- It's inevitable as a cyclist that at some point
you're going to end up riding in the rain.
I mean look at it.
But some people absolutely love it.
They love getting wet, cold and dirty.
And come back absolutely buzzing.
So it's not all bad then,
and over the years we've learned some brilliant
tips and tricks to help make riding in the cold
and the wet that little bit more bearable.
- Can it be more bearable?
- Hope so.
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- Right let's start off with the obvious one,
a rain cape.
A thin waterproof layer that folds up really nicely
into your back pocket, and is the perfect thing
for an emergency when you get caught out
when the Heavens start to open.
- A bit like today then.
Rain capes are probably the quickest and easiest way
to put an extra layer on, but I was never a huge fan of them
and I think this stems back to when I started racing,
they were literally a thick, plastic see through bag
that you would put on, they'd flap around in the wind
and slow you down.
And you would nearly always overheat when wearing them
as well.
- Yes but technology has come a long way.
- That's true.
- And it is an essential item of clothing
when heading out in the rain.
- Yeah to be honest I'd be lost without mine today.
- Yeah.
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- A similar idea to a rain cape is wearing excess layers
of clothing to stay warm and dry when it's raining.
- Yeah, some kit offers some protective qualities
like for example a windproof layer.
Now this will actually really help you
when riding through the rain,
because it will keep the chill off your skin
when ultimately you're going to be riding
through some colder air.
- There can be a few downsides though.
Right now I'm wearing five layers of clothing
and I can barely move my arms
so I'm lacking a little bit of mobility.
And also if I wasn't wearing this rain cape
my clothes would become saturated
meaning there's nothing else that I can do basically
to warm up once they're wet through.
So it's great for short rides, but for longer rides
probably not the best idea.
- Yeah you have got a lot of layers on there mate.
(laughs)
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- A large percentage of our body heat is lost
from our heads so therefore it makes good sense
to put on a thin hat underneath our helmet
to try to keep the rain out and the warmth in.
If it's a summer's day then maybe a thin casquette
might be good enough.
But if it's really coming down and it's cold outside
something with some sort of thermal properties
will keep you a lot warmer.
If it does start to warm up it's also really easy
just to slip it off and put it in your back pocket.
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No, this is not some sort of weird cookery program.
This is the ultimate way to stay warm and dry
in an emergency.
This idea behind these suggestions
is to create a protective layer against the elements,
but doing it directly on your skin
you will lose breathability through your pores
so you really want to look at this when it's only
five degrees or under.
Vaseline and baby oil can be used as a layer of windproof
and waterproofing by smearing it on any part of your body
that is bearing the brunt of the elements.
Think face, backs of hands and knees,
all of these areas that are hitting the wind and rain
will benefit from a layer.
Even over your chest.
And then we have cling film,
or saran wrap as you may know it.
This can be used almost anywhere that your muscles
are not contracting and working hard.
The reason is you don't want to restrict their movements
as that can become uncomfortable.
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One of my favorite ways to stay warm, or to warm up
on a cold day, is to actually pre-heat my drinks
and take them with me at the start of the ride.
- Yeah it can be a real treat when you go to take a swig
from your bidon and you've got some nice hot tea in there
just to warm you up.
- Yeah, for about 30 to 35 minutes you'll have a nice,
warm drink, until the liquid cools.
This is probably a best method for halfway through
the ride though isn't it.
If you're feeling cold you can warm yourself up
with a little belly furnace.
- Right I'm going to go and fill up my bidon now.
(pacing music)
- You know what Hank, as good as all of these ideas are,
I don't want to go out in the rain at all,
and I think the ultimate hack to riding in the rain
is to not do it.
- That's a really good point though,
because you could stay inside
and do an indoor training session
and get a really good quality session in,
without getting wet and cold.
And to be fair, it did take you 25 minutes to get ready,
so you'll save some time too.
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- So far we've mostly focused on the clothing
and the preparation side of riding in the rain.
But we're missing out one important detail.
- And that is riding in the wet.
When riding in the wet there are loads of different hazards
that present themselves compared to riding in the dry.
First off grip.
You've got a lot less grip when the surface is slippery
and slimy, but also breaking.
Your breaking distances are far more increased
when the surface is wet.
- So no more pushing it down those descents,
watch out for drain covers, watch out for leaves,
and also watch out for rainbow colored patches of oil
on the tarmac.
Be more progressive with your inputs to the bike
and just take it easy.
- So be cautious.
After all we want to stay safe when riding in the wet.
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While it's on the subject of wet surfaces,
a top tip is to let some air out your tires.
This will give you more grip and it will let you feel
a lot more comfortable when riding through the wet corners.
- Whether you're getting wet from above or from below,
riding in the rain can be a pretty miserable experience.
But use these tips and tricks to get it right,
and it can be not nearly as bad.
- And if you do get caught out,
then use it as a good opportunity to practice
your wet weather techniques, like cornering
and that kind of stuff.
- For more tips and tricks click down here.
- And if you did enjoy this video,
then give it a big thumbs up.