if they get soaked or slip on ice?

 

[Twizit]

For an hour long commute I'm more than happy to stick to shorts and t-shirt if it's not too cold. It's only water, skin is waterproof, and I'd rather be wet than boiling hot and just as wet from sweat inside full waterproofs

 

[Tynan]

it's not about wet, it's about warm

lycra gets wet quick and dries as quick, all good

wet feet are a pain but no more than that and overshoes will only delay the wet but keep feet warmer thereafter

ice is another matter entirely, no-one bombs about on ice on anything other than mtbs and things with fat tyres, and that's in London where it never really really proper freezes, much anyway

 

[ianrauk]

Rain is not a problem. Skin is waterproof and as long as you are warm rain is no bothers. And as Tynan said above, Lycra dries very quickly.
Ice though is a no go for me.

 

[SportMonkey]

I used to kayak in a Craft thermal and shorts all winter (including dips). Once you're hot the wet is unnoticeable, and waterproofs get in the way and keep you wet. Feels a lot colder on a bike when you get going though.

 

[corshamjim]

It seems everyone has different ways to enjoy cycling in wet weather. I use waterproofs, but my commute isn't too long so they usually do the job fairly adequately. For those rare occasions when they don't, I keep a change of clothes at work.

It never matters how wet I get on the journey home - I can always shower and change when I get there if I need to.

For ice, there are winter studded tyres.

http://www.schwalbe.co.uk/c2-1217-schwalbe-tires-marathon-winter.html

 

[Tommi]

Sounds like you're looking for excuses. Rain is of little consequence if you're dressed properly or have showers at the end of your journey (unless of course you're made of sugar) - and either you dress up totally waterproof, or accept the fact you're going to get wet anyway in which case less clothing is actually better. Snow and ice aren't bad if you can handle a bike (and even lots more people think they can manage steering a ton of metal on snow and ice, risking not only themselves in the process.)

It's all about the attitude, really. Either you look for excuses to avoid doing something, or you just adapt and do it. I used to cycle only in good weather, but with different attitude and clothes I learned the excuses I had just didn't hold water (pun intended.)

 

[Plax]

Look, I just have to say this.<rant>Skin is NOT WATERPROOF. Skin is Semi-Permeable Membrane</rant>

 

[Deleted member 1258]

The only way I can get to work is by bike, I have no car and the bus is long winded and expensive, so I'm commuting in all weathers and have done so for more years than I care to remember, at least thirty, I do use waterproofs and overshoes and I do ride in the ice and snow, I ride fixed for commuting. Club and leisure rides are another matter, they are not essential trips so if its raining I go back to bed.

 

[al78]

On many occasions when it is absoloutly chucking it down with rain I still see cyclists in Lycra, or wearing shorts above the knee with no waterproof footwear.

I know it can rain at anytime, but before you leave your house you can tell if there is a strong chance of it raining if you look outside.

I have seen cyclists regularly and I'm sure they have left thier house wearing minimal clothes in adverse weather conditions.

Over the past few years when we have had extreme snow and ice and cold, I have still seen cyclists bombing about on sheets of ice risking life and limb.

If it is really chucking it down before I leave, I will stay indoors. Do some people love cycling so much they don't care if they get soaked or slip on ice?

Some people cycle for transport; you can't really expect people to take the day off work just because it's raining.

 

[gambatte]

Some of the most enjoyable cycling I've done has been in hard downpours. So long as its not near zero a bit of activity keeps you warm. After 5 mins you're not getting any wetter. Rain can have a tendancy to keep traffic levels down too (they'll wait before popping out to the shops.... see if it clears)

Think it might be like when you get a windy day and you see horses running round a field... Something about it just makes you glad to be alive?

Possibly one of the most enjoyable rides I ever had was in a massive downpour, which coincided with a BIG england football match. There was nothing on the roads

 

[2Loose]

If I stayed in every time I thought it might rain, I'd hardly ever get out.

As long as it is warm enough, then a bit of rain never killed anyone and riding in it can be quite enjoyable.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

On many occasions when it is absoloutly chucking it down with rain I still see cyclists in Lycra, or wearing shorts above the knee with no waterproof footwear.

I know it can rain at anytime, but before you leave your house you can tell if there is a strong chance of it raining if you look outside.

I have seen cyclists regularly and I'm sure they have left thier house wearing minimal clothes in adverse weather conditions.

Over the past few years when we have had extreme snow and ice and cold, I have still seen cyclists bombing about on sheets of ice risking life and limb.

If it is really chucking it down before I leave, I will stay indoors. Do some people love cycling so much they don't care if they get soaked or slip on ice?

I came to my senses last winter whilst sliding down a hill on my belly with my bike under me, in the Derwent Valley at night, remote location and thinking "hang on, no-one knows I'm out here"

Yes, it was silly

That was the extreme...I cycled throughout the winter (with care, no "bombing about") when cars were being abandoned

Although after driving a friend to the other side of Sheffield in a normal 2WD car on the worst day, when we passed 4x4's being parked up and left, and then getting my bike out of her boot and cycling back, the driving was the more miserable experience, even if I did get frostnip on the bike

 

[gaz]

I was caught out the other day, looked out the window and checked the forecasted weather and current rain clouds on the met office.
Well the wind changed heavily and an hour later there was a torrential downpoor and i had nothing but my summer gear on.
Soaked through in seconds but just man up and carry on. Only think i really want in the rain is a cap, and that is to keep the rain off my glasses.

 

[JonnyBlade]

Wet feet and bum aren't nice but as long as it's not freezing it's one to overcome