I’ve been having a problem with my bike in the rain for the last number of months. Some time ago I lost both of the mudflaps that were attached to my bike fenders. I don’t know when it happened. I didn’t expect to find easy replacements, and I didn’t think I’d really need them because I eventually forgot about their utility. Until it started to rain a lot again this season. I kept on getting a bunch of water spray my backside; it was the dreaded “stripe” or skunk stripe. I was surprised that this was happening because it hadn’t been an issue before, and I thought my fenders had me covered. I was getting a ton of road grit all over my panniers and rack, and it was making a mess inside when I brought my bags in. […]
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Biking the kids to school in light rain? Not too bad of a Bike Bus today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nSk8ngGlwI&feature=youtu.be We might have overdressed today but it was not a bad ride to school in the rain. Our fingers got a little cold but the rest worked out fine. Here’s what made the ride more comfortable: Fenders Waterproof pants and jackets A bike safety flag for visibility Bike Bus Friends! A waterproof backpack cover Good headlights Riding through puddles Here are some general tips for riding your bike in the rain. And here are tips specifically for riding bikes with kids in the rain. Or follow along for updates:
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Can you ride a bike in the rain? Definitely. It can be uncomfortable.. or fun.
Riding a bike in the rain sounds like it could be bad, but you can work around that. With an atmospheric river and bomb cyclone event recently hitting the state of California, we’ve gotten a lot of recent experience with riding in the rain. I wrote a post with tips for gear and prep for riding in the rain, and wanted to add some updates in this one. https://youtu.be/Rbi-piGhXF4 Why shouldn’t you ride your bike in the rain? You might be put off by it for a few reasons: Safety: Roads can be slippery and visibility can be reduced. Comfort: Riding while wet can be uncomfortable, especially if you’re not dressed appropriately. You may feel wet and cold.. Maintenance: All that rain can be hard on your bike as well. Water can corrode metal parts. Here’s how you can overcome […]
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Making it fun: Gear for biking ourselves and our kid in the rain
Biking in the Rain with a Kid Our family doesn’t own a car, so when it rains we often still ride our bikes. This sometimes can present challenges when riding with a kid. The rain has returned, at least temporarily, in the Bay Area. So we got out our waterproof outerwear for the rides to school and back. Here the gear we use for biking in the rain. Biking Rain Gear (for the adults) I’ve been bike commuting to school/work for nearly 20 years now, and my bikes and gear have evolved considerably. Here is my current setup for biking in the rain: On the Bike Fenders: I have the type that mount to eyelets on the bike and cover a lot of the wheel. Some of the temporary solutions work ok, but it’s nice having more wheel coverage. I […]
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