Winter Commuting

mickydcork

Hi all.

It's my first winter commuting to work on a racer. Couple of questions.

When cycling in the wet, will slick tyres be ok? Or are there more suitable wet tyres that I should get?

When wet, are waterproof pants essential?

I wore overshoes today with shorts, but my socks got soaked. Am I doing something wrong, do you need pants with overshoes or at least tights over the top of shoes?

Tips for commuting in the rain, dark or dark/rain?

seamus

mickydcork wrote: »

When cycling in the wet, will slick tyres be ok? Or are there more suitable wet tyres that I should get?

Your slicks will be fine. Avoid any surfaces made of metal such as drain/manhole covers and Luas tracks. They become virtually frictionless in the rain. If you must ride through a puddle at the edge of the road, lift yourself off the saddle as you never know what's under the water.

When wet, are waterproof pants essential?

No. Keeping your feet and upper body dry will stop you getting too cold, however in cold conditions you can injure your knees in particular if they're not covered.

I wore overshoes today with shorts, but my socks got soaked. Am I doing something wrong, do you need pants with overshoes or at least tights over the top of shoes?

Most overshoes let in some water at the ankle but some have a more snug fit than others around the ankle. In all honesty, you get no more than 5 days like today in any given year - most other wet days have only short showers. Actually getting caught in the rain at all is rare enough unless you're a courier. So I wouldn't be too concerned about it.

Tips for commuting in the rain, dark or dark/rain?

Commuting in the rain; Slow down, take your time, avoid large puddles, expect drivers to be even stupider and less observant than normal.

For particularly bad days like today, a high-vis vest is essential, moreso than lights. Lights are essential at night, especially in the rain. As someone else said, buy lights that are as big and powerful as you can possibly afford. Try to attach multiple lights to your arse all blinking at different times.

DirkVoodoo

It's impossible to stay totally dry. Even if you could remain completely isolated from the rain, you would be sweating heavily through non breathable clothing or driving a car.

Are there any changing facilities at work? I would try and remain somewhat waterproof, enough to avoid being cold and miserable, but bringing changes or clothes or drying your gear for the trip home might be options.

Look on the bright side, apparently we don't have that many wet days so this hopefully won't be a common occurrence.

mickydcork

seamus wrote: »

Your slicks will be fine. Avoid any surfaces made of metal such as drain/manhole covers and Luas tracks. They become virtually frictionless in the rain. If you must ride through a puddle at the edge of the road, lift yourself off the saddle as you never know what's under the water.

No. Keeping your feet and upper body dry will stop you getting too cold, however in cold conditions you can injure your knees in particular if they're not covered.

Most overshoes let in some water at the ankle but some have a more snug fit than others around the ankle. In all honesty, you get no more than 5 days like today in any given year - most other wet days have only short showers. Actually getting caught in the rain at all is rare enough unless you're a courier. So I wouldn't be too concerned about it.


Commuting in the rain; Slow down, take your time, avoid large puddles, expect drivers to be even stupider and less observant than normal.

For particularly bad days like today, a high-vis vest is essential, moreso than lights. Lights are essential at night, especially in the rain. As someone else said, buy lights that are as big and powerful as you can possibly afford. Try to attach multiple lights to your arse all blinking at different times.

Very helpful.
Thanks.

mickydcork

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

It's impossible to stay totally dry. Even if you could remain completely isolated from the rain, you would be sweating heavily through non breathable clothing or driving a car.

Are there any changing facilities at work? I would try and remain somewhat waterproof, enough to avoid being cold and miserable, but bringing changes or clothes or drying your gear for the trip home might be options.

Look on the bright side, apparently we don't have that many wet days so this hopefully won't be a common occurrence.

You have a point.

We do thankfully have changing facilities at work. I'll have to bring in a change of clothes and a towel and leave them.

Thanks

Rob_l

seamus wrote: »

Commuting in the rain; Slow down, take your time, avoid large puddles, expect drivers to be even stupider and less observant than normal.

.

Spot on seamus from my own experience i'd add

definetly slow down more awareness is required your breaking distance is greatly reduced, so any reason for sudden braking moves need to be avoided at all costs.

ednwireland

seamus wrote: »

Your slicks will be fine. Avoid any surfaces made of metal such as drain/manhole covers and Luas tracks. They become virtually frictionless in the rain. \QUOTE]

dont forget white lines (and yellow ones and any other crap painted on the road ) , nearly fell off outside the office after they repainted the yellow lines, new ones seem to be the worst

Muller_1

As said it's impossible to stay completely dry.

As well as a set of clothes for work. I leave a complete spare set of cycling gear in work including a cheap pair of spd shoes for cycling home.

I leave the wet gear in work over night and are dry for the way home the next day.

Beasty

ednwireland wrote: »

dont forget white lines (and yellow ones and any other crap painted on the road ) , nearly fell off outside the office after they repainted the yellow lines, new ones seem to be the worst

.. and the black stuff they use to seal around road repairs - it is particularly treacherous when wet (and puddles, unless you know the state of the road underneath - they are often simply filling potholes)

blorg

Slicks are fine, indeed they are the best, although probably wider is better for grip in very wet conditions. Having said that I ride all year on 700x23 and x25 no problem excepting snow. Apart from the good advice above you need to take more care cornering and not go around them as fast as you might in the dry, I have come off a fair few times fast cornering in the wet. Try not to lean the bike.

cdaly_

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Look on the bright side, apparently we don't have that many wet days so this hopefully won't be a common occurrence.

