When a bike ride is worth starting
Wet roads, a headwind, and heat turn a familiar loop into a different ride. Here is what to check before you start.
Rain, then wind
The ride is easiest when the road or trail will be dry while you are out. Light rain is possible, but you will go slower. Painted lines, metal grates, and wet leaves are slippery. A storm is a bad thing to meet when you are far from home.
If rain is likely after lunch, shorten the loop so the turnaround stays close.
Wind below about 12 mph is a normal day. Into the low 20s, you will feel it. On an out-and-back, ride into the wind first, while you are fresh, and let it push you home.
Much stronger wind changes the ride, especially a crosswind on open ground, a bridge, or a ridge. A bright sky does not make a strong wind easier.
Temperature and sun
About 50°F to 82°F is a range where most people can ride without spending the whole time managing the weather.
If it is cooler, the start feels cold until you have been moving for about ten minutes. Bring a layer you can take off and carry. If it is hotter, start earlier and bring more water than the distance suggests.
Strong sun on a road with no shade will burn you through a light jersey. Put on sunscreen before you put on the helmet.
The forecast does not know how fit you are, how much traffic there is, or whether a path is closed for construction. It tells you whether the sky fits the hours you picked.
Aim the route at the weather
If the wind will blow from one direction all afternoon, that decides the route. Ride out into it. Ride home with it. Have a shorter option ready if the rain shows up early.
The same idea applies to a ride home from work and to a ride after dark. Bring lights if you will still be out at dusk. Bring a rain jacket if the radar is not clear.
Outside Plan scores the day for wet roads, wind, temperature, and strong sun. Read which of those is the reason before you decide the usual loop is fine.
More guides
- Reading the forecast before a hike
- A forecast you can live with for a few days
- A beach day that matches the tide
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