Singing In The Rain

by Dan Convissor

I didn't always enjoy cycling on rainy days. The other day, however, I was riding on Delancey Street through the pouring rain, singing out loud. Dressing properly and better riding technique made all the difference.

Nylon shells, while better than nothing, are quickly penetrated by water even if they're coated with polyurethane. True, the water getting through is warmed up - but you still get wet. A higher-tech fabric is Gore-Tex, which has microscopic pores smaller than water droplets but larger than water vapor, making it both waterproof but breathable. Sounds great, huh? Unfortunately, it's waterproof only until the pressure of the water on the exterior of the fabric forces the water through the pores.

My solution is a jacket made by the Burley Design Cooperative, in Eugene, Oregon. It combines genuinely waterproof fabric with vents that can open to circulate air over your shoulders to keep you from perspiring and overheating. Underneath I wear wool, an ideal material because it retains its warmth even when wet. Two summers ago I rode down the West Coast wearing a sweater of thick, uncleaned pure wool. Even in the rain, I got by without a shell.

Waterproof footwear is essential, too. I wear leather boots coated with bee's wax. To keep water from seeping down my leg from the top of the shoe, I wear gaiters. I wrap a medium-sized plastic bag around the top of each boot, and keep the bags in place by putting a large rubberband around the base of each one over the boot, and a small rubberband around the top of the bag just above the boot. This works pretty well for about four or five hours. In a really heavy rain, I wear rubber boot covers (like Totes).

Handling Your Bike On Wet Streets

The reduced friction of wet road surfaces compromises your safety. Metal, which is everywhere on city streets, gets especially slippery - keep your eyes open. Also use extreme caution on wet stone, cobblestones and wood. Subway grates, manhole covers and the metal edges of curbs should be approached on a path perpendicular to the edge or you'll fall. Leaves are slippery, as are painted road lines, particularly the bus-lane lines on Madison Ave. In congested areas like Sixth Ave. at 34th St., cars often leave a trail of grease.

The best way to cope with these treacherous conditions is to avoid turning or applying the brakes and to keep your weight centered. If you keep a perfectly straight path, the gyroscopic momentum of your wheels will keep you up. When you do have to stop short, apply the rear brake first and use it more heavily than the front; if your back wheel slips you slide a bit, but if your front wheel slips you fall immediately. Taking easy turns can also help avoid slipping.

Your rims can make a big difference in your safety. Steel rims double or triple your stopping distance when wet, but alloy rims add only about 50%. Tires matter too; the more & rubber on the road the better. Treads reduce tire surface area ' arid create spaces that trap water. I've been riding on bald Avocet FasGrip dres for almost a year and am amazed how they handle on both wet and dry surfaces.

Riding in the rain can be enjoyable if you're safe and dry. If at first you slip and fall, take the extra precautions I've described. Because I ride on dry pavement almost every day, I treat rainy days as an extra challenge requiring higher levels of awareness - and I sing.

Dan Convissor, a bicycle messenger since 1987, recently launched his own private courier service.