The Bespoke Cycles Blog: Assos Winter Gear and Riding in the Wet

Well, it started raining, booo. Yes, East Coasters, make fun of us, we're soft, I know. While we're riding in January, we'll be thinking of you.

So how do you make your experience in the rainy season a more enjoyable one? How about a safer one? You can start with the right gear. There are tires that we like for rain riding. Tires made more specifically for wet surfaces and rainy riding in general tend to be a bit stickier and even a bit wider and more puncture resistant. Glass and road debris tends to stick to your tires more when it's wet out and things end up working there way into your tires more often. Puncturing in the rain is no fun, neither is sitting there with freezing hands trying to fix a flat with your shivering friends glaring at you for always getting flats. Our two favorites for this time of year are Continental GP 4 Season and the Vittoria Pave. The GP 4 Season from Continental is available in 23c, 25c, and 28c. I ride the 25c all winter and have had incredibly good luck with these tires. The Pave from Vittoria is a 24c tire and is a little grippier than the 4 Season and is also available in a tubular version. There are other rain specific tires out there of course but we've had the best results with these. Brake pads need to be checked more often as they will wear out much faster in the rain. Keep an eye on them and replace them a little sooner than you normally would. Lights! Even on your super Euro Pro Style bike, it doesn't hurt to have a small flashing light on your bike. Why? Riding up Shoreline or on other skinny roads in our rainy foggy winters is dangerous and cars may not see you in time. A little flasher helps them see you early and slow down to pass you safely when there isn't much room. Fenders are nice on the back, again breaking all the rules of the "Euro Cool Guy" cyclist, your friend behind you will appreciate less road spray in the face and your behind will appreciate your consideration. Bar tape is something to think about too. Slick "faux carbon" or vinyl tapes are slippery when wet. Cork or foam gives you a better hold on your bar.

Clothing is a big one. As in any outdoor sport, technical fabrics, layering and excellent fit are all things that can change your day in the rain. Assos blows the doors off anything else we've ridden. That's why we've chosen to focus on their products so heavily. You truly get what you pay for. There is plenty of expensive cycling clothing around and we've been approached by many brands, we've been given free stuff to try but we've yet to find anything like Assos. Assos has a ton of new products for this fall including a complete rain kit. There are new gloves, several options for rain jackets, new booties and socks and even a water proof cycling cap. There are some photos below of a portion of what's new. Some standouts are the new rain specific pieces and a new bib knicker and tight for women that is amazing. They also came out with one of the smartest designs for a leg warmer I've seen. The rest of the gear remains cutting edge as well. Please note, it's OK to smile when wearing Assos, I sure do. We have most in stock and we expect the rest in a few days.

Since the new stuff is here, we have put a fair amount of our other Assos gear on sale at about 40% off.

The Rain Kit