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feature
7 survival tips for cycling in the rain Oct 2024How to cycle in the rain — endure the downpour and make riding your bike in the wet enjoyable
Cycling in the rain is a necessary evil if you plan on riding outdoors in the UK all year-round. But, it doesn't have to cause unnecessary levels of unenjoyment if you're not a fan of wet weather.
If you're commuting or planning on braving the winter outside rather than on the turbo trainer, we've put together some tips that will help you survive, and perhaps even enjoy riding in the rain.
1. Waterproof jackets and tights/warmers
Best waterproof cycling jackets
Perhaps we're stating the obvious here, but the most important bit of kit you can buy for protection from the rain is a waterproof coat. In the last few years, technology has moved on so you can now get some pretty lightweight, smush into your pocket solutions rather than a boil in the bag heavyweight jacket.
Of course, it's about getting the right balance when looking at waterproof kit. Not only do you want it to keep the rain out, but you also don't want it to be so well-sealed that your sweat can't escape. You'll see kit measured in 'mm' for waterproofness. The minimum for kit to be classed as 'rainproof' (note, this does not mean it is 'waterproof') is 5,000mm, but you'll see kit rated as high as 20,000mm+. This is top-level, will withstand a fire truck hosepipe level of waterproofing.
The balance comes from matching the breathability rating with the waterproofing. Breathability is measured in g/m2, and again ranges from 5,000 - 20,000+. The higher the number, the more 'breathable' the fabric.
You should also look at things like the zips and seams on jackets - are they 'taped'? This is a good sign for waterproofing - it's the same as you see on waterproof bags and rucksacks. There are plenty of brands that do their own version of water resistant technologies and fabrics nowadays, so beyond reviews and trusted opinions, the kit ratings are generally the best way to decide what might work best for you.
Best waterproof cycling trousers
You should also consider your legs. If they get cold or wet, the muscles won't operate at their optimum level, and your performance may suffer, too. So, what options do you have? If you're commuting a short distance, you could try waterproof overtrousers. They're not particularly fashionable, but by far the best way of keeping water off your skin.
Other options include rain protection bib tights and warmers. These are treated with a water repellant finish, like on Castelli's NanoFlex or Sportful's NoRain kit. They won't keep you bone dry, but they'll do far more at protecting you than a pair of unprotected tights will.
2. Dry feet - waterproof socks, overshoes and winter boots
If you've been caught in a downpour on your bike before, you'll likely know that your feet are more often than not going to get wet. Whether it's from the rain directly or the spray from the road and wheels soaking your socks, it can be uncomfortable and not an area that dries particularly quickly.
So what can you do about it? First up is waterproof socks. They're thicker than your usual cycling socks, so make sure that your shoes still fit before buying a load. The most popular brand is SealSkinz, although others have joined the market more recently.
They work best when paired with waterproof overshoes - look for something with a treated fabric like Gore-Tex or similar membranes. The other popular option is neoprene (yes, like the wetsuit material), which acts like less of a water barrier and more of an 'I've accepted my fate but at least my feet will be warm while they slosh about' mechanism.
But, the best - and most expensive - option is a dedicated winter boot. They are like your regular cycling shoes but beefed up to encompass things like a waterproof upper and membrane. They're also really good for keeping your feet warm when the temperature drops, but they come at a price.
3. Extremities - waterproof gloves
We won't debate which is worse - cold feet or cold hands, because they're both pretty bad in our opinion. So, how can you keep your fingers from getting soaked? Waterproof gloves.
There are a few options, from neoprene gloves that retain warmth even when wet, through to bulkier winter gloves that offer a waterproof lining. The latter can limit dexterity, however, so make sure you try them on before parting with your cash. And if you want our opinion on some good choices, make sure you give our guide to the best winter cycling gloves a read.
There is, of course, another way. That is to take a spare pair of gloves and swap them over when you're halfway round your route.
4. Big brain time - keep your head dry
What to wear for autumn cycling
Most road cycling helmets offer some degree of ventilation. And while we're glad for that when it's dry and warm, in the wet weather this can lead to our heads getting pretty damp. There are a few ways you can counteract this, though.
