How do I cycle safely in the wet?

Riding in the rain in Britain is not optional if you use a bike for anything practical, and it is much less unpleasant than people expect once the bike is set up for it. The safety part is short and specific: everything takes longer to stop, some surfaces are treacherous, and drivers can see you less well.

Safety

Step by step

1. Brake earlier, softer and in a straight line.Leave roughly double the distance you would leave when dry, and do your slowing before you turn in. A bicycle has two small contact patches and there is very little grip in reserve; braking and cornering at the same time on a wet surface is what puts riders on the ground.
2. Wipe the rims if you have rim brakes.Water on an aluminium rim acts as a lubricant until the pads squeegee it off. Apply the brakes lightly and briefly every so often as you approach a junction so that the rims are already clear when you need them. Carbon rims in the wet are considerably worse and need much more anticipation.
3. Treat painted markings and metal as ice.White lines, box junctions, cycle-lane paint, manhole covers, drain grates, tram and railway rails, and steel plates over roadworks all have a fraction of the grip of tarmac when wet. Cross them upright and without braking or accelerating, and never turn on them.
4. Watch for the rainbow film.Diesel and oil float out of the road surface in the first rain after a dry spell and collect at junctions, roundabouts and bus stops — exactly where you brake and turn. An iridescent sheen on a wet road is the visual warning.
5. Respect wet leaves and mud.Autumn leaves on a wet road, and mud tracked out of a field gateway, are as slippery as anything you will meet. They gather on the inside line of bends and at the edge of the carriageway, so move out and pass them upright.
6. Let a little air out.Dropping tyre pressure by roughly ten to fifteen per cent increases the contact patch and helps grip and comfort on wet, greasy roads. Do not go so low that you risk pinch flats on potholes you cannot see under standing water.
7. Ride further out from the kerb.The gutter collects the water, the grit, the glass, the leaves and the potholes, and standing water hides all of it. A more assertive road position is both safer and easier to see.
8. Put lights on, in daylight.Rain, spray and grey light cut the distance at which a driver picks you out. A bright rear light in daylight is one of the highest-value things you can do in poor conditions.
9. Fit full mudguards.Mudguards are the difference between arriving wet from rain and arriving soaked in road filth from your own wheels. Full-length guards with a long front flap also keep spray off your feet, your drivetrain and the rider behind you.
10. Dress for wet rather than for cold.A breathable waterproof jacket, waterproof gloves or overmitts, and something to keep your feet dry — overshoes or waterproof socks. Wet hands and feet are what make winter riding miserable long before the rest of you gets cold.
11. Clean and re-lube the drivetrain after wet rides.Rain washes lubricant off a chain and leaves grit behind. Wet lube stays put in the rain but attracts more dirt; wipe the chain down and reapply after wet rides rather than on a calendar.

Tips

• Standing water hides potholes that will destroy a wheel. Do not ride through a puddle you cannot see the bottom of, and never assume the far side of it is level.
• Waterproof socks and overshoes are unglamorous and transform winter riding.
• Ride a slightly lower gear than usual so you are spinning rather than stamping — smooth power delivery is far less likely to break traction.
• Wet weather is exactly when a driver pulling out has the least visibility and the most windscreen glare. Assume you have not been seen at every side road.

Common mistakes

• Braking hard on a painted cycle-lane marking — Paint in the wet has a fraction of tarmac's grip, and a locked front wheel on paint gives no warning at all.
• Waiting until you get to the junction to brake, as you would when dry — Rim brakes may need a second or more to clear the water before they work, and the distance you cover in that second is exactly the margin you needed.
• Skipping mudguards because they look wrong — Without them you carry a stripe of road grit up your back and pour water into the bottom bracket and headset bearings all winter.

If it doesn't work

Questions people ask