Hi, Wonderful Cyclists!!

Cycling in the rain…If you really love cycling, and a serious cyclist type. Or preparing to join some competitions that need to practice regularly to improve your skills also your confidence therefore you can not skip days to miss the practice. Unfortunately, the weather are not cooperating, the chance of rain is too high. So hope this little guidance could help you to prepare for cycling in that such condition.

First: Prepare Your Bike

1. Before running your bike, use wet lube in your chain, therefore your pedal will run smoothly because wet lube is more water resistant than the dry lube.

2. Install a fender/mudguard to keep your backside from mud, dirt, and lot of waters.

3. Use the high quality, long run and bright front and rear lights.

    

4. Dress in bright clothing, use plenty of reflective tape.

5. Bring the essential kits along with you with the spare tube

6. Disc brakes are generally more effective in the rain than rim brakes, but using rim brakes properly in the rain has served people well for many years. You need to feather the brakes to remove the water+crud from the rims. Softer brake pad compounds can also help you brake more easily. Also, having good quality brakes that are well adjusted is always a good thing too. Remember that you also need to brake earlier in the rain, regardless of the type of brake, and be more careful than in the dry.

  

Then, On the Road:

1. Ride more cautiously. You can ride safely in the rain, but you have to remember that the road will be a bit slicker and your brakes will likely be much less effective. The biggest thing to worry about is painted lines and manhole covers (or other metal covers on the road). Both are very slick when wet.  Don’t corner too hard and brake earlier than normal. When you know a stop is coming up, you give the brakes a light squeeze early on to dry them off and warm up the rims a bit. And watch out for drivers. They’ll have the same reduced braking capacity and dramatically reduced visibility. You’re right to leave yourself extra room to brake.

2. Protect Your Eyes

   Your darkest lenses probably won’t be appropriate for these dull days. Many cycling eyewear makers provide clear, amber or yellow lenses for low-light situations. These are highly-recommended when riding in wet or inclement conditions. A low-worn cycling cap can also help shield some or the rain (or spray) from hitting your glasses.

   

3. While GPS bike computers are increasingly waterproof (to the point of being submersible), phones generally are not. Pack your phone, money, cards and anything else you want to keep dry, in a waterproof case, zip-lock bag or ride wallet.

    

Hope this little guidance could help you to prepare for cycling through the rain.

Happy Cycling!!!