Preparing your Bike For a Rainy Trip
If you are fond of biking, then there is no need to stop because of the rain. You only need to make some tweaks, and your bike will be ready for you to enjoy the rainy weather!
Take note that to ride your bike in the rain, you don’t only have to change the clothing, but you also have to change your riding behavior.
Here are a few changes you can make to your bike so that you can safely ride your awesome vehicle even if it’s pouring from the sky.
Reduce the tire pressure
Tires are generally inflated to 9 or 10 bar, however, in the rain, the pressure should be reduced to 8 or 8.5 bar. By doing so you’ll notice that the tires remain quite hard; however, you, as a rider, will experience a boost in the traction and feel more secure as well.
Grease the bike
If your weather app tells you that it is going to rain then you should add waterproof grease to the derailleur pulleys and chains. Doing this will make sure that the water doesn’t penetrate the links and bearings. It also prevents wet roads from rubbing against the drivetrain like sandpaper.
Re-lube the parts
After a rainy day, you need to ensure that you re-grease the chain, derailleur pulleys, and the headset.
Wash your bike carefully
After you spend a day in the rain and mud, you will be tempted to clean up your bike with a professional, high-powered washer. However, remember that you should not aim the high-powered hose to moving parts such as the derailleurs, headset, or other surfaces with bearings.
If you don’t wash it carefully then you might strip the lube away. Wipe the water and dust off from the bike’s frame. Also, remove the water from the bike’s chain and put a little lubricant to avoid rust.
A few other tips
- Firstly, add reflectors and lights to the bike as that will make it easier for others to see you.
- Don’t forget that braking isn’t too effective during the rain. So, when you are driving in such weather make sure that you take a bit more time while braking. This means that you should slow down your bike first and then brake earlier than you normally would while riding in dry weather.
- You need to be aware of brick, painted, and wood surfaces because they get slippery when they are wet. You should also try to ride straight so that you avoid slipping.
- Try to avoid puddles as much as you can. Evaluating the depth of the puddles is hard. Also, puddles might have different kinds of stuff in them that can harm your tires such as nails and glass.
Keep these precautions in mind the next time you decide to ride your bike when it’s raining for a safer and better experience!
