Darkness, rain, or cold don’t have to mean the end of your ride. You just need to be well equipped. How to do it? The following guide tries to reveal it.
It is advisable to have basic bike lighting even if you think no one will catch you on the bike at night. You may linger, especially in the fall or winter when it’s dark. The basic rule is to be seen and to see! Your bike should definitely have mandatory reflectors, and for reduced visibility, a front white headlight and a rear red taillight.
In streets with good public lighting, we can only use flashing lights on the front and back. However, a headlight may be useful in alleys with questionable lighting quality, or in parks, even if you don’t need to have it permanently turned on. The front light is more important than the rear. From behind, reflectors will protect you in the worst-case scenario, but often you will only be visible to others because of an active headlight.
For city bikes, we recommend purchasing permanent induction blinkers (e.g. Reelight) that shine constantly. Greater investment will pay off with zero battery worry, or removing and attaching blinkers. Blinkers will be appropriately complemented by a solid headlight (induction or USB) and a backup light at the back, which you only need to carry in your backpack. Don’t use headlights; they can be blinding.
Beyond standard equipment, there are reflective vests, flashing reflective strips, and the like. As desirable as it is to be seen, maximizing reflective elements obscures other cyclists and pedestrians, and therefore their application makes sense only if you ride in bad weather and visibility on busy roads where most drivers don’t expect cyclists.
On our latitudes, you won’t need to ride in the rain too often. However, roads remain wet significantly longer. In the city, it is understandable that you don’t want to change clothes after arrival. Appropriate equipment will serve this purpose.
Fenders and chain covers are basic bike equipment, solving most situations except for a sudden cloud burst. Especially the front wheel makes sense to cover with the longest possible mudguard, or a mudguard with a rubber cover. Quality fenders are also a courtesy to cyclists riding behind you. The content of panniers should be protected from rain, and panniers on the rear rack should be protected from water splashing from below. Cycling bags are usually waterproof, but they can become torn or seams can come loose over time. More expensive models offer 100% waterproofing and are definitely worth it for year-round riding in rain and slush. A waterproof seat cover is useful when parking the bike.
Heavy rain at temperatures below 15 degrees Celsius, which requires special protection, is fortunately not too common. It can be solved with a disposable poncho or a hiking raincoat. Special cycling raincoats stretch over the arms to the handlebars, but they are only suitable for slow riding in light traffic. If you do not have a raincoat, you can get a waterproof windbreaker and pants, supplemented with a cap and shoe covers, which are very practical even when it is not raining but the roads are still full of water. There are also special covers for pants.
How and where to ride
If you have rim brakes, keep them dry by occasionally gently „pumping“ them so that they will work when needed. Avoid puddles, but do so predictably for others; do not abruptly change the direction of travel before every second puddle. Be especially careful on tram and train tracks, which are slippery when wet; do not turn on them. Fallen leaves and smooth wood can also be treacherous.
When it is wet, it may be worth changing your route and bypassing a critical section at the cost of a detour. A „wet“ route can be very different from one for dry days. Occasionally, it is also worth avoiding busy roads, where water sprayed by cars can reach meters away and high up. If it is currently raining heavily, but will end in half an hour, you can often wait it out. You can check the situation online on a weather radar or in a weather app. In an emergency, you can shorten your journey by using public transport, but you must be very considerate with a wet and dirty bike. You do not always have to ride a bike.
After a period of rain, check your brakes, wash off any mud, and definitely drop some oil into the chain, which has washed out.
Winter means challenges and magical experiences for cyclists. Riding in the cold and snow is definitely not unrealistic. It all depends on the conditions. You must compensate for frequent deficiencies in winter maintenance of cycling infrastructure with preparation and skill.
A well-lit bicycle is a basic prerequisite. During road salt application, the bike will suffer more than usual – you must therefore take better care of the bike or have an older winter bike. Park the bike in a warm place and use a mat after riding it.
Regularly clean the bottom of the bike and movable parts from salt. Keep the components well lubricated with vaseline, which won’t stiffen in the winter. Don’t leave the battery of an electric bike outside during the day in the winter; take it to work with you where it’s warm, even if it doesn’t need charging at the moment. Watch for wear on brake pads and tires; both wear out faster in the winter. A hub gear and drum brakes can solve many winter problems.
In Winter, stronger tires with thicker treads are better. You can also significantly reduce the pressure in the inner tubes. Tires with studs are usually only useful for a few days a year or in truly mountainous regions. Riding on slush requires looser mudguards.
In the winter, we dress for the bike ride so that we feel a little cold when walking normally, and warm up by pedaling. Limbs and the head require special care. Therefore, we need quality gloves. Two pairs of socks can be worn in shoes. Waterproof covers over shoes or pants protect against splashes from passing cars and also serve as additional thermal protection. A practical neck warmer can replace a scarf and can be turned up high. It’s good to attach a hat, neck warmer, or balaclava to a helmet. You’ll be the wettest at temperatures around freezing, so it’s not shameful to take a change of clothes with you or have it ready at work. In Winter, it’s worth wearing cycling glasses even for the far-sighted. Expect them to fog up, and use a cloth, handkerchief, or knitted glove to wipe them.
Ice skating school
Main streets are mostly salted and are wet in the winter. Watch out for black ice, which is almost indistinguishable from a wet or even almost dry road surface. It occurs at the border with unsalted streets. Sometimes, it can be recognized by its icy glow when illuminated.
Ride slower on slippery surfaces; the braking distance is much longer. Never brake and turn simultaneously; use the rear brake for slowing down instead. You can still save a skid by violently „aligning“ the bike.
Especially tricky are icy bike paths and poorly maintained side streets. Ride on a lighter gear and deeper in the lane because the edge of the road isn’t always reliably salted.
And of course, it still applies: when the city is covered with impassable ice, it’s not a bad idea to choose a different mode of transportation for a few days.
This is a ChatGPT translation of this article: https://mestemnakole.cz/navody/za-kazdeho-pocasi/
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Martin Šnobr 20. 1. 2025, 09:42
Thanks for the article, Suzanne!
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