Protecting yourself from the rain when cycling: tips and equipment

Image by moerschy from Pixabay

Cycling when it's raining is far less pleasant. Bike paths, so popular in fine weather, are only occupied by a few brave souls when it's time for a downpour. But sometimes there's no choice, and you just have to accept riding your bike in the rain. To avoid crowded transport or traffic jams, or simply to be in tune with your ecological convictions, you've decided to ride all year round. Congratulations! With our advice, you'll see that it won't be so bad. How to protect yourself from the rain when cycling? How do you cover up when cycling? Here's our advice on how to stay dry!

Autumn brings cooler temperatures and more frequent showers... If you want to get through the bad weather as well as possible, it's inevitable: you're going to need some gear!

To do this, you'll need waterproof clothing to keep you as dry as possible. But if you're a velotaficionado, you obviously want to preserve a bit of your physical appearance for your day's work.

One of the best solutions is a waterproof poncho. Also known as a bicycle rain cape, this accessory is slipped directly over your work clothes. The cape covers you from head to ankles. The water slides off you, but doesn't reach your day's clothes (or only a little). Once you've arrived at your workplace, simply take off your waterproof rain poncho, and you're just about impeccable for greeting your colleagues.

The downside is that it's sometimes difficult to feel comfortable riding a bike with a rain cape. What's more, in very windy conditions, the cape offers a wind grip that can handicap your progress, and even destabilize your balance on two wheels.

The bike rain jacket is worn a little closer to the body. There are fewer problems of loss of maneuverability or resistance to wind gusts with this good waterproof jacket. It can be easily slipped over your jacket or sweater. Another plus: it often comes with reflective strips on the back.

However, by definition, a waterproof jacket doesn't cover your legs...

For your legs, you'll need rain pants that can be worn over jeans, a chino or a skirt. This waterproof garment will keep your lower body well covered. However, it's not always practical to remove rain pants discreetly before arriving at the office.

Let's talk about extremities. As you know, this is often where you catch a cold.

For your hands, there's no mystery: you'll need cycling gloves. Unlike conventional gloves, these are designed to protect you from the cold, even with the speed of cycling. They're also designed for optimum handling.

When it comes to protecting your head, you've come to the right place: the bicycle helmet! In addition to ensuring your safety, a non-ventilated helmet will protect you from the rain. For complete protection against the cold, wear an earmuff underneath, for example.

If you've been following us, you'll know that all that's left is the feet. And for that, too, we have a solution. Waterproof cycling overshoes protect your feet and shoes, while still being suitable for cycling. 

A few accessories and gadgets that fit directly onto the bike can protect you from moisture and make you more visible to other road users.

Riding your bike as protected as if you were inside a car - it's a dream, isn't it? The protective bubble can (almost) offer you this comfort.

Okay, it's not quite the same... your legs have to be uncovered to pedal properly. Nevertheless, the protective bubble completely surrounds your upper body, considerably limiting your exposure to the rain. Coupled with rain pants and waterproof overshoes, you should arrive at your destination without having hit a drop of water!

Less covering but easier to install, the handlebar-mounted umbrella is also a good solution. As the name suggests, it's simply an umbrella that fits over the handlebars. 

This rain cover is especially useful when you're stationary. When you're riding, it still covers, but you're bound to face water splashes from the front.

On a cargo bike two-wheeler or three-wheeler, it's not just the one at the handlebars who can get wet when it rains. And yes, it's no picnic for the kids sitting in the front cargo box.

For their comfort and to make sure they're dry enough to face their school day, you can install a waterproof cover over their little ones. Completely covering the cargo bike body, this waterproof protective bubble will keep your precious cargo properly covered!

Now that you're dry, it's time to put your bike into autumn/winter mode. Light conditions are much poorer in autumn and winter. So you'll need to add a few things to keep your bike visible to busy motorists.

The basics are lighting. Red LEDs on the rear and a small lamp on the front are the minimum. Some people add light dots to their bike helmets too. There are also LED vests that emit a powerful light and even indicate changes of direction (thanks to a remote control).

If you can find flashing lights, don't hesitate. The fact that the light is not continuous helps draw drivers' attention to your presence.

You can also install reflective strips onthe spokes of your bike (for a few euros).

Of course, despite all this equipment, you'll still need to be extra vigilant to avoid incidents.

A reconditioned battery gives your electrically-assisted bicycle a new lease of life, all thanks to a less costly and more environmentally-friendly method than simply replacing it with a new battery.

Unfortunately, not all batteries can be reconditioned. Some systems cannot be reconditioned. In such cases, our team of professionals will replace the battery with a new model before putting it up for sale on Upway. The old battery will of course be recycled.

An electric bike is rarely completely out of order. More often than not, the first signs of failure are simply the symptoms of a slightly tired battery. In most cases, reconditioning is enough to prolong the life of your electrically-assisted bicycle. 

Rain and cold also make life difficult for your bike. Even if regular maintenance of your electric is essential all year round, you need to be a little more fussy in autumn and winter.

After riding in the rain, it's important to clean your bike, even very quickly. The aim is to remove as much rainwater as possible. The acidity of the water can damage the paintwork. 

Also remember to lubricate your chain regularly (a few drops every 2 or 3 rides in the rain) with a suitable product: a rain or "all-weather" lubricant.

Although water and electricity don't usually mix, you're in no danger when you're riding your electric bike. The electric current is too weak to pose any danger to you. What's more, the electrical components are waterproof. They're also designed for normal use in the rain.

Nevertheless, it's best to put your bike under cover as soon as possible. So don't leave it in the water all day. Find a place for it under a roof, or invest in a protective bike cover (between 10 and 20 euros): covering it will take just a few seconds, and you'll be doing it a big favor!

The cold is a more formidable enemy for the components of your electric-assist bike, especially the battery. When you arrive at work, take it with you, and the same applies when you return home. Batteries don't like temperatures below 10 degrees, so limit their exposure to these conditions. Protective battery covers are available for transporting batteries without the risk of damaging them.

We're not going to lie to you: autumn and winter will never be your favorite seasons if you cycle during them. Nevertheless, by equipping yourself and applying our few tips for riding in the rainyou should make the moment less unpleasant.

Hold on tight! The sunny days will soon be back, and you'll be in great shape and ready to parade under the sun!