SUMMER IS FAST approaching but that doesn’t mean you won’t be riding in the rain from time to time. Follow these few rules and keep yourself safe…
Wet roads increase your stopping time considerably so take into account you’ll need to brake earlier to stop earlier.
Make sure your brake pads are in perfect working order and when you squeeze them make sure they grip the rims of the tyres quickly.
That extra half a second it takes worn out brake pads to grip the rims is crucial. Brake pads have wear indicators on them so if yours are on their last legs then get them changed asap!
You could be having the ride of your life and feel invincible.
Rain is often therapeutic and with a hot shower at work awaiting you think nothing of that puddle up ahead….until you hammer it head on.
Little did you know that puddle masked a hold a foot deep and now, instead of the shower at work, you’re in a roadside bath….with a mangled bike.
AVOID the puddles.
The term ‘Fred’ refers to the man or woman who has zero style points on the bike.
The easiest way to spot a Fred is by his oversized luminous yellow jacket because it’s one of the first things newbie cyclists will buy but for commuters it’s a must-have.
As well as the jacket you should get a good set of lights – so good that oncoming traffic might think you’re a motorbike. There’s even a reflective spray paint for cyclists on the market now so there really is no excuse for not looking like a Fred.
Stick to the safer, less flood-prone roads, if you can. And when riding on newly resurfaced roads take extra care, especially if there was a protracted period of good weather. Sun melts road-new tarmac compacts-water cannot percolate as well-water collects on the surface-danger is imminent.
Let a little air out of those tyres when the rain comes down. Why? Harder tyres cover less of a surface area, softer tyres have a little more grip.
You only need to drop the pressure one or two bars (or 20psi) if you’re on a road bike.
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