How To Ride In Wet And Snowy Conditions: Cycling Tips for All Winter Conditions
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- Опубліковано 4 лип 2024
- Ever wondered how to ride in wet and snowy conditions with confidence? If yes, then you're in the right place. In this video, I'll provide you with tips and gear recommendations to confidently navigate those slippery roads. From must-have rain gear, including waterproof jackets and gloves, to protecting your bike with mudguards, I've got you covered.
Learn how to ride safely in the rain, navigate tricky metal surfaces, and approach puddles with caution.
You can also find out if cycling in the snowy conditions is actually safe.
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P.S. Here are some links to the videos that will help you to clean and
lubricate your bike and e-bike correctly:
How to clean a drivetrain: • Cleaning Bike Drivetra...
How to clean an e-bike: • How To Safely Clean An...
How to oil a bike chain: • How To Oil A Bike Chain
00:00 - Start
00:04 - Introduction
00:38 - Cycling gear essentials for riding in rainy and snowy conditions
01:10 - Preparing your bike for the wet weather
01:30 - Why should you use mudguards?
02:06 - Tips for cycling in the wet weather
03:14 - What is an aquaplaning effect and does it affect your riding?
04:04 - Cycling through larger puddles
04:28 - How to ride your bike through snow?
04:58 - Conclusion - Навчання та стиль
Great tips😊
Thanks, I'm glad you think so! Can you also let me know what you think about the video format?
Fresh snow if deep enough is actually good as it supports the tyre sidewalls as well as discouraging other traffic 🙂
The cycling waterproofs are a tricky subject especially the trousers. If they have a seam where they contact the saddle that tends to be the point which they fail and eventually you get a wet behind. The length has to be long enough to account for leg bending due to the action of the pedal stroke and to stop water dripping into your boots. It helps to have vents in them , but the sweat has nowhere to go when its wet , even if you go for more expensive breathable options. Anything is better than nylon , even not wearing waterproof trousers at all if you know it will only be a quick shower.
Tram lines that are close to parallel to a road at a rail crossing are particularly dangerous as you have nowhere to go to avoid traffic and barriers often mean you can't get off the road.
Metal drainage grates near the corners of road junctions are also nasty as you can be forced into them by cars and not see them, especially at night because they are right next to the curb.
With all these hazards you have a better outcome with wide tyres as they won't drop down small gaps. Larger diameter wheels don't drop so deeply into pot holes.
Mudguards are one of the best things you can fit to a bike. I wish manufacturers would give them more coverage towards the rear of the front wheel but you can always DIY extend them with say a plastic bottle. They help keep raw sewage off you if drains overflow !
Hi, and thanks for sharing your experiences and insights on cycling waterproofs and road hazards. It's always good to learn from each other's experiences.🙂
You have a couple of useful bits of advice here, but you left so much out. You seem to have more of a rainy season where you are, not winter as such.
As an example, you're wearing a summer helmet. That's the first thing to change as the daily weather dips below +5 C. BMX helmets with just a couple square holes are good, or an actual ski helmet, which is the same thing with a muff for the ears. Add a helmet liner as temps approach 0. Add a balaclava as temps go under -5. Neck protection is essential as it gets colder, a good neck gaiter will keep your whole body warm, as that is the area of greatest heat loss.
Shoe covers are useless, the water still gets in, they don't keep your feet warm, good winter cycling boots such as Shimano make are not super expensive and keep you dry and warm.
You rightly suggest mudguards, but the ones you show are too short, especially in the front. If it doesn't wrap around the back of the front tire enough, water, snow, and filth will still spray all over your feet, bottom bracket, chain and crank.
Rain gear in the winter leads to you creating your own rainstorm inside the jacket and pants, even with expensive gore Tex. Synthetic fibers dry out quickly after riding, and keep you warm while you're riding, while still breathing.
Layering lighter synthetic fibers allows you to adjust to the daily temperature changes. What is advertised as winter cycling gear is actually fall & spring gear. Going outside of cycling to running gear from puma, Nike, decathlon, etc is a lot less expensive, and much more effective.
Rim brakes are not good in the wet and snow. The brake pads melt like chalk, and they scour the rims, making them less effective and ultimately failing. Disks are better, but not a panacea in dirty city commuting. Best are good old sturmey archer drums, with which I think UK cycling are well acquainted.
External bearing bottom brackets hoover up water. Internal cartridges are much more resistant to water invasion. You can go cheap Shimano or up to titanium spindles and carbon bearings. There's a lot to be said for good old square taper cranks, especially when it comes time to replace the chainrings, which winter rising necessitates more frequently due to the additional wear.
Going derailleur-less is a good idea, they are too difficult to keep clean and functioning well. And you don't have time to do that everyday. If one can afford it and is OK with the weight, some kind of Pinion or Rohloff bike is great if you have a safe place to park it. Many decide to keep it simple and go single speed, which is easy to keep clean and working.
If ice and snow are constant companions, studded winter tires are great. They are expensive initially, but last for many years, so in the long run they pay for themselves.
So, hope that input is interesting :)
Hi, and thanks for the detailed feedback and additional tips! Yes, here, in Manchester we deal more with rainy weather even in the winter.🙂
Your suggestions are incredibly valuable and add a reach layer to the discussion. Thanks🙏🙂
Mudguards also prevent you spraying the cyclist behind with nasty greasy water.
Hey, thanks for commenting. That's a great point!🙂
I frequently was the sprayed cyclist in my ears of cycle commuting.@@cyclemaintenanceacademy
Wet roads bring oils too the surface and makes them slippery as hell
Hey Patrick, thanks for this.👍 It's true, leaked oils from cars mixed with water can cause even more danger.