7 easy DIY hacks for riding in the rain
To help waterproof mountain bike shoes, apply a healthy layer of duct tape over the laces.
It’s summer, which means blue skies and sunny days. Usually. When the weather doesn’t cooperate, here are seven easy hacks to help you stay dry next time you’re caught in a downpour.
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Here’s a recap of what you just saw.
1. Mountain bike shoes fall into two camps. Those that drain well and those that retain more water than a plump camel. While you can try to keep your feet dry by wearing plastic bags over your socks, one great way to keep your feet drier on the trails is using a healthy layer of duct tape around your shoe laces. It only looks dorky until everything is covered with mud.
Using a spare goggle lens to extend your visor can help reduce the amount of dirt flinging into your face.
2. Using a goggle lens to extend your visor may sound (and look) ridiculous, but you’d be surprised just how well it helps to reduce debris accumulation. And it’s not just a trick for World Cup pros. We’ve seen a number of top motocross racers employ this hack in the outdoors series.
When it’s wet out, glasses can fog up easily. Keeping them wrapped up while climbing will help keep your vision clear for descents.
3. I’m practically blind without my glasses, so I always struggle to keep my lenses from fogging up in the wet. One trick is to keep your riding glasses wrapped in tissue paper on the ride up. This doesn’t work for me (because I need my glasses to see), so I use a healthy layer of Cat Crap Anti-Fog Cleaner. If you have any other suggestions, I’m all ears.
Using silicone spray and moto foam will help keep mud from building up on your frame.
4. In the rain, mud tends to build up on your frame. To help prevent this accumulation, try using a silicone based spray along the downtube. Another good option is “moto-foam.” Cramming this stuff in the nooks and crannies of your frame will help substantially reduce mud build up. And if conditions are this bad, it might not be a bad idea to protect your paint with some frame stickers from 3M. Another alternative is the clear number plate protector sheets sold by motorcycle shops. They’re cheap, sold in packs of three, and can be cut to fit.
If you’re not afraid of DIY projects, you can make your own mud guard.
5. Before you go crazy with the silicon spray and moto foam, a good place to start is a simple mudguard. There are a number of options out there, like the classic Marsh Guard, but you can also make your own. A spare inner tube or empty plastic jar is all you need.
Wearing a pair of latex gloves under your riding gloves can help keep your hands warm during damp rides.
6. Next make sure you dress appropriately. Avoid cotton, wear a base layer that wicks well, and find a rain jacket that breathes.
7. Another great tip is wearing surgical gloves under your riding gloves. This will cause your hands to sweat like crazy, but will also keep them warm. I almost always keep a pair of latex gloves in my riding bag because they take up no room, they’re great to have when the weather turns cold, and I can use them for applying first aid or to keep my hands clean when making repairs.
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