So, I had a great ride ready to post this weekend but it looks like a soggy one, so here are some thoughts on riding in the rain and some alternate activities if you’re not ready to make the leap to wet-weather riding.

Riding in the rain is more fun if you have:
a) fenders
b) decent, brightly colored rain clothes (and rain boots)
c) a waterproof bag to carry a change of clothes in if you’re going somewhere nice
d) a chamois to wipe down your bike once it gets all the rain gunk kicked up on it from the road

After five years of riding around NYC I still do not have fenders. This is masochistic and also just plain silly. If it wasn’t for the Five Borough Bike Tour this weekend I’d go buy some.

For those of you doing the 5BBT (oh, sorry the TD Bank Five Borough Bike Tour), some tips on how to survive:
a) use hand signals, your bell or your voice when passing, remember there are a TON of newbies on this ride who have no idea what they are doing
b) pass newbies with caution, give them extra room, especially if it turns out to be rainy on Sunday. If you crash in a bike race you might look like a tough guy, if you crash at the 5BBT you’re just a dork.
c) recognize newbies by the following cues:
i. They’re wearing their helmet backwards (not kidding)
ii. They’ve got some sort of stuffed animal or pinwheel strapped to their helmet
iii. They have a license plate on their bike that says Connecticut.
iv. They are riding in a big group with many small children and seem extremely annoyed at how long the rest stop lines are.
d) bring at least a few of your own snacks in case the lines at the rest stops are long and you don’t want to wait
e) drink lots of water, go to sleep early on Saturday night, arrive early on Sunday, get a good place at the start and miss the newbies and the crowds

For those of you not doing the 5BBT:
a) stay out of bike shops, everyone and their mother is going to be trying to get a last-minute tune-up this weekend
b) check out Recycle-a-Bicycle’s Recycled Arts Workshop and make some cool crafts with local Brooklyn artist Pasqualina Azzarello
c) make your own power bars to have on hand for next weekend when hopefully it will be nice enough for a long ride

Wow! That's a lot of lists. As David in our office would say "Happy Friday!"