Specifically, we have a fair number of days with rain, of which maybe 10% are seriously wet. However, within those days with rain, about 75% of hours are dry and, on those seriously wet days, there'll only be one or two seriously wet hours.

Some quick stats for Dublin City (Phoenix park).

In 2008 there were 229 days with rainfall of which 25 days had more than 10mm (There's been about 18mm of rain so far today).

On an hourly basis, in 2008 there were 1236 hours with rain (14% of hours in the year or 25% of hours in the days with rain). Of those hours, there were only 28 hours with more than 4mm (0.3% of hours in the year or about 1 hour per day with more than 10mm).

When you get down to finer resolutions, you end up with things being even drier. In 2008 there were 8232 minutes with rain recorded (1.5% of minutes in the year) though this doesn't take account of how long it has to rain / drizzle for a 0.1mm tipping bucket rain gauge to register (an all day drizzle might only register 0.2 or 0.3mm).

branners69

I would just add get a hat for under your helmet for when it gets really cold!

Lumen

blorg wrote: »

Try not to lean the bike.

Is it possible to get a knee down on a bicycle? (with knee sliders, of course)

I wonder what sort of tyres would be required....

Would make wet commutes more interesting.

Vélo

And for really cold mornings don't forget your willy warmer (If you have a willy)

ednwireland

Vélo wrote: »

And for really cold mornings don't forget your willy warmer (If you have a willy)
QUOTE]

its not roubaix lycra ??????????

branners69

branners69 wrote: »

I would just add get a hat for under your helmet for when it gets really cold!

I'd go further and suggest that when Aldi/Lidl next do their motorcycling gear to pick up a balaclava. Think mine was around €8, and it definitely got good use last year.

I even think it was lycra, or something similar.

cdaly_

I used a headband rather than a hat last winter.

blorg

Lumen wrote: »

Is it possible to get a knee down on a bicycle? (with knee sliders, of course)

It is certainly possible, I have done it more than once myself and have the holes in my knee warmers to prove it. Problem is the bike never comes back up again.

Wider tyres could help but I imagine the key thing is the much lower centre of gravity with a motorbike keeps the bike from sliding out under you.

Beasty

cdaly_ wrote: »

I used a headband rather than a hat last winter.

I recall my commute on 7th January - temperature was -4, but with wind chill was the equivalent of -8. As it was a headwind it felt even colder - I appreciated the hat that day:)

blorg

+1 Donal on the balaclava, I have Descente cycling one myself and it is very good for the seriously cold days, I used it a fair bit last winter. Apart from the whole face keeps your neck warm too.

Timely thread for today, was very cold out.

Beasty

Dónal wrote: »

Timely thread for today, was very cold out.

Had to dust off the bib tights for the first time since last winter

seamus

Dónal wrote: »

Timely thread for today, was very cold out.

Indeed, note to the OP: After overshoes, the next most important thing is full finger gloves. Windproof is more important than waterproof.

Of course, they're no use if you don't wear them

mickydcork

It was cold today.

I need a decent pair of gloves.

The ones I have got soaked yesterday and they weren't warm enough today - cheap ones from Decathlon.

Any recommendations for a decent pair of gloves?

ROK ON

Gloves.

Big fan of these, pricey but excellent IMO.
Wore last years versions all winter.
Thin with good grip, but windproof and warm.
Threw them back on this morning for first time since last spring.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Campagnolo_Raytech_Thermo_Txn_Winter_Gloves/5360031320/

souter

Aldi/lidl do very serviceable gloves, aldi I think sold them a few weeks ago, with luck Lidl will reply in kind soon. Neoprene diving gloves are pretty good too. A couple times a year it will get really cold and I'll use ski gloves, which may look stupid but do the job.
Likewise for legs I'll use cotton long johns if it's really cold, but if it's raining it can't be that cold so suck it up soldier and wear light shorts that will dry out.
Long football/ski socks will also keep your feet warm as much as trousers.
A head band and snood to keep the windchill off your facial extremities, ski gear also provides good base layers.

Yes, I look a complete trolley, but coming from Aberdeen I'll claim some experience with the cold.

So saying, coming in without gloves this morning was chilly, and I forgot my trousers so I'm trying to avoid walking about in shorts (thankfully stealth mtb shorts rather than hardcore lyrca).

blorg

seamus wrote: »

Indeed, note to the OP: After overshoes, the next most important thing is full finger gloves. Windproof is more important than waterproof.

Waterproof is important if it's both cold and raining, if the water gets through you are really fecked. I have windproof gloves that are painful if it is wet.

Liners are also very effective at improving the thermal qualities- silk or merino wool.

I too have ski gloves for the really cold days and they are very effective- just a bit bulky. Got these descending the Tourmalet in pretty severe conditions. My hands had stopped working entirely with regard to the brakes... I remember the pain as they warmed up in the ski shop was pretty awful. They are entirely waterproof as far as I can make out.



Mean to get something waterproof and reasonably flexible.

Charlie Stick

blorg wrote: »

Slicks are fine, indeed they are the best, although probably wider is better for grip in very wet conditions. Having said that I ride all year on 700x23 and x25 no problem excepting snow.

I'm currently using 700x23 Bontrager Hardcase tyres but I'm considering getting a pair of x25 Gator Skins for winter. Will these give me improved grip or am I wasting my money? Cheers.