Why Lycra exists
The weather last week stopped me riding. Not out of pusillanimous self-interest but concern for you, my fellow Sydneysiders.
When I ride, the weather deteriorates. Rapidly. My pedalling powers some celestial watering system. When I stop and chain my sodden vehicle to an exposed bicycle ring (would it be too much to ask that the so-called cycle friendly City of Sydney place bike parking facilities under cover?) the sun emerges, chuckling, as I drip into my destination.
The not-so-Shiny not-so-New Bike is being rested until a drought demands breaking. Sydney Water should pay me to ride around Warragamba Dam.
Rain is not good for riding. Apart from the blatant perils of exposure to the elements and the treacherous slipperiness of surfaces (particularly that wretched greasy grey granite) cyclists must cope with being more invisible than ever. Day-glo bright wet-weather gear is a must.
Motorists in steamy behemoths, peering past frenetic wiper-blades, cannot predict the path of cyclists veering to avoid emersion in axle deep puddles.
If your dedication to our planet’s good compels you to ride your clean, green machine no matter what Mother Nature is spewing down, please take the following advice.
Bright clothing, as aforementioned, is essential, and as weatherproof as possible. This is why lycra exists. If you can, carry dry clothes and a towel.
Light yourself up like a Christmas tree – it is now (tenuously) in-season.
Make use of the minor roads that run empty and parallel to most traffic-choked major thoroughfares.
If you must be on a main road and there is no Bus Lane (always remember – Bus Lanes are Best) ride in the middle of the left-hand lane and keep clear of overflowing gutters. Let hotheads honk horns behind you. Serenely lead a calvacade of snarling leadfoots to their next red light.
Ride defensively. Assume the worst of motorists. Not all are overmedicated Mr Magoos texting their overcharging divorce lawyer from unroadworthy rustbuckets. But the one you ignore will kill you.
by Peter Whitehead
