[HoldingOn]

No – not one of Trump’s “friends”

I often get asked by non-cycling people “Do you cycle in the rain?” I’m a stubborn sort, so I cycle in any weather. Rain doesn’t bother me at all (or the dark, which is a weird question I get asked too)

Storm Agnes is inbound here in the UK and it made me think back to Storm Dudley & Eunice, when I got blown sideways across the cycle lane. It was the one time the weather made me think “I possibly shouldn’t be cycling in this.”

Does anyone abide by rules for what weather they won’t cycle in?
Is it just wind that creates a hazard – or is snow a problem too? (I’ve not cycled in deep snow before)
It there a particular technique to cycling in adverse weather?

Topic

[OnYerBike]

Deep snow is actually ok.

Deep snow is actually ok. Obviously not good on narrow road tyres, but CX/gravel/mtb tyres all work fine.

Ice on the other hand is a big red flag for me. I haven’t tried spiked tyres which might be the solution (I don’t think it’s icy often enough to justify the purchase) although I have to say I’m also skeptical of their ability to deal with really thin black ice. 

I agree strong wind can definitely be a danger, especially when it’s gusty. 

Other than that, I would be more concerned about enjoyment than safety – although if I think it’s going to be really miserable, I might not cycle anyway. 

[HoldingOn]

ohh – I’ll have to have a

ohh – I’ll have to have a look at the spiked tyres. I run 32c Schwalbe Delta Cruisers when its dry and put a 38c Schwalbe Marathon on the rear when it gets wet (I put it on yesterday)
Hopefully not tempting fate to say I haven’t had to fix a puncture in the proper dark since I moved to the anti-puncture tyres!

An excellent point about the levelling of the field when it gets dark. Makes me more glad I upgraded to a Cateye AMPP500!

[David9694]

I’ve equipped a bike with a

I’ve equipped a bike with a pair of the Scwalbe spiked tyres for this winter, so I’ll let you know if that’s all people crack it up to be. 

I usually consider myself defeated if the three foes of wet, dark and very cold/ very windy are all present.  Urban rain seems to make a lot of drivers even more incompetent than usual.  

High winds can bring fallen trees, particularly when they’re still in leaf and after a lot of rain. I’ve had to clamber through what was the upper branches or over the trunk a couple of times. 

How do fix a puncture in the proper dark? It’s not befallen me so far.  

Night cycling on country lanes can be a joy and I used to find most drivers are as wary of those bright lights I run as I am of them – for once, the dark evens things out as they don’t know what’s approaching and they don’t know with any accuracy where the edge of the road is. 

[Author]

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