OK the title is a little miss leading but this tip will help you stay dry or at least a bit more comfortable on your next damp ride.

This is the time of year where we get to ride between rain showers and snow melt. You will find yourself on roads that are mostly dry with some run off that you cant miss. You say to yourself one little puddle its no big deal. Then half way through a training ride you find your bibs are soaked through the chamois. shortly after that your backside is killing you because you have saddle soars.

Short of adding fenders to your racing bike, you can try these two tips.

Chamois Cream
Never tried chamois cream? Chamois cream is another magic substance that I chose not to use until recently. It can make the worse bibs or shorts feel like a million bucks. It will help you stay in the saddle longer or help make those short intense rides seem easier. How? Its simple it reduces friction. If you have been riding for a while you know that mechanical friction slows you down and creates wear and tear on your lovely bike parts. What do we do to mitigate friction? We use a myriad of lubes to allow parts to move freely. Your backside on a bike saddle is NO DIFFERENT. So how do you apply chamois cream? Well my sponsor Chomper Body has an excellent video on how to do this here.

Now on to the magic roadie fender:
When approaching a puddle or run off on the road simply drop your right or left hand behind you. Your hand should be palm out, dropped below the saddle and well centered as far as your back side is concerned. Your gloved hand and fore arm will come back damp and even a bit dirty but your saddle and backside will remain relatively dry.

Don’t forget that training in the elements will make you a physically and mentally stronger cyclist. Fare weather riding is great but don’t you want to be stronger?

Have a great week!