Firstly, consider a helmet cover. No, they're not exactly fashionable, but they fit over the entire helmet with elastic keeping it in place. They keep everything dry and usually offer some reflective details, too. So you can kill two birds with one stone.
The other option is slightly more fashion-friendly, and that is to wear a cycling cap under your helmet. The peak will help to keep the rain out of your eyes, and many brands now make caps with waterproof materials. However, breathability could suffer, so perhaps best saved for big downpours.
You may also want to consider eye protection in the form of glasses. Many cycling sunglasses now come with clear lense options, which are useful for protecting your eyes in the darker months. Of course, this is personal preference, as you will need to wipe them down every once in a while, and they are at risk of fogging up when you stop at traffic lights.
5. Mudguards
Whether you like them or not, mudguards are pretty damn handy when it comes to riding in the rain. Not only do they keep the spray off your feet, legs and bum when you go through puddles, but they'll also make cleaning your bike post-ride much easier when there isn't a massive build-up of mud and crud.
There are several types of mudguards, from plastic ones that clip onto your saddle, to full-length options. The saddle fenders don't offer as much protection as full-length, frame-mounted options, but are compatible with any road bike.
If you have eyelets you can mount some more permanent mudguards, and if not, you can use rubber mounted ones that attach to the seat stays. The full-length mudguards offer the best protection as they can be fitted to cover both front and rear wheels. Just make sure that your frame has enough clearance for the front mudguard.
We've featured a selection of all types in our guide to road bike mudguards, so whatever type of frame you have, you should be able to find something suitable.
6. Tyre choice
It may seem obvious, but getting a puncture in the wet is far more miserable than getting one on a nice summer's day. Winter is unfortunately the time to put away the narrower race tyres, and put on some more durable, wider rubber. This will help reduce the likelihood of you getting a puncture, as well as potentially offering more grip on the roads in winter.
Are you more likely to puncture in the wet? Unfortunately, yes. Debris gets washed out from the gutters into the road, and add in winter and cold temperatures and you've got a nice mix of mud, too. Broken glass and flint is more likely to find its way into your tyres when it's wet, so do yourself a favour and consider fitting the widest tyre your bike frame will accommodate.
Not only is it more comfortable, it means you can run lower pressures and benefit from a larger contact patch with the road, which in turn increases your traction.
7. Fit some decent lights
Rainy weather is often accompanied by dark clouds and general greyness, and when the weather is like this we tend to run bike lights no matter the time of day we're riding. Even just a small set of blinking front and rear lights can increase your visibility to other road users, and provide some extra light for yourself to spot big puddles and the like.
Any top tips of your own for riding in the rain that we've missed? Drop them in the comments and they might make the next update!
Rebecca has been writing about bikes for four years, after a typically ill-timed career change pre-pandemic. She's been riding bikes since she can remember, and fell back in love with them after realising it was faster, cheaper, and more fun than getting the bus to work. Nowadays she enjoys all kinds of bikes, from road to eMTB and is training her border collie pup to become a trail dog.
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31 comments
Or, from Yehuda Moon:
I actually love riding, and even running when it is raining. The heavier the better. I do have a decent kit though. Guards, leggings, jacket, gloves, waterproof cap under the helmet, and glasses. True water will eventually get through, but it takes time. The worst part is spray from motorised vehicles, the drivers of which seem to love veering into large puddles to splash anyone nearby.
Once you're properly wet the spray from other road users is a non-problem. The worst part is cleaning your stuff afterwards!
The wet that's already on you tends to be quite warm (depending on quickly it's falling on you, of course), whereas when you get hit with a dousing from a vehicle it's like having a bucket of cold water thrown over you.
Accept you are going to get wet.
Following this wisdom if it's wet out I pour a bucket of water over my head before getting on the bike...
That seems an awful lot of words when "suck it up" would have done.
Perhaps it's more poetic in the original? Although it goes both ways - apparently the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam were more than slightly "improved" in translation by FitzGerald. (Of course - depending on whether you favour *his* particular tone...)
I'm surprised eye protection is only included as an afterthought to headwear. To me, that's probably the most important item, since cycling isn't any fun when you can't see where you're going.
