Prepping for rainy day commute

[Becky]

Oh my.....I forgot about fenders.....I must invest in those which is why I was so adamant about getting the lightest bike I could for the price. By the time I've finished outfitting it with plunder, I'll just barely be able to hoist it up onto the bus rack.

I know what you mean- I need to find a shipping scale or the like, but I'm pretty sure that my commuter is 35 lbs fully loaded. Fortunately, the newer fenders are polycarbonate, durable, and very lightweight.

What about lights? If you're commuting in rainy weather, lights are imperative.

[mimitabby]

yes, lights!
i never wear extra head gear for rain, but i do wear a cap under my helmet
(I have several) when it is cold.

Do you not have a choice about driving when the weather truly stinks?

where I live, (seattle) we rarely get a hard rain, so we just put our raincoats (and booties) on and go.

if it's REALLY cold i also have rain pants; but beware, you get really hot in these waterproof clothing, so you end up getting sweaty wet underneath.

[pardes]

Yes, I already have lights on the front and back and use them frequently just to let people know I'm there.

As for REALLY bad weather....we don't have such a thing in Delaware (I say crossing myself to appease the lightning gods.) The storms pass quickly so I can usually wait it out for mild rain. I'd wait out anything worse.

Plus the commute to the bus stop is only 1.5 miles. I rack up the other miles at lunch time and after work pleasure riding or errand riding. I've cut the automobile cord completely!

Hey Becky, here's a macabre scene. I manage a drug lab at the medical examiner's office. They do autopsies downstairs. And weigh the bodies on stretchers on this big mama scale. There I was waiting in line behind two bodies to weigh myself and weigh my loaded bike.

It seems I've lost twenty pounds in the last month but it all went onto the bike in the panniers which now weighs fifteen pounds more.

[Becky]

Hey Becky, here's a macabre scene. I manage a drug lab at the medical examiner's office. They do autopsies downstairs. And weigh the bodies on stretchers on this big mama scale. There I was waiting in line behind two bodies to weigh myself and weigh my loaded bike.

You're tougher than I am- I don't think I could hang out with bodies! I need to find one of those scales though! My buddy works over at the air base- I may ask him if I can "borrow" a pallet scale someday

(As an aside, since you mentioned Delaware and the OCME - do you use the Riverfront Trail to commute? DH and I have been seeing a new bike commuter down there recently )

[pardes]

Good GRIEF, are you in Delaware?????

I bike at lunch time every day at the Riverfront. The Riverfront Market is superb for a quick healthy lunch. You nearly need to take out a second mortgage to buy from the fruit stand there but it's the best fruit I've every eaten.

It's getting to be very beautiful at the Riverfront with all the new very upscale construction and it's only 2 minutes from the lab. Today I happened to see many more bikers than ever before. And they were all extremely friendly.

The "paved path" running next to the river is really considered a multi-use trail and will eventually be connected to the greenway north area at concord pike and connected to the greenway south in the Newark area that hasn't even been started yet except for the Hall Rail to Trail which is only 1.5 miles long.

I live in Newark and take a bus with the bike to Wilmington on I-95. Eventually it would be possible to bike the Greenway trail all the way to work but I'd be 90 before it was completed.

[Becky]

Sure am! There are at least a couple of us Delawareans on this forum.

I have high hopes for what the Riverfront MUT and the Greenway could be someday....I guess that it really hinges on the political climate and the budget situation (as always!).

I love the Riverfront Market but, alas, it's too far from the office to visit for lunch most days. (But think of the money that I'm saving!) So I have to be content with stopping occasionally on the way home.

Such a small world, isn't it?

[NadiaMac]

when i used to bike commute in boston, i used a fleece balaclava to deal with the cold/wet ear/neck issue. It was thin enough to fit under the helmet, but completely sealed off my head, neck and ears from the cold, wind, rain. Then, I wore a rain jacket (with thick wool sweater underneath if cold), rain pants and rubber duck shoes if raining or snowing. It was a fairly short commute-- around 6 miles, so no problems with the footwear.

if you don't have fender mounts on your bike, race blades work really well (they robustly rubber band onto the frame area). They are also very light.