Use my current location Wet weather tips: How to stay safe when cycling in the rain
The Australian summer is fierce and unpredictable. You might wake up with that giant blistering ball of heat piercing through the blinds, but not even an hour later, hurricane whatshername is blowing a gale, bucketing down rain whereever she pleases.
While a majority of us tend to avoid cycling during heavy rain, it's often unavoidable. Your two options in this situation: hop off the bike and find shelter or keep peddling on. If you've chosen the latter, there are ways to make riding in the wet weather safer and more enjoyable.
Face it, You're Going to Get Wet
Cycling waterproof attire advertising sells the illusion that staying dry while riding in the rain is a realistic possibility. Newsflash: not true. Well'¦ Half true. Reality and experience says that rain will find any way of creeping inside your rain jacket. Even if you've invested in the most breathable, triple layered insert fancy name here jacket, the fabric will undoubtedly absorb the rain water like blotting paper, sealing you in like a roasting bag to boil in your own perspiration. Whether its sweat or the pesky rain, you need to accept the fact that you will get wet.
Make Yourself Visible
Whether it's magic in the air or the constant stream of exhaust fumes, the rainy weather turns motorists into short-fused maniacs. To be fair, it's impossible to see when the windows are fogged up and the wiper blades are leaving debris and streaks of bug juice across the windshield. When you are contending with effects of wet weather, a cyclist pulling out in front of a vehicle could have some deadly consequences. To avoid a run-in with a driver, invest in a high visibility rain jacket or cycling attire and purchase a set of brake lights from our 99 Bikes store.
Don't Roar Through Puddles
Much like flood water, a thin coating of rainwater can easily veil its true nature. A still pool of water may hide a hazard under the surface. So before you release your inner child and get too excited at the thought of gliding through that massive puddle, your best option is to go around it or slow down going through it.
Take a Spare Change of Socks
While it's obvious that you would bring a spare change of clothes for a ride in the rain, you're likely to forget a fresh pair of socks, settling for the ones you already have planted on your feet. Remembering that you're shoes and socks are the most likely candidates to get wet in the rain, you can either man up and spend the next nine hours of your working day in soggy socks, or do the smart thing and pack a fresh pair.
Everything is Slippery When Wet
The road along with its pavement marking are known for being slippery when the rain buckets down, making actions like braking and turning a bit of a challenge. Test your brakes before you go out and take the extra time to slow down when you need to stop.
