Riding around in the Pacific Northwest rain

[darkemeralds]

In 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:

• 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

Comments

[darkemeralds]

Bike-friendly definitely helps! Mine is--there's secure parking and everything. People who arrive a little sweaty or a little rain-dampened are perfectly acceptable, and the pressure to change into fancy clothes is almost nil.

[foxfirefey]

My workplace's office building has a bike locker and a bathroom with showers and towels, and nobody at work expects me to wear fancy clothes!

[roadrunnertwice]

Man! Jealous.

Nothing of the sort at my job, but since I'm actually the only one in the whole office who bikes (part of the way) to work, I get to store my bike in a disused cubicle. (I work in Beaverton. Beaverton Is Not Portland. 'Nuff said.)

[roadrunnertwice]

(Wow, DW lets you give a reason for comment edits! That is pretty neat.)

[darkemeralds]

No, there's a very big difference between Beaverton and Portland.

I LOVE your icon. Love love love.

[roadrunnertwice]

Source. (Man, me too. Such a perfect and quiet dreamscape.)