Every year around June, during the rainy season, I think about this.

What is the true measure for cycling in the rain?

I'll share the conclusions I've reached after continuously thinking about this as a bicycle commuter myself.

Please use this as a reference and help improve your commute (to work or school).

The option of not riding on rainy days

Wouldn't it be a valid rain measure to simply "not ride a bicycle on rainy days"?

When I look online, there are many articles about how to manage cycling, but on rainy days, visibility is poor and car drivers often drive more aggressively.

Mud also splashes up and dirties the bike, and it's a pain to remove mud that gets into the frame's crevices.

Recently, weather forecast apps have also evolved.

They can predict the weather for specific locations and at detailed time intervals.

If you're looking at it broadly, like whether it's likely to rain or be sunny today, the forecast is usually quite accurate.

It's rare for it to suddenly rain when the weather forecast didn't mention it.

All you need to do is check the morning and evening weather forecasts before leaving home.

Even if it's sunny in the morning, if you know it's going to rain in the afternoon, make the firm decision to take public transportation that day instead.

Just doing that will significantly reduce the hassle of maintenance.

Riding with an umbrella is prohibited.

It goes without saying, but riding a bicycle while holding an umbrella in the rain is dangerous.

Moreover, cycling with an umbrella is a violation of the Road Traffic Act and is a serious offense.

To be precise, the Road Traffic Act does not explicitly state "no umbrella use while cycling."

However, Article 70 states, "Article 70: Drivers of vehicles, etc., must reliably operate the steering wheel, brakes, and other devices of said vehicles, etc., and drive at a speed and in a manner that does not endanger others, in accordance with the conditions of the road, traffic, and said vehicles, etc."

Riding with an umbrella means riding with one hand and narrows your field of vision, making it dangerous.

This means you cannot meet the requirement of "driving at a speed and in a manner that does not endanger others."

Furthermore, some prefectural ordinances explicitly state that it is prohibited to ride a bicycle while holding an umbrella, using a mobile phone, smartphone, earphones, or headphones.

Please check the ordinances in your local area for details.

Raincoats are actually not very effective.

I have tried wearing a raincoat to work during the rain.

I bought a new raincoat thinking that it might make me like rainy days more.

To get straight to the point, the raincoat was useless.

Raincoats are made of vinyl material because they need to repel rain.

Instead of repelling rain, they also trap moisture inside, making them stuffy.

The temperature tends to rise, and you sweat.

If the temperature is high enough to make you sweat and the humidity is also high, then the inside of the raincoat will get wet with condensation.

My clothes were also soaked with sweat.

When I arrived at my destination and took off my raincoat, I was soaked from head to toe, and I ended up needing to change my clothes anyway.

Recently, raincoats with slits and good ventilation have appeared, but they are still far from perfect.

Considering that, I think it's not wrong to decide to simply "not ride a bicycle on rainy days."

Always bring a change of clothes and a towel on rainy days.

It's rare to find conditions where you can shower at your destination after cycling in the rain.

If you know you're going to get wet no matter what, then it's fine to just get completely soaked on the way to your destination and change there.

Although there aren't many places to change, if there's a space like a restroom, it's possible to change clothes.

In that case, a towel and a change of clothes (including underwear) are absolutely necessary.

Clothes that get wet in the rain won't dry easily.

If you try to dry them with your body heat, you'll lose body heat and might catch a cold.

When bringing a change of clothes, please put them in a plastic bag or similar to protect them from getting wet.

It would be dreadful to arrive at your destination soaked, only to find your change of clothes also soaked.

Rain protection when parking: use a cover

There isn't much information online about parking bikes in the rain.

The basic rule is to park under a roof, but for outdoor parking lots, it's common for there to be no roof.

In that case, preparing a cycle cover and putting it on when parking can reduce wear and tear on your bicycle.

At this time, even a slight breeze can blow the cover away, and if you fix it, it will tear, so it is better to choose a "cycle cover with eyelets" that can be fixed by passing a wire lock wire through it.

It also helps to prevent the cover itself from being stolen.

Summary

Please use apps and other tools to check pinpoint forecasts to determine if it will rain today.

Riding in the rain is more dangerous than usual, so please consider the option of not riding a bicycle if possible.

If you absolutely must ride your bicycle, always bring a change of clothes and a towel.

Seal your change of clothes in a plastic bag or similar to prevent them from getting wet.