I've never made any New Year Resolutions before. I don't smoke and I don't need to lose weight so I've never had anything to aim for. Or maybe I've just never wanted to set myself up to fail. This year is different. This year I'm going to ride my bike even if it's raining. This might not sound like much to most people but anyone who has ever ridden with me will know how much I hate riding in the rain.
I'm perfectly happy to go biking in the cold; I've done it countless times, but riding in the wet s completely different. In the past if I saw so much as a puddle outside I would give up on riding and go back to bed.
To help me keep my resolution I've brought some new kit. A pair of waterproof socks were essential, as were a a pair of decent waterproof trousers. A Rapid Racer Product (RRP) Neoguard should keep the mud and water out my eyes and can easily come off if the weather improves.
Apparently the key to keeping warm when riding in the cold and wet is to wear lots of layers. So I brought a set of Helly Hansen base layers. These are designed to keep you warm when it's cold and cool when it's warm so they should be perfect for biking.
I'd been planning on getting my old riding shoes re-soled with five ten rubber for quite some time, but then I saw the new Shimano AM 40s. Like five tens they have a sticky rubber compound sole but feature a lace guard, which should help to keep my feet dry. They ended up costing a little more than a resole but look much better than the worn out vans I'm currently using.
All that's left now is for my hand to heal and the heavens to open and I'll put everything to test. So long as I can drag myself out of bed.
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