Jul
29
The complete guide to biking in the rain
Filed Under pocket bikes
Pulkit Gera asked:
For riding in the rain
Ride slow : The roads are slippery so riding slow will allow you more time to negotiate traffic and brake effectively
Brake slow : Hard braking will lock up the wheels easily. Be gentle on the brakes and learn to anticipate stopping points. Go easy on the front brake. Use engine braking as much as possible.
Light up : Keep parking lights on even during the daytime so that people can see you effectively. Always keep the lights on low beam as light gets reflected back from raindrops reducing visibility further.
Always carry adequate polyethene bags : Wrap stuff like mobile phones, iPods and wallets in polyethene bags before you begin your journey. You should always keep the handkerchiefs in the plastic bag as it should remain dry so you can use it once you get to your destination. No one likes a squishy piece of cloth in their pocket all day long.
Road grip : If your tyre is old, or you are facing big issues with road grip, a temporary solution is to lower the tyre pressure slightly (2-3 psi will do) to get better grip till you can replace the tyre.
Clear vision : If your helmet visor does not have anti-fog capabilities, then you should keep it open slightly to maintain the best vision possible. If you still have issues, wear a balaclava and open the visor fully. The balaclava will ease the pain caused by rain drops while riding at high speeds.
Take off the glasses : Specs can also cause vision problems. In most cases, you vision will improve if you take them off.
Wear more clothes : Covering up your arms and legs is a good idea as it prevents the rain drops from hitting the body directly. High speed raindrops are painful.
Wear gloves : You wet hands can lose grip on the handlebars. Wear gloves to make sure you retain control of the bike.
Watch out for hail-storms : Look for shelter at the first sign of a hail-storm, and not a tree on the side of the road. For hail-storms, you need a strong structure to protect you and your bike. It should be wide enough to prevent any harm from any direction. Petrol pumps are a good place or any concrete structure will probably be fine.
Maintain distance from the vehicle in front : Not only will it help you brake effectively, it will also minimize the dirt spray on your helmet and clothes.
Toll booth : When I used to ride to Noida, I kept a Rs. 10 note in pocket to pay the DND toll guys. In rains, I always switched to coins.
Rain protectors : I’ve seen people riding air-cooled bikes with a large cardboard just in front of the engine to prevent their trousers from getting dirty. This can harm the engine. Carry the ‘work bag’ if arriving clean is important.
For riding a bike to work in rainy season
Carry a bag : I can’t stress this enough. You rode to work, fine, but you can’t roam around wet and dirty all day. Period. The contents of the bag are at the bottom of the post.
Leave early : As soon as it starts to rain, traffic starts to slow down and pile up. Most people who ride a bike to work regularly, switch to cars in rains decreasing the space available on the road. Always leave early for work in the rainy season. Your boss might not say anything for the first few times, but he will scream if this continues.
Contents of the ‘ride to work’ bag :
Work clothes : In monsoons, do not ride to work wearing your work clothes as it might start raining anytime. Keep them in the bag and change them when you get to the loo at work (the first place you will go if it does rain). This includes undergarments, socks, shoes and tie as well.
A comb : Rain wets your hair even when you have worn a helmet. It might wet your hair after you take it off. Do not underestimate the importance of the comb, especially true for those perusing interests of the female kind at work.
This guide is not complete, but with your inputs we can complete it.
Happy Biking !!
This article was originally published by me on my website www.revlimit.co.in at this URL : http://revlimit.co.in/forum/showthread.php?t=7901
Kitchen Cookware Sets
For riding in the rain
Ride slow : The roads are slippery so riding slow will allow you more time to negotiate traffic and brake effectively
Brake slow : Hard braking will lock up the wheels easily. Be gentle on the brakes and learn to anticipate stopping points. Go easy on the front brake. Use engine braking as much as possible.
Light up : Keep parking lights on even during the daytime so that people can see you effectively. Always keep the lights on low beam as light gets reflected back from raindrops reducing visibility further.
Always carry adequate polyethene bags : Wrap stuff like mobile phones, iPods and wallets in polyethene bags before you begin your journey. You should always keep the handkerchiefs in the plastic bag as it should remain dry so you can use it once you get to your destination. No one likes a squishy piece of cloth in their pocket all day long.
Road grip : If your tyre is old, or you are facing big issues with road grip, a temporary solution is to lower the tyre pressure slightly (2-3 psi will do) to get better grip till you can replace the tyre.
Clear vision : If your helmet visor does not have anti-fog capabilities, then you should keep it open slightly to maintain the best vision possible. If you still have issues, wear a balaclava and open the visor fully. The balaclava will ease the pain caused by rain drops while riding at high speeds.
Take off the glasses : Specs can also cause vision problems. In most cases, you vision will improve if you take them off.
Wear more clothes : Covering up your arms and legs is a good idea as it prevents the rain drops from hitting the body directly. High speed raindrops are painful.
Wear gloves : You wet hands can lose grip on the handlebars. Wear gloves to make sure you retain control of the bike.
Watch out for hail-storms : Look for shelter at the first sign of a hail-storm, and not a tree on the side of the road. For hail-storms, you need a strong structure to protect you and your bike. It should be wide enough to prevent any harm from any direction. Petrol pumps are a good place or any concrete structure will probably be fine.
Maintain distance from the vehicle in front : Not only will it help you brake effectively, it will also minimize the dirt spray on your helmet and clothes.
Toll booth : When I used to ride to Noida, I kept a Rs. 10 note in pocket to pay the DND toll guys. In rains, I always switched to coins.
Rain protectors : I’ve seen people riding air-cooled bikes with a large cardboard just in front of the engine to prevent their trousers from getting dirty. This can harm the engine. Carry the ‘work bag’ if arriving clean is important.
For riding a bike to work in rainy season
Carry a bag : I can’t stress this enough. You rode to work, fine, but you can’t roam around wet and dirty all day. Period. The contents of the bag are at the bottom of the post.
Leave early : As soon as it starts to rain, traffic starts to slow down and pile up. Most people who ride a bike to work regularly, switch to cars in rains decreasing the space available on the road. Always leave early for work in the rainy season. Your boss might not say anything for the first few times, but he will scream if this continues.
Contents of the ‘ride to work’ bag :
Work clothes : In monsoons, do not ride to work wearing your work clothes as it might start raining anytime. Keep them in the bag and change them when you get to the loo at work (the first place you will go if it does rain). This includes undergarments, socks, shoes and tie as well.
A comb : Rain wets your hair even when you have worn a helmet. It might wet your hair after you take it off. Do not underestimate the importance of the comb, especially true for those perusing interests of the female kind at work.
This guide is not complete, but with your inputs we can complete it.
Happy Biking !!
This article was originally published by me on my website www.revlimit.co.in at this URL : http://revlimit.co.in/forum/showthread.php?t=7901
Kitchen Cookware Sets
