Cycling is not only great exercise and eco-friendly, it's also a fun way to get from place to place. Riding on a beautiful day can remind you of all the reasons you bought your bike, but that doesn't mean you have to lock up your bike and stay indoors when it's raining. As long as you pay attention to your surroundings and take precautions to keep yourself safe, you can bike on wet routes with ease.
Step 1
Wear glasses or goggles with clear or yellow lenses, the best colors to help you see through rain and haze.
Step 2
Wear bright-colored clothing so that other cyclists and drivers on the road can spot you.
Step 3
Wait until it has been raining a while before setting out. The first downpour often causes oil in the road to rise to the surface and make the roads extra slippery. Once the rain has had time to wash away the oil, the roads are much safer.
Step 4
Lower the air pressure in your tires by about 10 lbs. to let them spread out more and give you more traction.
Step 5
Test the traction of the road by standing up on the pedals and accelerating quickly. If your back wheel slips, the road doesn't have enough traction to be safe and you should wait a while before starting your ride.
Step 6
Keep light pressure on your brakes while you ride. This lets them gently rub water away from the wheel, so they don't slip when you need them. If you have to brake, pump your brakes instead of holding them steady.
Step 7
Lean your body into turns instead of your whole bike and make wide turns.The wider your turn, the less you need to lean the bike to one side. Try to keep your bike more upright than you would when cornering on a dry day.
Step 8
Watch the road ahead for smooth metal surfaces, such as metal plates laid down for construction and metal manhole covers, because these can be extra slippery.
Things You'll Need
- Glasses
- Bright colored clothing
- Tire pressure gauge
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