It’s spring in the Pacific Northwest. Road cyclists like me are chomping at the bit, ready to hit the pavement on all-day adventures that don’t require heavy winter gear or a large hot Irish Coffee to get through. The problem is spring can be a mixed bag weather wise in this region. The forecast might be for clouds and a high of 65 with calm winds, and on your riding day it turns out to be steady rain and a high of 53 with some nice wind chill for good measure. Big old gallon of suck.
Here are two lists I made for spring, and they mostly apply to any time of year but especially spring. I’ll start with the list of things that I feel are overrated. Then I’ll go to the list of things I highly recommend for a day ride in the spring. These lists are in no particular order.
Things I Can Do Without
1. overly long or grueling rides. You may or may not have been working out all winter. Maybe you’ve cross trained with skiing or running. You may have even done some long rides this past winter. But odds are it’s been a while since you’ve done an envelope-pushing distance or a super slog hill climb. Now is not the time to try and beat your personal bests. Ease back into riding season with enjoyable rides, otherwise you risk injury or just plain hating to bike.
2. fenders. I struggle with this one because I actually own a bike with fenders, that I got for my daily work commute (which is not challenging). But when you’re talking about the bike that you take on all-day road adventures, fenders don’t do much for you but add weight and get in the way of repairs. When you’re adventuring in the spring, chances are you’re already protected from water with a rain jacket and gear you don’t mind getting wet and a little gritty. Thus making fenders redundant and totally unnecessary.
3. music. I don’t know the precise moment when cyclists other than total noobs began blasting music thru little speakers, but somewhere along the line it happened. Please, for the love of all that is good and holy, STOP THIS. Nobody likes your music…you don’t even like it but you’re too stupid to realize it yet. It is ruining everyone’s day (and potentially their lives) for you to insist on this dangerous distraction. I would say use earbuds but they are likewise dangerous. Bottom line, if you can’t get on a bike without listening to whatever garbage you call music, then get a spin bike, stay home and jam out to your heart’s content. The world is full of hazards and other people, and doesn’t revolve around you.
4. any digital gizmo other than lights or my phone. I dabbled briefly in the few (at that time) bike gizmos that measured every possible thing about my ride: location, speed, elevation, Kilowatt-hours, Joules, force measured in Fig Newtons, etc. Here’s what I found out: they made my ride 0% more enjoyable but provided 100% more distraction versus riding gadget-free. On top of all of this , there’s the big price tag, and the fact that there are ten thousand or so smartphone apps that do a fair job of measuring the exact same things (and even talk to you if you want). So you can throw your smart phone that you were going to bring anyway in your jacket, and save yourself the added cost and weight of a special bike gizmo.
5. any cotton clothing. This should go without saying, but I’m amazed at how many cyclists I see out on the road/trail wearing cotton. In July or August, OK, that might work out fine. But in spring the weather can change very quickly and soak your cotton jacket. Even if it doesn’t you’re cycling so you’re gonna sweat and soak your cotton jacket. You’re asking for hypothermia with cotton.
6. winter coat. You don’t want hypothermia but you don’t want to be uncomfortably warm either. The point is to know your body and how it responds to long rides outdoors. Also know what the weather is going to do (as much as you can know). If you need a winter coat while cycling, then wear one, but I usually don’t in the spring.
7. drink powders. I’ll be the first to admit to dumping a scoop of whatever the latest/greatest powder is into my bike bottle if it’s sitting out there at the rest stop during a large group ride, especially in summer when I’m losing electrolytes. But in the spring, there’s nothing in those powders you need that you won’t get by drinking plenty of water and eating good food. One of the best things I ever did was learn to appreciate the taste of clean water. If you need a flavored supplement to be able to drink water, I feel bad for you.
8. clif or power bars (sorry to those companies). I don’t get compensated in any way by anyone for what I say in this blog. The great news is there are hundreds of snack bars to choose from. Of those hundreds, I really don’t care for the two most popular brands. They’re all just calories in a wrapper anyway, so pick a brand you like and go with it.
Things I’ve Grown So Fond Of I Can’t Do Without Them
A. Go-to Training Route With Rest Stop(s). This is the route where, no matter the weather or how you’re feeling, you’re probably gonna have a good time. More importantly, you know you can finish the ride even at your worst, making it a perfect route for getting back in the saddle again. If you don’t have a route like this yet, do some online research and real life experimenting until you find it.
B. Full Kit With Long Pants and Sleeves. Some people swear by chamois shorts and a short sleeved jersey as soon as the snow melts. I’ve found that at temps between 57-77 degrees, as long as it’s dry the long kit is quite comfortable to ride in. The important thing is to find what works for you in spring with all its dynamic weather.
C. Good Water in Good Bottles. Speaking of spring weather, one sneaky thing about it is how much water you lose. Like most people I don’t usually drink enough water over the winter due to being cold and not feeling thirsty. I carry that bad habit into spring. Do as I say, not as I do, and what I say is drink lots of water in the spring.
D. Packable Rain Jacket. I can’t tell you how many spring rides I’ve done where I needed to either put on or remove a rain jacket at some point, but it’s most of them. There are many brands that make jackets that are warm, dry, and crumple up into a nice small bundle you can take with you. Mine is made by Showers Pass, but there are lots of others.
E. Small Airpump for Jersey or Jacket Pocket. Spring temps can rise or fall suddenly, and road bike tires are notoriously sensitive to this. Also, your road bike has probably been stored unused all winter, so your tire/tube/wheel/valve conditions are questionable. Take a pump with you, and even a small Rema patch kit, for cheap insurance.
F. Apple or Other Fruit. I love apples for several reasons. Not only do they taste good, they have vitamins, energy, water, fiber, and all in a small package. I usually throw one in my jersey pocket, eat it on my first rest stop, and throw the core in the bushes for critters to find.
G. Small Towel or Hanky. I wear glasses so this is essential in spring for keeping them clean and water free. But even if you don’t wear glasses chances are you will want to be clean and/or dry at some point.
H. Ibuprofen. I have a watertight pill bottle where I keep a few ibuprofen (perfect for preventing cramps/swelling/pain), a small phone charger, and charging cord. I put this in a jersey pocket and it’s perfect.
I. Phone and Charger (and a Friend to Call if Things Go Sideways). See above section about the pill bottle. With a pandemic going on, it’s key to have a backup plan to get to the car/home/hospital if things go really wrong with you or your bike, because a lot more places are closed down (the same is true of people who might see you disabled on the roadside).
J. Compression Socks. This might give away my age, but I’m a fan of compression socks for almost any activity. They keep your feet and calves compressed and warm, and if you’re wearing long bike pants (see above) no one will know you’re wearing them. It can be helpful to have a pair of (regular) dry socks back at the car for after the ride, so your feet can warm up again if they get wet/cold. Feet, hands and head (not necessarily in that order) are the things to focus on keeping warm and dry.
Bike Newbie 