Die Hard Cyclists!
- Thread starter cycleman
- Start date
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I think there are two issues, attitude and practicality.
Attitude - if you worry about getting wet you will not enjoy your journey. Better just to accept you are going to get wet and get on with it. Something I learnt many years ago as a postman.
Practicality. Rainwear at best only delays you getting wet from rain as it invariably finds its way in down the neck or sleeves. But the main choice is do you want to get soaked in rain or sweat? Much of the time the former is preferable because you dry out quickly and don't have the hassle of putting rainwear on and off. With rainwear the trapped sweat just gently soaks you until you take the rainwear off and start to dry out.
The only thing I really focus on is keeping valuables dry - wallet, phone, laptop etc.
mcshroom
Bionic Subsonic
- Location
- Egremont, Cumbria
As long as you are warm then the rain shouldn't worry you too much on the bike. although I do tend to wear a water-resistant jacket. Lycra doesn't get heavy or flap when it's wet and dries quickly, so it's actually quite good for rain. Besides, where I am the bike would never get out if I waited for dry weather!
With the snow and ice, it depends on what and where you ride. I put studded tyres on my hybrid last winter and they were so good I could cycle on roads that I couldn't walk on. You have to ease up a bit and can't lean over too much but it's actually preferable to driving. I do go off-road as much as possible as it keeps me away from the 4 wheeled idiots skidding around on the ice and actually non-compacted snow (which it stays pretty much on cycle paths) is fun
With the snow and ice, it depends on what and where you ride. I put studded tyres on my hybrid last winter and they were so good I could cycle on roads that I couldn't walk on. You have to ease up a bit and can't lean over too much but it's actually preferable to driving. I do go off-road as much as possible as it keeps me away from the 4 wheeled idiots skidding around on the ice and actually non-compacted snow (which it stays pretty much on cycle paths) is fun
Look, I just have to say this.<rant>Skin is NOT WATERPROOF. Skin is Semi-Permeable Membrane</rant>
No, the epidermis is waterproof. Otherwise you could correct dehydration by sitting in a bath rather than drinking water.
Holdsworth
Guru
- Location
- Crewe, Cheshire
I don't usually mind cycling in rain, in fact I had a most enjoyable ride to Alderley Edge last weekend when it was absolutely tipping it down and I had my summer gear on and the bike was sans mudguards! The only bad point was the soaked shoes and gloves, these can take ages to dry out so I might invest in a second pair of gloves and some overshoes for the commute. There are no radiators or convenient drying points at work, my clothes go on the back of the chair, but when it comes to shoes I am stuffed!
I understand the overshoes only slow down the soaking process, but I'd rather have damp shoes rather than soaked ones to ride home in.
I understand the overshoes only slow down the soaking process, but I'd rather have damp shoes rather than soaked ones to ride home in.
You need one of [url="http://www.limitedgoods.com/itemView.php?ProdID=718053&source=FroogleUK&medium=free&campaign=FroogleUK_InStock"]these[/url]. Or two even, one for your shoes and one for your gloves.
rowan 46
Über Member
- Location
- birmingham
you're both sort of right semi permeable means it goes out one way not the other, hence skin is waterproof but you can lose moisture through the skin. which is why you go wrinkly in the bath or being out too long in the rain. I believe the term is osmosis, If I remember my biology correctly.
quassleberry
New Member
- Location
- East Yorks
I don't bother with waterproofs they make you too hot, my partner does but then he doesn't go as fast as me - possibly something to do with the age difference.
I too have to cycle to work, not being able to drive & no convenient buses. I cycled all through the bad weather & added a lot more layers than any other winter.
I never even had a clue you could get studded tyres it would have saved me from the massive bruises when the bike threw me off before I was ready. I 've now added that link to my favourites ready for this winter.
I too have to cycle to work, not being able to drive & no convenient buses. I cycled all through the bad weather & added a lot more layers than any other winter.
I never even had a clue you could get studded tyres it would have saved me from the massive bruises when the bike threw me off before I was ready. I 've now added that link to my favourites ready for this winter.
Digital_Cowboy
New Member
- Location
- Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fl, USA
Like you, if it's really raining i.e. what we on this side of the pond call a "gully washer" I'll stay at home. If however it's just a light sprinkle I'm likely to still head on out. If while I am out riding and it starts to rain, again the degree of how hard it's raining as well as how close I am to my destination, dictates how I am going to respond. Again, if it is just a light sprinkle I'll continue riding, if it increases in intensity I'll look for a "safe harbor." If I am close to my destination, I'll keep on going until I get there.
I agree with this. Once I wore waterproofs on a 45-50 minute journey and I was sweating profusely
If im just out and about and it rains I'll just grin and bear it. I understand that some people may not have a car or access to good public transport.
I'm lucky as I live in London. If it is just mild sprinkling rain then I'm fine with it, but when it is really tipping it down the journey becomes less enjoyable each to thier own
Digital_Cowboy
New Member
- Location
- Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fl, USA
If im just out and about and it rains I'll just grin and bear it. I understand that some people may not have a car or access to good public transport.
I'm lucky as I live in London. If it is just mild sprinkling rain then I'm fine with it, but when it is really tipping it down the journey becomes less enjoyable each to thier own
Yep, I'm one of those, I don't drive and it costs $2.00, I'm not sure what that converts to for y'all. But that's just for a one-way trip. I'd imagine a round trip would either $3.00 and change or $4.00.
You only go wrinkly in the bath on the tips of your fingers and soles of your feet - at least I do - which is where there is a thicker layer of dead skin on the surface that absorbs water and swells. See Link
You've mixed up a number of concepts such as osmosis and semi-permeable membranes which have nothing to do with it. If the skin were a semi-permeable membrane and osmosis were taking place, when you sat in a bath, water would flow into the body through your skin to try and dilute your (very salty) body fluids down to the same concentration as the bath water. Which would not wrinkle your skin but blow you up like a balloon and kill you from water intoxication.
coffeejo
Ælfrēd
- Location
- West Somerset
I think cycling for pleasure in the rain is a bit like getting in the sea before it's had a chance to warm up properly: it's fine once you've got over the first few seconds but sometimes you can't help but think that life is just too short.
potsy
Rambler
- Location
- My Armchair
You might be better getting them well before winter as the stock levels of those kind of tyres disappears once the cold weather hits.
I am still debating whether to get some for this year.