If your backyard is the rainy one – you must become the professional wet-weather cyclist. This is important. A wet surface poses so many hazards even to the best riders. But all the same, those itching to hit the road for the love of their sport will stop at nothing.
Nonetheless, sooner or later you will have to ride in the rain. Therefore a little knowledge on what to do should be the most powerful thing that we carry along. Make riding in the rain quite an enjoyable experience; choose the right tips that make the difference.
Dress Right – Keep Dry
The wetter you are the colder you become. This can make you sick. You don’t want riding your best hybrid bike to be a bad experience. Additionally, if you become very wet and cold you might easily lose control of your bike. A waterproof vest or jacket would be the perfect addition even to a dropped skirt when riding through your favorite streets in the rain. Here are the best ones.
- Woolen socks
- Wicking under-liner made of wool
- Full fingered water and wind resistant gloves.
Come with Fenders
This is especially cool for the group – rides on a rainy day. Fenders are great for keeping a clear vision. Many riders don’t know it yet, but fenders could be the thin line between that fatal crash on a rainy day and getting home safely. Buy clip of fenders that mount to the bikes seat-post.
Go with Clear Lenses
Whether you are racing of just riding you need your vision. More importantly you need your vision the most in rain. A great vision is a good way to keep accidents at bay. Rain provides low light. Therefore, clear or yellow lenses will be the right options to go with. They will not only protect your eyes but also make road obstacles easy to see throughout your riding spree too.
Use Heavy Chain Lube
A heavier chain lube on a rainy day is safer than having your bike’s chain cramping and freezing up with rust. Rust adds more friction and could easily leave you with a broken chain. Simply get a heavy lube and blob it around the chain before heading out on the rain. The ride will be smooth.
Mind Corners or Bends
The road is slickest and most dangerous for hybrid bike rides during and after the rain. The wet surface lacks enough grips on the rubber tires. Like vehicles, a simple braking could lead into a huge skid. Corners and bends are trick too at this time. To avoid toppling on bends, you should shift as much weight as possible on the outside pedal. Keep the bike upright though. You will be safe.
Go Upgrade Your Bike
Upgrade your hybrid bike into a rain bike too. You should introduce fenders, LED Lights, and rain pedals among other things. These are simple DIY tips that you can always remove and bring back only when the rains have started falling once again. If you want safety an upgrade comes first.
Watch Out for Patches
Another important thing to keep in mind while riding is a patch or puddle. Puddles of water could actually be endless potholes. If you hit one you could get a fatal injury. Your bike could also sustain irreparable damages. Patches on the other hand especially the rainbow patches on the tarmac will mean oil spills. In rain oil spills become quite slippery and thus very dangerous too.
Keep Your Lights ON
Yes. Even for the best hybrid bikes it is important to let everyone know that you are there. In short don’t go out in heavy rains unless you have fenders and your bike lights work. It is important to keep a bright LED light on the seat post and handlebar. This is simple a lifesaver.
Mind Your Brake Pads
The best cyclist has a great instinct. They will know even without checking if their braking pads are worn out. Turns out; a mixture of road grit and water is another fast method to erode rubber brakes pads. If you have been riding on wet weather for quite some time you should be prepared to replace your brakes as fast as you can.
If you are only going to go with one light on your bike, we suggest getting a flashing red rear light. This acts as a hazard light and is usually very essential for stormy riding. They are also very inexpensive too.
The best hybrid bikes will have replaceable accessories that you could remove after they wear and tear. You must always make sure that you have a routine maintenance for your hybrid bike before you set out for the rainy season. This is an absolute safety tip that every bike rider should keep in mind.
