Cycling Meteorology

The bike has turned me into something of a weatherman. Actually, it’s more than an ability to predict the weather. With my bike, I can affect the weather. This ability was brought to mind as I worked with the clothes that can keep you comfortable in crummy weather (p.70). The gear is high-tech and quite effective. But I can get a level of performance out of many of those items that isn’t advertised on their labels.

For example, let’s say there’s a 40 per cent chance of rain. Let’s say I feel I don’t need to stuff a jacket or vest into the back of my jersey before heading out. Then it will rain. You might think that I’m a little too certain about that equation, and, actually, you’d be right. Not bringing a jacket would increase the likelihood of rain to about 98.9 per cent. If, however, I had also cleaned my bike sometime in the preceding seven days or was on a test bike (like the Felt vr3, p.66) that I’d have to return soon, then for sure it would rain.

I can even tell you when it would rain. It wouldn’t rain during the first quarter of my ride, when I might turn back and get the rain jacket I should have taken with me. It wouldn’t be near a café where I might wait out the nastier parts of the downpour. No, it would start to rain once I got to the point of the ride at which I was the farthest from home. Then the soaking would begin.

In the winter, I don’t affect the weather by what clothes I have on me, but what tires are on my bike. This past December, I still had my summer slicks on my commuter. This past December, it snowed. It snowed much more than the previous December because I didn’t have my winter tires on. Let me tell you, those treads are great. I like to run a lightly studded tire in the front and a serious, but non-studded, winter tread in the back. The combo lets me corner on the white stuff with confidence. But I still had my summer tires on so I rode gingerly and slowly. When you have inadequate tires, you don’t really steer through snow. You can’t be too willful about your direction. It’s more like you use your handlebars to make suggestions.

I’m sure you think that the temperatures rose and the roads cleared after I put on my winter tires. No. It’s better than that. Once I had scheduled some time to winterize my bike, I saw that the seven-day forecast was saying the days following my planned tune-up would be warmer and sunny.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to suit up in a base layer, thermal bibs, a jersey, thick socks, tights, a mid-layer, an outer layer with a vest stuffed in the back pocket, a helmet liner, mitts, boots and a helmet. I guarantee I’ll have a great ride.

“When you have inadequate tires, you don’t really steer through snow. It’s more like you use your handlebars to make suggestions.”