Comments on: Dutch ride in rain. Germans are sugar.

By: ubrayj02

ubrayj02 — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 09:14:58 +0000

I’m sorry to jump into this discussion almost a year after it started, but I’d like to plug riding in the rain on one of Henry’s bicycles while holding an umbrella in one hand.

The other night it was pissing down rain in Los Angeles (we got a few inches in one evening alone), and I had to ride my bike home in the “cold” weather (It got down to 40 Fahrenheit! Brrr.). I ride a Workcycles Bakfiets, and I had the rain tent up to protect some cargo. With one small umbrella, and the excellent design of this bicycle, the only thing that got wet on my ride home were the very tips of my toes and my right hand.

Maybe you should start selling single water-proof gloves with each bike, Henry?

I laughed and recalled the first night I rode the bike (two years ago) when I was brought to tears out of pure joy and a release of the grasp that driving holds over those of us raising kids in Los Angeles. Bravo on your fine bikes.

By: Todd Edelman

Todd Edelman — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:48:25 +0000

Another anecdote about the Dutch and rain: In autumn 2004 I was at a workshop in Groningen (north part of the country) where most of the post participants were from the ex-Soviet Union.

We were walking across town in a light rain which turned a bit heavy. The Dutch woman who led the group keep on walking but the Georgians, Armenians, Estonias etc ran for cover.

This probably has something to with how children are raised in both places. For example in a lot of ex-Soviet or Soviet bloc countries gas (methane) was very cheap so many homes were over-heated. I am not sure about the Netherlands….

By: henry

henry — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:37:09 +0000

Dottie, I never ride with an umbrella either – not really my style. Quite a few people do though.

The photo is great, and I take no credit for it!

By: Dottie

Dottie — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 04:55:53 +0000

Cool picture! I rode in a heavy rain tonight (the first rain I’ve seen, instead of snow, in several months), but I was not holding an umbrella – too busy not getting run over by SUVs going over the speed limit paying no attention to the girl on her bike.

By: henry

henry — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:53:03 +0000

Thanks Dave! From now on all bikes formerly known as “road bikes” will be referred to as “racing bikes”. It’s fitting considering that ‘racing’ is the point, whether it be against others, or just for the fun of it. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s different from bikes meant for transportation.

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:42:27 +0000

ok, racing bike it is

By: henry

henry — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 15:31:49 +0000

Todd, powder coating is paint finish that’s “blown” on as a dry powder, sticking to an electrostatically charged part. It’s then baked in an oven to cure. We use a couple different versions, all in multiple layers including an anticorrosion base layer with zinc. Some have two layers above that and others just a color layer.

By: henry

henry — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 15:28:43 +0000

Dave,
Can we start working on changing this silly term “road” bike. All bikes meant to be used on roads are “road bikes” while the common usage of the term specifically refers to “racing bikes” or “fast sport bikes” or something like that.

In any case cycling with an umbrella only works when sitting upright and not going especially fast.

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 00:39:54 +0000

Quite a few people ride in the rain in Portland, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone with an umbrella – for one, most people ride road bikes, which are rather difficult to ride with one hand, and secondly, I think most people wouldn’t put up with the negative aerodynamics – they are mostly all huffing and puffing to go as fast as possible

By: louis

louis — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 23:32:14 +0000

Here in California, it’s not even terribly cold (mostly) when it rains. The issue is that auto drivers have such poor rain driving skills that the danger from cars seems to increase disproportionately in the rain. I didn’t feel the same way when living in Seattle or Portland, fwiw. I’m lucky in that I can choose to walk to the train station on rainy days to get to work, but many people don’t have the same option.