No, You Won't Melt Riding in the Rain

I’ve been surprised by how many riders are very uncomfortable with riding in the rain. In fact, a lot of riders flat out refuse to do so, and even more have never even attempted to ride in the rain. Perhaps if I didn’t have to get from point A to point B on a rainy afternoon I might never have braved it myself. But once you do and you realize you can, it’ll extend your riding pleasure considerably. For those new to riding in wet conditions, here are some helpful tips to keep you from wasting hours waiting for it to pass and spending those hours having fun on your bike instead.

1. USING IT CORRECTLY. Something you’d rather learn now than while riding in the rain is how to put on your rain gear correctly. Rain water will find every little opening in your rain gear, just like the wind will do to your regular riding jacket. You’ll want to tuck in layers, pull your shirt sleeves down as far as you can on your wrists, and tuck in your collar so none of the water dripping off of the back of your helmet can get in. Seal the Velcro strips over your zippers on your rain gear and make sure your wrists are safe by overlapping your gloves and rain gear. Don’t forget your feet!! Be sure your rain pants are fully covering your ankles so that as the water collects and runs down your legs, it can’t sneak its way into your feet.

2. BE AWARE OF CONDITIONS. The first few rains of the season may make the roads more slippery since the water hasn’t quite washed off all of the oils built up over the summer. Also, riding in the tire tracks of a vehicle in front of you will give you a bit more traction as the water has already been splashed away. Hillsides and slopes create running water which can increase the possibility of hydroplaning. Remember that with water comes mud, and think about that as you pull into dirt areas. Water standing still is far easier and safer to travel through than water that is in motion in conditions such as a flood.

3. ROOSTER TAILS. This is really important to remember. Not only will the rider in front of you kick up a rooster tail from his back tire, if it’s a cruiser it’ll be worse. It it’s a cruiser with a 240 back tire like mine, you’ll want to give yourself plenty of distance. The spray that comes off another vehicle contains a considerable amount of water, which can temporarily blind you. A truck headed towards you in the oncoming lane will do the same. Position yourself in the lane to avoid these sprays if possible, but always be sure that you are where the other vehicles will see you. When (it’s not a ‘if’ but a ‘when’) this happens to you, just stay calm, hold your line, wait for it to pass, then use the back of your glove to wipe your visor.

4. IN CASE OF EMERGENCY. On the off-chance that you happen to lose control, the most important thing to do is do not touch the brakes! Don’t freak out, don’t swerve, just trust your bike and ride it out. Although very scary, you need to note that there is a considerable amount that your tires can slide and come back to secure traction. If you know what you’re doing, just like on a dirt bike in the sand, you can steer into the direction you’re sliding. But for the majority of the time, your tires losing traction for a split-second (that will feel like a few minutes!) will need no input from you. It then will grab the pavement again and you should be prepared for this as it can be quite shocking. Depending on how fast you’re going, when it regains traction it can either feel like the slide is simply over, or it can grab like claws came out of the tire and dug into the earth so forcefully it can knock you off your center. Just remember to ‘ride it out’ and keep your weight even and prepared as you would on a horse. If you do this, and aren’t going too fast, you’ll simply ride on as if nothing happened. Except for now you’ll have a story to tell your friends.

5. AFTER THE RIDE. Be cautious with your legs as you get on and off of your bike. Rain gear is not heatproof and will be damaged by contact with your hot exhaust pipes. After getting inside and undressed, let your rain gear dry, hanging up if possible, without any major folds and be diligent to dry completely before storing. Smelly gear is quite unpleasant.

There is no doubt about it, riding in the rain can definitely be daunting. The right gear, a level head, and a keeping a keen eye on the road will make it an adventure, and open you up to a whole new world of riding.

Now, go get wet!