Why I love biking in the dark and the rain (and you can, too)

I’ve been writing this blog since 2010, and nearly every year I have a post about biking in dark and rainy weather. Yet it took me until just a couple years ago to make a now-obvious discovery that finally turned rainy biking from a chore to joy. The solution, it turned out, had been sitting just a few feet away from all my other rain gear this whole time: Hiking boots!

I have always had very cold feet and toes, and I just cannot stand it when my socks get wet. But even if they stay dry, cold wind makes my toes uncomfortably cold even with leather shoes and wool socks. So one day I had to go bike to pick up the kid and my best shoes were still wet from that morning, and that’s when I saw my hiking boots sitting unused since our last hike. Because hiking boots are just for hiking, right? WRONG! I pulled on my rain pants, laced up by boots, put on my rain jacket and backup rain gloves and hopped on the bike. It was glorious. My feet were toasty and dry even in the deluge, and I felt invincible. How had I not thought of this before?

My point here isn’t that everyone should bike in hiking boots (maybe your feet don’t get as cold as mine), but I am saying that you do not need to feel uncomfortable in order to bike in the rain. If your jacket soaks through in a heavy rain, either try to wash and re-weatherproof it or go buy a new one. Same with rain pants. Sick of putting on gloves that are still wet from the previous ride? Buy a second pair. Hell, buy a third pair and leave one pair at your workplace. I’m not usually the kind of person who goes around suggesting folks buy their ways out of their problems, but in this situation it really might be the solution. Investments in quality rain gear can pay for themselves through the transportation cost savings you earn from becoming a year-round bike rider, and having your rain gear dialed in so you are comfortable in any weather is almost a super power.

Biking through the dark is not just about transportation. It’s also a way to get outside, get daily exercise and help with mental health during these short, gray days. Life seeps through every pavement crack during rainy Seattle days, and wooded areas truly come alive. Interlaken Park, for example, is nice during the summer, but it is an entirely different place during a rainy fall or winter bike ride. The moss glows multiple shades of green, and the sounds are full of life.

So stop staring wearily out your window. As the Dutch say, You’re not made of sugar. The hardest part of rainy biking is just getting out the door.

Below is my usual advice on rainy bike gear:

• Reliable, rechargeable bike lights. More on that in this post.
• A rain jacket that is actually good at being waterproof. If your old jacket soaks through, you can try rehabbing it by cleaning and washing with a product like Nikwax (consult your tags or the manufacturer’s website for tips). But if that still doesn’t do it, it’s time for a new one. Don’t let a leaky jacket keep you from biking. Wool clothing typically wicks water decently well, and a warm wool layer (or two) is often enough for misting and light drizzles. But most wool layers will soak through in medium to heavy rain. A lightweight waterproof jacket is my favorite because it packs up small in whatever bag I have and I can wear whatever layers I want underneath. A heavy coat is great for the coldest rainy days, but it may be too warm for most days.
• Fenders. Pro tip: If you buy fenders from a local bike shop, they will likely install them for you for free or at a discount. Fenders not only save your feet, shins and back, but the person biking behind you will be grateful you aren’t spraying them with your rooster tail.
• Gloves that work for you. My fingers get cold easily, so I have found many gloves marketed toward cycling to be too breathable and not waterproof enough. I do like gloves with a removable waterproof shell you can use only when you need it (something like Outdoor Research’s Versaliner gloves). As readers helpfully noted in this post from a few years back, you may have better luck and save some money by looking for gloves marketed for work rather than recreation. If your hands aren’t comfortable in the rain, keep trying new things. Snow/ski gloves work very well to keep you warm and dry on the coldest rainy days, but you might find them too warm at other times. Or you can get a set of pogies that stay on your bike’s handlebars, then even light gloves (or no gloves) may be enough.
• A water-resistant bag. There are many options out there, and your existing bag might be up to the task already. It doesn’t need to be submersible like a kayaking bag, just something that won’t easily soak through.
• Rain-ready pants. Most days you can get by without anything special on your legs. In the light rain or mist, it doesn’t really matter. This is especially true if your pants are made of wool or another material that wicks water. But especially for longer rides in medium to heavy rain, there’s nothing like rain pants. I suggest loose-fitting pants so they are not a big hassle to take on and off.
• Keeping your feet dry. I have found that fenders will do most of the heavy lifting to keep your feet dry most days because it’s the spray from the front wheel that really gets you. But your shoes also matter, of course. Most lightweight athletic shoes will have essentially no water protection at all. I’m not going to try to tell you what kind of shoe to buy since there are so many vastly different styles with vastly different levels of water resistance. There are many people who swear by cycling booties or waterproof socks. I find myself wearing regular shoes most days, but then wearing my hiking boots if the rain is heavy.

