Rain Rant!

Okay, I am tired of a few things Sydney... I'm tired of the rain lately but even more I am tired of the awful lengths that people go to on their bikes to stay dry.  I am all for riding in all types of weather but I still believe you can look good while riding in the rain.  By looking fairly normal while riding as opposed to looking like a plastic bag monster, will help you feel more in control in any type of weather and more importantly to the other traffic also occupying the road, they will know you are more competent about riding in the wet.  Its not hard but  what you do need is 3 things...

1. A decent rain coat or cape.  Go for a bright colour, with a hood and features that allow for riding.

Available at cyclestyle here.

 And its a good idea to get one that folds up small so you can keep it in your bag!

On ebay here.

On ebay here.

2. Waterproof bag or panniers.  Then you don't have to stop mid-ride to place plastic over everything.  And you can find pretty ones if you look around. The magic word is oilcloth!

Available at cyclestyle here.

Available at Monster Threads here.

Ebay here.

3. Rain-proof shoes.  There are a few options you can go for depending if the weather is hot or cold and your own personal style. Anything is better than those rain covers for shoes that look like you are about to go on a gardening adventure.

Available at Jellybeans here.

Ebay here.

For boots - pick an ankle pair as it will give you more freedom of movement.

Ebay here.

Ebay here.

Ebay here.

So many different ones, I could go on all day.  But I did find one more that could be all year shoes and match all outfits depending on your sock/tights colours- see below.

Ebay here.

Did we change your life? No? Well thats ok as long as we gave you a few ideas to make you look more competent while riding we are happy.  I've included a few more things below that while not essential could also help on those rainy riding days.

Available at cyclestyle here.

Available cyclestyle here.

And just so you know we are not paid to endorse anyone on this blog.  We just love bikelists and great bicycle products with a bit of style!

Rainy Days

I don't know if you've all realised, but it's been a cold, windy and rainy winter so far, and it doesn't look like it's going to let up any time soon. Winter picnics have been few and far between unlike last winter. Instead we've been battling the elements riding around Sydney- but of course, trying to do it in style...

Because we will ride our bikes in all weather, rain, hail, or shine (except hail, perhaps- and preferably shine...), we've put together a quick guide to help you in this inclement weather we've been experiencing.

First up. Don't ruin you beautiful shoes with splashes of dirty gutter water. Gumboots are your friend. Whether they are traditional, colourful, or stylish like these:

Gloves are essential on dark winter mornings to stop you suffering frostbite while the mercury struggles to get above freezing!

Rain coats don't have to be garish. There are some really nice non-seven-year-old-on-their-way-to-school raincoats out there.

Capes! How stylish! How elegant! How functional! There are heaps of capes around at the moment. Some vintage, some brand spanking new, We love them all.

Check out CycleStyle, a lovely Melbourne based online store for cycling paraphernalia. Not only do they have made-to-order capes, but they also provide a Lumatwill option. (Please excuse me while I have a fabric-nerd moment) Lumatwill is a superb fabric that includes luminous yarns in the weaving stage of the fabric's production, so anything made is hi-vis, but made of Saville Row quality wools and tweeds. No need to add stripes of 3M reflective tape to those works of tailored art!

CycleStyles "Jenny" Cape

Dashing Tweed's Lumatwill Cape

CycleStyle also stock “oilskin” pannier and rack/basket friendly bags in bright colours for waterproof portaging... handy!

Lastly, if you're sewing inclined yourself there are some nice sewing patterns for capes from the 50's 60's and 70's floating around on places like Etsy and eBay. They make a nice weekend project while the rain hammers against the windows. My favourites are:

So, don that urban armour against the elements and don't be afraid to get a little damp, it's only water after all...

j.xoxo