There are so many perverse pleasures I get out of riding my bike in the rain. I maybe wouldn't go so far as to call myself a bike snob, but I would. I did get into this bike thing rather late in the game but after riding my bike to school every day through the rainiest year of the four I spent in Eugene, and riding my bike to work every day to work here, I think I've accrued a little street cred and can enjoy a bit of snark here and there.
Of course there are things I don't like about riding in the rain: the oppressive damp, Buttstripe, a slower commute, slippy pavement, automobile drivers who can't understand why there's WATER of ALL THINGS, FALLING from the SKY, and apparently think it's my fault and try to kill me in hopes of placating Thor, god of thunder, and bringing the sunny East Bay weather back.
Despite (or perhaps related to) the increase in cars, there's a substantial decrease in the number of other cyclists. I see my regulars: the cute hippie-ish looking girl is wearing a yellow rain slicker, the middle school kid on the BMX with the soggy sweatshirt looks grumpier than usual, and Captain Dashboard with his mirrors, thousands of blinking lights, and acid green windbreaker looks like he always does.
The straightaway between Sacramento and San Pablo is empty, and I get a brief fleeting feeling like I could keep riding in a straight line forever, bypassing the turn on 9th St to go to work entirely, circle the globe, and come back, a little soggier, a little happier.
So, I ask, where are all the bespectacled, beshorted, bestockinged, besandaled fair-weather cyclists with their enormous road hybrids and their inability to pass someone ON THE LEFT NOT THE RIGHT THE LEFT YOU TWAT.
Ahem.
They've got their bikes back in the garage and are no doubt one of the many insane self-righteous Prius drivers (it is Berkeley, after all) just begging for a vehicular manslaughter charge on their way to work this morning.
10 comments:
Word. Also, I feel seriously guilty when I don't bike and it's raining. Like I can't earn my full biker cred.
Dude, one word: fenders.
Ian gives me such crap about putting fenders on my bike (and wanting to get them for the new 29er he got me), but I give him crap right back about having to sit on a towel on the drive home because he looks like he crapped his pants. Of course, off-road does leave him with considerably more "crappular" debris... but still, very inexpensive fenders would cure it. :P
Heh, I don't actually have room to put fenders on that bike. ;) I do have them on dad's old bike though.
Luckily I have a third-hand windbreaker that's two sizes too big that covers my jeans!
Not even these?
http://www.westernbikeworks.com/productdetail.asp?p=SKSKS
They make all kinds of crazy crap for bikes of all sizes -I was most pleased that they have them for 29ers (despite the higher price tag, of course).
...I think I've now said "crap" four times in this thread, lol. :P:
Apparently I was mistaken, and according to Bike Friend Nathan, Planet Bike makes clip on fenders that would fit my bike.
Also $50!?!
Those should definitely be enough to cut down on road spray, yay! Planet Bike fenders are actually pretty cool -I have a simple set on my old bike, and so far they're the only ones I've seen with a 29" version that's received good reviews.
And yeah, trust me, when you get involved with any type of vehicle -motorized or not- there's a veritable FLEET-load of gadgetry available! You would not believe the variety of bike bells available... lol
lol, yeah, the prices can get a bit crazy. I think those were metal ones -the plastic ones are cheaper (they also don't dent, which is nice).
You can't be a bike snob if your last post about bikes was a week ago and you've posted a non-bike related post in the interim. What this means is that you were both not riding your bike nor thinking about your bike for the length of time it took you to make that post.
Bike snob, please.
Nathan you'll notice it was COMPLETELY sarcastic.
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