Aside from gear, riders in the rain should be extra cautious on wet leaves, metal surfaces like grates, and smooth surfaces like some painted stripes. They are not always slippery, but if they have any oil or organic goo on them they can become surprisingly slick. The trick is so avoid making turns or using your front brake while on any surface that might be extra slick. Slow down before you reach the potential problem spot, then make only gentle movements until you are clear of the possible hazard.

#SEAbikes #Seattle

A guide to biking in the rain and darkness

As darkness once again descends around us, your bicycle is a torch to illuminate the path and keep the monsters away.

It’s brutal to end daylight savings time the same week as we hold an election with foreboding implications. Nightfall has suddenly jumped an hour earlier, matching my emotional state. Though it is not the solution to the core causes of these problems, your bicycle could at least be medicine to help you through it all.

Even in non-election years, the annual fall time change is a shock for many people who find their moods affected by the sudden change in seasons (can we please stop the clock changes already?). For many, bike rides home from work have been plunged into darkness, and with the change in seasons comes more rain. Every year, some people choose to leave their bikes in storage around this time. I am here to urge you to try doing the opposite. Try embracing fall and winter biking as seasonal therapy. Getting outside no matter the conditions is empowering, especially once you have figured out all the gear solutions you need to make a rainy and dark bike ride not just manageable but enjoyable.

As the saying goes, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.” You do not need to suffer in order to bike through the winter. Finding the gear that actually works for you is an investment that will pay off as you save money by biking.

Every person’s body and sense of style is different, so there’s no single solution to suggest for you. Below is a list of rainy season biking gear, ranked roughly in order of importance in my opinion. Got advice I left out? Share it in the comments below.

• Reliable, rechargeable bike lights. More on that in this post.
• A rain jacket that is actually good at being waterproof. If your old jacket soaks through, you can try rehabbing it by cleaning and washing with a product like Nikwax (consult your tags or the manufacturer’s website for tips). But if that still doesn’t do it, it’s time for a new one. Don’t let a leaky jacket keep you from biking. Wool clothing typically wicks water decently well, and a warm wool layer (or two) is often enough for misting and light drizzles. But it will soak through in medium to heavy rain. A lightweight waterproof jacket is my favorite because it packs up small in whatever bag I have and I can wear whatever layers I want underneath. A heavy coat is great for the coldest rainy days, but it may be too warm for most days.
• Fenders. Pro tip: If you buy fenders from a local bike shop, they will likely install them for you for free or at a discount. Fenders not only save your feet, shins and back, but the person biking behind you will be grateful you aren’t spraying them with your rooster tail.
• Gloves that work for you. My fingers get cold easily, so I have found many gloves marketed toward cycling to be too breathable and not waterproof enough. “Water-resistant” is not good enough, trust me. I do like gloves with a removable waterproof shell you can use only when you need it (something like Outdoor Research’s Versaliner gloves). As readers helpfully noted in this post from a few years back, you may have better luck and save some money by looking for gloves marketed for work rather than recreation. If your hands aren’t comfortable in the rain, keep trying new things. Snow gloves work very well to keep you warm and dry on the coldest rainy days, but you might find them too warm for much of the winter.
• A water-resistant bag. There are many options out there, and your existing bag might be up to the task already. It doesn’t need to be submersible like a kayaking bag, just something that won’t easily soak through.
• Rain-ready pants. I have slowly started to come around on rain pants. Most days you can get by without anything special on your legs. In the light rain or mist, it doesn’t really matter. This is especially true if your pants are wool or make of a material that at least wicks water a little bit. Many pairs of rain pants are annoying to take on and off and get too hot when pedaling. I have found that thinner rain pants sized a little up work well for me, especially for longer rides in medium to heavy rain.
• Keeping your feet dry. I have found that fenders will do most of the heavy lifting to keep your feet dry most days because it’s the spray from the front wheel that really gets you. But your shoes also matter, of course. Most lightweight athletic shoes will have essentially no water protection at all. I’m not going to try to tell you what kind of shoe to buy since there are so many vastly different styles with vastly different levels of water resistance. There are many people who swear by cycling booties. I find myself wearing my regular shoes most days, but then wearing my hiking boots if the rain is heavy. Don’t accept soggy socks and drenched shoe soles as part of rainy weather biking.

Beyond gear, riders new to rainy weather biking should be extra cautious on metal surfaces like grates and smooth surfaces like some painted lines and stripes. They are not always super slick, but if they have any oil or organic material on them, they can become very slick. The trick is so avoid making turns or using your brakes while on any surface that might be extra slick. Slow down before you reach the potential problem spot, then keep your weight centered on the bike and make only gentle movements until you are clear. You will pick it up pretty quickly, but it’s a lesson you don’t want to learn the hard way.

#SEAbikes #Seattle