Weather or Not: Battling the Elements

Weather or Not: Battling the Elements

Wind 

The sun is shining, the day looks perfect. Until you step outside and get blasted in the face with a gust of Mother Nature. Your first option is to check the weather and see what direction the wind is coming from. You might be able to adjust your route to best take advantage of the wind on the way home or stay out of it completely by keeping away from flat, open roads. Often, though, you don’t have that choice.

Your body is essentially a big sail, and the bigger the load your bike has—say, if you’re touring or commuting—the worse things will be. The trick is to do the best you can to minimize the effects of a head- or crosswind. This is why so much cycling-specific clothing is made to fit snugly and streamline your body as much as possible.

Ride with your hands in your drops and keep you head down as far as possible. Stay loose so you can quickly and easily react to sudden gusts. Forget your “normal” speed and shift into a low enough gear that you can pedal easily, and be prepared to keep shifting up and down as the wind changes. Keeping your cadence high and steady will make it much easier to endure the battle. Don’t fight the breeze, embrace it.

If you’re riding with others, take turns drafting. This means riding in a straight-line formation. The leader will create a wind break that the riders can take advantage of if they follow closely—within 2 to 3 inches—behind the lead rider’s wheel. This allows some time to rest until their turn comes around to pull the group.

As soon as you turn around, your nemesis will become your best friend—the tailwind. While the wind can be cruel, it can also be generous. Learn to love both sides and your rides will be much more enjoyable.

Rain 

As with the wind, you always have a choice to not ride if it’s raining. There’s no shame in ducking out of a gray, wet day. But if you are touring on a group ride or get caught in a cloudburst, you won’t have much of a choice. The wet can quickly suck your energy because your body consumes so much more of it to keep itself warm when soaked. The best defense against rain is to watch the weather and grab rain gear before you head out if the forecast looks dicey.

Wet roads not only make it harder to hold your traction, they also make you take longer to slow down in an emergency and make it much more difficult to catch the attention of passing motor vehicles because of decreased visibility. Increase your chances of being seen by wearing bright clothing, extra reflective gear, and lights.

Snow and Ice

It’s best to avoid riding in either of these conditions, but if you live in more northern climates and want to commute through the winter, you may not have a choice. Ice is inherently dangerous and not really rideable. If you want to venture out in the snow, your best bet is to invest in studded bicycle tires. After that, just put extra care into maintaining your bike. Winter conditions can wreak havoc on moving parts.