Just when you thought it was safe to venture out on the bike…
If you thought the wettest winter on record was behind us, then think again. Months of torrential rain had seemed to come to an end as March drew to a close, but the downpour has returned. Little April showers would be a relief. Those experienced in recent weeks have been heavy and sudden.
There is a difference this time around, however, both in the nature of the rainfall and the temperature, and the cyclist must respond accordingly. Warmer, showery conditions place an emphasis on adaptability in clothing, rather than on sealing out heavy and prolonged rain.
And while showers by their very nature are intermittent, the spring rainfall can be sudden, heavy, and vicious, washing debris on to the road and lube from your chain with a ferocity greater than the constant drizzle of winter. A regular maintenance regime – a winter pursuit for many – must remain.
We’ll explore five ways to beat the spring showers in the pages ahead, and if you have any survival strategies of your own, then share them in the RCUK Forum.
