Motivate me through the rain - please!

[Morrisette]

Tell me I want to keep cycling to work all through the winter. Give me good reasons. I'm serious. My motivation is nil at the moment anyway (just in general, not specific to cycling) and the crappy, crappy weather sometimes seems like it's going to be the last straw.

Today, my "waterproof" trousers seem to be, er, not. My hair's about 4 feet wide 'cos it's so damp. My gloves are wetter on the inside than the outside. And don't get me started on trying to dry trainers on the radiators at work. I KNOW the bus would be worse...and yet....and yet.....HELP!!

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

Tell me I want to keep cycling to work all through the winter. Give me good reasons. I'm serious. My motivation is nil at the moment anyway (just in general, not specific to cycling) and the crappy, crappy weather sometimes seems like it's going to be the last straw.

Today, my "waterproof" trousers seem to be, er, not. My hair's about 4 feet wide 'cos it's so damp. My gloves are wetter on the inside than the outside. And don't get me started on trying to dry trainers on the radiators at work. I KNOW the bus would be worse...and yet....and yet.....HELP!!

Don't ask me - I took one look at the weather today and used my car. I think it's important to enjoy it and not make it a masochistic slog. So, unless you want to post about how you've done 20 miles across the Pennines in a blizzard, don't hesitate to use other forms of transport if the weather's bad.

 

[BentMikey]

Sometimes it can be loads of fun to go out in extreme weather. Everyone looks at you as if you're a nutter, yet on the inside you feel great and life is good. Crisp winter mornings are great for commuting in.

Othertimes the weather sucks and so you take the car/bus/train. Don't feel guilty about it, just enjoy it.

 

[fossyant]

get some new waterproof trousers for days like today - my cheap aldi ones were fine. didn't use gloves as it wasn't that cold but plastic bags under my overshoes kept out the rain and floods - it was very wet this morning. Its important to keep warm as things don't seem to bad then. I'd only recommend not riding in icy conditions as I had a nasty set of falls in one ride to work, should have gone home, but three falls later, and one at 30 mph I got to work, battered but ok. My boss didn't, he fell off at the end of his road and broke his leg badly. Age poor health and complications meant he was off work for 6 months.

 

[John the Monkey]

8 miles in today - not the most pleasant commute ever, but after 5 minutes, not so bad.

Good things:
Aldi Top, and nearly waterproof Speg jacket kept me nice and warm, and comfortable.

Aldi bib longs got damp, but stayed warm & comfortable (I do wear them as 3/4 length because the legs are short on me).

Bad Things:
Gloves are soaked
Trainers are soaked (will stuff these with pages from the metro or another free paper, should be dry by the time I go home).

Gloves and socks will go under the aircon unit at work and should be dry by lunchtime. Bibs and top should be dry by then too (hung up at the back of the office).

I agree with Patrick, if you *really* don't want to do it, don't - I find it's never as bad as I think it's going to be, personally (plus I'd have to walk for as long as I cycle to get here in any case - I'm a fair way from the stations at both ends of my commute).

 

[Arch]

Don't ask me - I took one look at the weather today and used my car. I think it's important to enjoy it and not make it a masochistic slog. So, unless you want to post about how you've done 20 miles across the Pennines in a blizzard, don't hesitate to use other forms of transport if the weather's bad.

Bah. I looked at the weather, shrugged and got on my bike...

But then, I don't have a car.... And it's a five minute ride.

I am hoping it stops later, because we may have no option but to cycle out to the stables, because my friend's car may still be at the garage...

No, there's nothing wrong with giving in occasionally. But like you say, the bus will be hell. And you'll still have to walk between bus stops and work/home, unless you are very lucky. So you may as well ride, and earn that piece of consolation cake at elevenses.

Don't let one day put you off for a whole season. Take each day as it comes. There are plenty of winter days when it's dry, even sunny.

Also, I gather that four foot wide hair is next seasons 'in look'..

 

[GrahamG]

Trust me, just get the bus for a day - that'll soon reinvigorate your love for cycle commuting.

 

[Morrisette]

Thanks guys keep it coming!

I won't cycle in stupid bad weather (snow, ice) but I can see potential for hardly any cycling at all if I chicken out in rain, the way the year's been so far. Someone else at my work is sliding towards being a 'driver who cycles sometimes' rather than a 'cyclist who drives sometimes'.

New waterproofs yes...might need a new thread to ask for recommendations for short-ar$e girl waterproof trousers!!

 

[LOGAN 5]

motivate yourself and buy a "winter commute specific" new bike....new toy, new ride, more fun....Forget the waterproof trousers, you'll get just as with/without them.

 

[Morrisette]

Trust me, just get the bus for a day - that'll soon reinvigorate your love for cycle commuting.

This is very true - and I might do it tonight, as I'm going out straight from work, and REALLY didn't want rain today so I wouldn't have a big bag of soggy clothing to take to the pub...

 

[frog]

I think we need to look at it from a slightly different angle. The only thing you're really interested in is staying warm. Wet isn't all that bad, in fact it's inevitable on a bike. Gloves and trousers are just insulation layers. Once wet they act as a layer of warm water next to the skin. Shoes getting wet are a pain because there is so much material in them it takes ages to dry out. Get overshoes and cycling shoes. A cycling jacket won't keep you dry either. If you don't wear it you'll get wet from the rain, if you do you'll get wet from sweating. Change your hair style to something which goes with your lifestyle.

Give up all hope of keeping dry on a bike. It's great fun getting wet and after the first five minutes you don't notice it at all. Have another set of clothes to ride home in if you don't have drying facilites at work and just bash on regardless.

As for keeping going. Take a look around you at the sickly lot you work with. Listen to them moaning about the traffic and the freezing wind on the platform waiting for the train. Now remember how it felt being out there as it rained and it wasn't all that bad at all and really it was quite pleasant.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

as the big yin says, there's no wrong weather, just wrong clothes.

 

[Arch]

New waterproofs yes...might need a new thread to ask for recommendations for short-ar$e girl waterproof trousers!!

I use Rainlegs:

http://www.rainlegs.co.uk/

The thing is, the worse thing about legs getting wet for me is my thighs getting wet, because that's the bit that clings to you if you're wearing trousers (jeans are the worst). These stop that. OK, if it's rainging very hard, or there's loads of spray the bottom of your legs get wet, but I find that bit dries off quicker anyway.

The plus side is that rainlegs roll up small, and you can wear them round your waist ready if you think you might need them quickly or pack them really small. Also, they don't get as hot and sweaty as full W/P trousers, and they shake dry really easily.

 

[Morrisette]

Change your hair style to something which goes with your lifestyle. .

LOL 'Style' might be a bit of an overstatement!! If only I could change my HAIR to a type that didn't expand in the damp and laugh at hair straightners (girls, you know what I'm saying!)

As for keeping going. Take a look around you at the sickly lot you work with. Listen to them moaning about the traffic and the freezing wind on the platform waiting for the train. Now remember how it felt being out there as it rained and it wasn't all that bad at all and really it was quite pleasant.

It's true I'm not sickly. And can eat more cake.

 

[cupoftea]

Are you serious about commuting?

Don’t be some soft cager / ped

It’s only water, not acid

Whatever does'nt kill you makes you stronger.

I love when it rains, as it clears the road of all the softies

I only hope that we get a descent winter with some long periods of subzero temperatures to help get rid of some of the bugs.