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bicyclesIn a comment on my introductory post, foxfirefey suggested I post something about how I manage commuting all winter long in a rainy climate.
I replied that ha-ha-ha, I mostly just get wet, but that's not as flip an answer as it seems.
I live and commute in Portland, Oregon USA. It's a city well known for its gray, rainy climate. One of the FAQs of my relatively new bike-commuting life was, "Wow, it's wet out there. You gonna ride?"
Well, yeah. Here's what I've discovered about cycle-commuting in a less-than-San-Diego climate:
Basically, rain--at least Portland style rain--isn't that big of a deal. I regret all the years I didn't take up bike-riding for fear of it. But a lot of people really are fair-weather riders, and that gives rain-riding a big advantage: sometimes on a rainy day, I have the whole place to myself.
Crossposted from my DW
foxfirefey suggested I post something about how I manage commuting all winter long in a rainy climate.I replied that ha-ha-ha, I mostly just get wet, but that's not as flip an answer as it seems.
I live and commute in Portland, Oregon USA. It's a city well known for its gray, rainy climate. One of the FAQs of my relatively new bike-commuting life was, "Wow, it's wet out there. You gonna ride?"
Well, yeah. Here's what I've discovered about cycle-commuting in a less-than-San-Diego climate:
- There are a lot of rainy days here, but that doesn't mean each of them is rainy from start to finish: I've only actually been drenched five times in an entire fall, winter, and early spring of 100% bike commuting
- Rain gear is for wusses. I'm kidding. Rain gear suitable for bike-riding is actually just for thinner women than I am, so I never bought any because I couldn't find any to fit.
- Clothes I'd wear to wait for a bus in the rain are mostly perfectly okay for riding a bike in the rain
- Fenders are the Portland cyclist's very best friend ever
- Rainboots, aka wellies or galoshes, work fine on flat pedals. I don't clip in or anything fancy like that
- What I can't keep dry, I try to insure will dry quickly. Translation: synthetic fabric trousers and tights
- My computer monitors at work can dry my Skechers in, like, half an hour
- Almost no bike light is too bright, and almost no number of them too many, for commuting in the dark, reflective, rainy city streets
- It really sucks to wear cotton on a rainy day. Especially corduroy. Don't do that anymore.
- Merino wool keeps you warm even when it's wet. All the rumors are true. I'm nuts about the stuff
- If I were riding more than four or five miles each way, all of the above would be subject to serious reconsideration, but being a little damp for half an hour isn't gonna kill me
Basically, rain--at least Portland style rain--isn't that big of a deal. I regret all the years I didn't take up bike-riding for fear of it. But a lot of people really are fair-weather riders, and that gives rain-riding a big advantage: sometimes on a rainy day, I have the whole place to myself.
Crossposted from my DW
