Home 
Section Blog
Example of Section Blog layout (FAQ section)
|
Rain! Should I still ride? The problem of inclement weather is a common reason for people breaking a pattern of ridding to work. For the less enthusiastic, even the threat of rain can make biking seem onerous. There are however a number of preparations which can make the difference between riding or driving, fenders, transit and spare clothing. The first protection against the rain that I purchased was a set of fenders. They are inexpensive and light and when it rains they are a godsend. Fenders prevent the racing stripe of mud and guck that riding in the rain usually causes. They also reduce the amount of water splashed up onto the legs by the front wheel. That and a light jacket and you are at least comfortable. Find yourself a bike retailer who is willing to professionally install the fenders and you will find them to be trouble free accessory on your commuting cycle. Now it does happen once in a while where the sky opens and dumps buckets of water in minutes. In this case the best thing to do is likely to wait five minutes for the weather to change. Enjoy a coffee or hot chocolate at your local hangout and remember that the harder it rains the more abruptly it stops (at least in Regina). If the rain is still falling or you just don't feel like puddle jumping your way home you can always take transit. Regina Transit has installed bike racks on every bus and would love to give you a lift home. I keep a bit of spare change in my pannier bags for just such an eventuality. Putting the bike on the bus is easy and you will enjoy sitting in the heated bus for a while. Then when you get near your home get off the bus and ride the last little bit. I usually take whichever bus comes first that will take me to our local shopping centre. I get off at the mall and ride home from there. Clothing is another one of those things that is only useful if you have it with you. You can have the fanciest rain jacket and warmest gloves but if they aren't with you they don't help. This is why I ride with pannier bags. They allow me to carry along alternative clothing that I use when the weather changes. Alternatively you could just have a stash of clothing at your office. The plus side to this technique is that your cloths don't get wrinkled the way they do in a pannier. Consider riding in the rain as a badge of conviction. It is the cyclists riding in the rain who are the REAL bike commuters. |
|
|
|
|
