Hello everyone, this is Eri from the Circles web shop team. After wrapping up our booth at the Mori-Michi-Ichiba market at the end of last month, the whole staff is looking a bit tan—almost as if summer were already here—but the rainy season is headed our way before the real heat of summer begins.
Riding a bike in the rain can be a little bit of a hassle, but with a few small adjustments, it can be surprisingly comfortable. I hope this helps you spend the slightly gloomy rainy season happily.
CLEVERHOOD Rain Cape
A rain cape is super convenient because you can just throw it on over whatever you’re wearing, even with a backpack on! It’s well-ventilated, keeping you comfortable even in the muggy weather of the rainy season.
That said, if you’re carrying a pack, the back often lifts up and gets your backside wet, so using it alongside rain pants or the fenders I’ll introduce later will increase your comfort level even more!
Rain capes are also great for situations outside of cycling, like festivals and camping. As I mentioned, you can just throw them on, and they protect both you and your gear from the rain, making them the perfect item for outings on days when it looks like rain. Wearing merino wool or quick-drying pants underneath will keep you from losing body heat, and most importantly, colorful rain gear is a total mood booster, right?
SimWorks by HONJO Fender
Most city bikes come with fenders, but why don’t sports bikes? Is it because they’re heavy? Or because they look uncool? Or maybe people just don’t ride in the rain? But honestly, once you see this photo, you can’t help but think that fenders actually look pretty cool. It’s a wonderful sight to see streets filled with people silently riding their bikes through the rain and snow. If you have a few bikes, it’s great to keep at least one equipped with fenders for bad weather—it really broadens your options for both daily life and fun.
At Circles, we don’t see bikes as something to ride only on special occasions, but as tools to make daily life comfortable and convenient, so we will continue to share the functional beauty of fenders.
RAL Cap
For those who want to take a more hard-core approach like some folks overseas—"just power through the light rain with a cap"—we recommend the RAL Cap. It’s made from a 60/40 cotton-nylon blend known as "60/40 cloth." It’s breathable when dry, but when it gets wet, the fibers swell to provide high water repellency, making it perfect for the rainy season.
Wearing one under a raincoat hood or a helmet keeps your face from getting wet, so it’s handy to have as part of your rainy day set.
BEDROCK SANDALS
If you’ve got fenders, a CLEVERHOOD, and quick-drying RAL Shorts, you can actually handle quite a bit of rain.
And maybe, just maybe, it’s best to go with sandals for your feet. Bedrock Sandals offer great grip even on wet rocky paths, making pedaling in the slippery conditions of a rainy day much more comfortable. It’s important that your feet don’t slip on the pedal surface when riding in the rain, and these sandals pair perfectly with our Bubbly Pedals, which keep your feet securely in place.
Choosing not to ride your bike on rainy days is one option, but once you realize that you *can* ride even in the rain, you might find that you can have a pretty happy time out there after all.
We’ve put together a collection of gear perfect for the rainy season, so be sure to take a look!
