So what gets you in the saddle on days like this? Apart from necessity and the hell of a steamy damp-dog bus.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting
Good things about bad weather
(37 posts)-
Posted 13 years ago #
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"Did you commute today?"
I assume you meant by bike?
The rain slackened off just before I left the house but came on heavy again 5 mins later. Fortunately I was dressed for it (and only had another 5 mins for my cycle anyway...)Posted 13 years ago # -
If I go into the office, it will be by bike, but for the moment am staying at home. Small person had her usual 20 min ride to nursery though, and by all accounts survived unscathed.
Must check and see if Min's wonder site does rain trousers in maternity wear.... I suspect I will just have to take a spare pair of dry trews with me.
Posted 13 years ago # -
I got so wet today even my dry change to clothes were wet! I think i've got trench foot from my socks and shoes being drowned within a hundred yards from the house.
My shirt is finally approaching dry but i think i'll have damp feet cycling home regardless of the weather
Posted 13 years ago # -
Is the wee one on a rack seat or in a trailer? we're working on ferrying options for our wee one (luckily her nursery is on arboretum ave, so it's bike path nearly all the way.)
She doesn't handle cold very well though, so think a trailer would be a better option.
Posted 13 years ago # -
"She doesn't handle cold very well though"
Something some cycling parents seem to forget - they are warm because they are exercising!
Obviously suitable clothes for the temperature are necessary, if kids' seat is close behind adult I suspect that 'shelter' may be almost as good as trailer - unless there is a strong side wind - plus some body heat(?)
Posted 13 years ago # -
On Sunday at Wanlockhead, looking out at the rain and the 80kph gusting wind and trying to decide whether to go to the start line or not I saw a bunch of swallows flying around, swooping and soaring and messing about and I thought if they don't let the weather bother them then why should I. It was a miserable ride but I'm glad I did it for some strange reason.
Posted 13 years ago # -
oh that is SO cool.
Posted 13 years ago # -
We go with full rain kit -- had a poncho like rainshield as well when we started but she hated it, and it blew away, so was never replaced (£16 at bike coop!!).
I think the following are essential for year round cycle commute in bike seat: rain-trousers; thin fleecy balaclava for under helmet; lined waterproof snow-trousers for winter, warm lined winter boots, mittens on strings.
We buy all but the mittens on strings from LLBean online -- very much worth it, as long as you can avoid customs duties (ie buy when on work/holiday in US, ask grandparents for gifts etc). If you can get it on sale, it is much much cheaper than UK, even if you need to pay shipping etc AND incredibly durable and robust.
We get mittens on strings and fleecy trousers at Nippers in Brunstfield on sale (right after Christmas good - buy several sizes up) or at Nearly New sales.
Only had complaints of cold before we got the lined boots (very hard to find in UK in toddler sizes).
Posted 13 years ago # -
Trip was ok, waterproof trousers aren't :-/ trainers and socks are on the radiator... mind you, a woman almost took me out just before the Slateford viaduct as she appeared to turn onto the canal path without looking or covering her brakes :-o jinked out of the way just... otherwise i would've been a lot wetter!
Tweed "bunnet" does a sterling job of keeping the rain off my face and keeping the thinning patch warm though :-))
New wetproof trousers and extended front mudflap called for I reckon though! :-)
Posted 13 years ago # -
more ponchos pirates, dinosaurs and butterflies
prob too small for bike seats thoughPosted 13 years ago # -
Unless you're going to invest in rain trousers as well, go with the bike seat specific one that covers feet - very useful in wind as well. The smaller ones just won't hack it - and they'll have wet bottoms (cushions on bike seat absorb rain like sponge).
A proper rainsuit and/or snowsuit really useful for playing in park etc too - we can go down slides in all weather! And the snow trousers pad knees against falls.
Posted 13 years ago # -
I've never done waterproof trousers, my bike tights have a kind of fleecy inner that even when they are soaked they keep a warm pocket (or else my legs go numb) Got a pair of army surplus sealskinz-esqe socks though, which are waterproof to a point, then they are amusingly watertight inside :) but most importantly are windproof and keep feet warm. This plus my cag-in-a-bag seem to get me through most seasons.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Just ordered a proper dry bag for £6 from the good folks at alpkit.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Must...get...overshoes...
Posted 13 years ago # -
Wet weather is great. I've posted about this before, and wrote about it for cc. People walking by must have thought me mad whistling 'oh what a beautiful morning' as I rode by. But here's why I like it - you get to work and you dry off and change into dry clothes (all hail the Carradice) and they feel sooooooo good and comfy and warm. So you're simply feeling good because you're now dry. And then you have a coffee and it tastes so much better than if the ride has been dry and warm.
I'd equate it with a cold drink tasting so much better if it's a roasting day and you're utterly parched.
So I embrace the wet days. And just hope my kit dries off in time for the ride home...
Posted 13 years ago # -
Tow path was deserted. Meadows was quiet too. These things are good.
However I did spend over 2 hours outside this morning getting massively pi**ed on and was so wet it took a hot shower, a hot drink and quite a long time to feel properly dry and warm again. My hands still don't look right. The wind was horrible too.
Bah.
Posted 13 years ago # -
The wind was very horrible, and a sharp raindrop landed right in my eye.
Posted 13 years ago # -
I got whacked in the face with a wet branch, was verging on funny :) So who's looking forward to donning a layer of damp lycra on the way home. uuuh.
Posted 13 years ago # -
The stretch of the Innocent between the tunnel and Duddingston Road West is quite overgrown just now, and on Monday I had a cake in my pannier so large I had to leave my pannier open which made my pannier take up a lot more room than usual. I had to make sure I was hard left when a cyclist was coming the other way, got whacked in my arm by some very sturdy undergrowth and nearly came off!
The cake was nice though.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Oh well, here we go again then. Good luck everyone!
Posted 13 years ago # -
Spare dry lycra to go under my very damp cotton shorts. Damp trainers and "waterproof" though.
Looks like its brightened up, not that it matters when the ground is we my tyres seem to pull water out the air to through at me.
Posted 13 years ago # -
I dodged the rain both times, even came home the long way through the Meadows. It's been wet though - they've had to re-inforce the banking on the Brunstane Burn path.
Posted 13 years ago # -
"they've had to re-inforce the banking on the Brunstane Burn path."
Where?
Emergency?
Posted 13 years ago # -
Posted 13 years ago # -
Mostly dry today just the shower that my tyres produce, must get mud guards for this bike...
Posted 13 years ago # -
I ran both ways yesterday. The rain doesn't bother me on foot, because even if it's monsooning that just cuts down the amount I need to sweat!
Came in by bike today, was dry on the way in, fingers crossed for the other way.
Posted 13 years ago # -
I arrived at work thoroughly wet yesterday, and mostly dried out by lunchtime, after which I rode across town in the torrential 'mizzle' and got thoroughly wet all over again. Then when riding home in the relatively mild climate, the closer I got to my house the heavier the rain became. By then I didn't care, and decided just to get wet.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Well it is St Swithin's Day today which means it will now rain for forty days and forty nights.
*battens down the hatches*
Posted 13 years ago #
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