I find that I often need to remove cycling glasses when it's raining as the raindrops collect on the glasses and make it difficult to see anything, especially when it's dark and the water refracts headlights.
Annoying but can be mitigated somewhat by having gloves with, as many do, a glasses wipe on one or both thumbs. Helmet visor or under-helmet visored cap also useful. I believe there are also preparations that one can spray on glasses to make water run off more quickly, although I've never tried them.
I'd rather just remove the glasses so that I can keep my hands in control of the bike and not be distracted by raindrops on glasses, especially when riding in traffic and poor visibility.
Each to their own, I find getting rain and, particularly, road spray, which can have so much crap in it, in my eyes more distracting and deleterious to vision than having drops on my glasses, but there's no one right solution, it's one of those choose between the least bad of two alternatives situations, whatever works for you!
Surely what you need are proper mudguards?
They're certainly useful but they don't do a very good job of protecting me from all the road crud thrown up into my face by cars and lorries as they pass...
Jesus, are you riding through monsoons on a motorway?! How are cars flicking crud into your eyes?
Cars and especially buses and lorries going through standing water, bumping through water-filled potholes etc at 20-30mph are quite capable of splashing water off the road up to cyclist eye level, no motorways or monsoons required. Here's a capture from my camera last year in Nine Elms, London, of an idiot driving through a puddle on a wet morning and soaking pedestrians; sadly the rain on my lens meant I didn't get the reg or I would have reported him. So that's how.
Saliva is what you're thinking of...
Spit, rub all over with your fingers, then a very light rinse with water.
Keeps them from misting up, too
If you use a peaked cap it will keep most of the water off your lenses. I don't go out in the rain without one.
I've got a suitable waterproof peaked cap (an excellent GoreTex one) for that very use, but it depends on just how rainy it is as to how well it works. Astigmatism doesn't help with bright lights at night either, so I take off the glasses when they become a hindrance.
Indeed, left home the other morning at 6.30 with the pre-dawn temperature at 4° with glasses absentmindedly still tucked into my helmet, had to stop on the first short descent as my eyes were streaming with tears, could barely see a thing. I'd rather give up my helmet than glasses, helmet might be of some use in a crash (let's not start debating that!), glasses definitely help prevent crashes. I am often surprised by the number of commuters who don't wear them, quite frequently people wearing hundreds of pounds of high-end kit.
Ignore my comment...
Breathability is measured in g/m2/h.
But it's mostly fibs - don't expect to come away dry on the inside, however many hundred pounds they fleece you.
It's pretty much impossible for clothing to be waterproof and breathable at the same time.
To let moisture out the air inside the jacket has to be wetter than the air outside - so moisture vapour really only excapes when it isn't raining.
For light rain/short rides you're better off with clothes that dry fast rather than waterproofs. For longer rides and continuous/heavy rain a waterproof will keep the rain out and let your sweat escape when it stops raining.
I watched a Youtube video (probably this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r6rxWvZdho) about how waterproof and breathable clothing is a bit of a con. What's needed is a lot of airflow, such as a decent poncho, but that's not great for use on a bike as you want something close-fitting.
For years I have used a waxed Carradice rain cape. It works really well with my flat handlebar commuter bike. It forms a tent over your lower body which keeps feet drier too. Signalling was tricky early on and I am not going to beat any PB's, but for going to work and back nothing beats it's simplicity.
After we visited Norway on a cruise, we bought ourselves some decent rain ponchos (Norwegians seem to love them and they do have a lot of rain) in anticipation of the ArcTangent festival (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOkHp9DmkQE) which usually has apocalyptic rain (only a light shower this year). However, I haven't tried it on a bike yet as I'm worried about it getting caught up in wheels.
I was there! If you mean the rain on the Thursday evening, that was a lot more than a light shower, it poured for an hour. Lovely the next day though. Here's Scaler being noisy: https://youtu.be/uLuPeP92ciE
We'd timed it so we had just carried our dinner back to our tent as it started raining and then waited it out, but yeah, it was more than just a light shower.
I finally got to see Tokky Horror live after not bothering to see them in Bristol - Mrs HawkinsPeter went with a work colleage and enthused about them afterwards. Shame it was their last ever gig.
Great video, by the way.
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