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Don’t use your best bike
Firstly there’s the bike. As cyclists we are always looking for an excuse to own another bike and bad weather is great excuse. In the UK many riders will use a second less expensive bike for winter and bad weather use. Unless you are taking part in an event or race, it makes sense to save your best bike.
Typically this is a bike of lower spec than your best day bike that you feel more comfortable subjecting to dirty, wet lanes. However if you only have one bike there are lots of modifications you can make to optimise it for bad weather.
Tyres
For riding in bad weather, we would recommend a tyre choice with greater puncture protection and also a bigger contact patch.
Continental Gatorskin:
We’d opt for tyres that offer a degree of puncture protection and are harder wearing. Continental Gatorskins are a perennial favourite for winter riding, but many other tyre manufacturers offer similar models. More expensive options will tend to offer decent puncture protection, while offering lower rolling resistance and better grip.
Continental GP 4 Season:
However, for the ultimate bad weather setup, we would go for tubeless. Tubeless setups not only massively reduce your chances of suffering a puncture but have other advantages too. You can run lower pressures for more grip and comfort without the risk of pinch flats and tubeless setups also offer low rolling resistance making you faster!
Lube
As a rule of thumb the best dry lubes offer lower friction than wet lubes – typically around 2-5 watts. However when riding on wet roads or in the rain, dry lubes can quickly wash off making your drive train sound like a WW2 tank tracks. A wet lube is the way to go, as it will stay stuck to your drive train.
Muc-Off Wet Lube:
Mudguards/Fenders
Everyone loves sitting behind someone with good guard coverage on sewage strewn roads. Some bikes have specific mount points, but if your bike doesn’t then don’t worry, as plenty of guards are on the market that will just clip on.
Widget Mudguards:
However if you are riding a race or event in bad weather, don’t worry about the etiquette of guards. It’s accepted that for your event performance is a priority and therefore it is OK to remove the guards to make your bike more aero.
Rear Light
Traditionally lights have been associated with riding in the dark. But during bad weather lights can make you significantly more visible to other road users and shouldn’t be under estimated.
Moon Nebula Rear Light:
So there you have it, our essential kit. This list is not exhaustive however, so if there are other items you would recommend to others, then why not suggest them in the comments section.
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21 Responses
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Dude your knees and pelvis are all over the place…
Tubeless tires are terrible. Unreliable, don't bother. Easier to patch or replace a tube then if your TT's don't seal properly and you are in the middle of nowhere. I speak from experience…
Easy, some of your viewers are American
“Not everyone wants to own more than one bike”
??????!!!!!???? I cannot imagine such person. Who would that be?? And what caused his condition??? 😱😱😫
Lo i just had a wet weather crash and a gruesome 7cm laceration over my knee cap
So, if the majority of UK riders have a "bad weather" bike and another much better bike for good weather, how much use does a good weather bike get given the weather you guys have? 🙂
Who says wider tyres are more puncture proof, I would challenge that as the tyre travels over more ground, meaning you have a greater chance of picking up a item that may cause a puncture. I have seen so many go and buy so called “puncture proof tyres” and then get a puncture, and I am still riding around on my race tubulars. I suggest sealant is the key, I put 30mls of sealant in my tyres and get incredible puncture proof. Just beware, it doesn’t work as good with butyl tubes so I would use latex ones.
On another note, where is the science to support a wider tyre gives you more grip? I would say this comes down to tyre compound mostly. I would like to see a vid that shows the science to support these cafe chat beliefs. I have never seen any science to support these facts. Might be a good next vid for Cycling weekly
n+1 …bike build for rain i have a mtb 26"rigid aluminum , with internal gear , and dyno hub front back lights with fill threaded tiers , and tier liners , mud guards , and drop bars , slower than my road bike but it dose the job
5:14 is that Guileshill Lane, near Ripley, you're coming up? (Surrey Hills)
I set my bike up for bad weather by leaving it at the bottom of my stairs.
Is it me, or does Ollie remind people of a young Ray Mears?? If you don't know who he is, he's that survival expert that's often on tv…kind of like Bear Grylls but with less of the roadkill eating stuff going on..
My bike set up for bad weather is somewhat involved. It involves setting it up against a wall indoors and going to the gym.
That cable routing on WHYTE is a nightmare!
I set up my winter bike… I bought a turbo trainer as it was cheaper than destroying my winter bike and crashing on ice with less maintenance.
10/10 Ollie
Ceramic lubricant works well, but for the love of god how do you remove it . Degreaser doesn’t seem to touch it .
lol 'fenders' got me bud
a paraffin waxed chain withstands the rigors of winter riding better than dry or wet lubes.
Nice trip!
I speak 'American' and I call them mud guards. 😒
Eyewear Amber lenses, light yellow lenses or clear to increase your visual acuity. Try saying that one Ollie bridgewood. Cheers mate