Everybody has ideas, but, fortunately, not all of them end up in Time Magazine. This one did:
Why is this such a bad idea? Well, have you ever ridden a bike in the rain?
We have — a lot. And in our opinion, this idea has a lot of potential flaws.
When cycling, you are hit with rain from many directions, including the front, back, and often sides. It depends on how fast you are riding, the direction of the wind, splashes from cars, and, of course, whether or not you’ve got full fenders on the bike.
Somehow, Time doesn’t seem to take this into account, reporting:
New technology has now made it possible for cyclists to ride rain or shine while still keeping their hair dry (under a helmet, no doubt).
‘Storm’ Design
We must concede that the basic “storm umbrella” seems pretty cool for walking in the rain. The company makes the umbrella to be used while facing into the wind and it’s clever.
The senz° storm umbrella sells for $80, and we could get behind the concept.
But strapping it on the handlebars of a bike? That’s where we draw the line. We’re guessing that first strong side wind will be a moment not easily forgotten.
How effective could this umbrella possibly be for cycling? Probably not very.
So what is a commuter to do? Easy. Grab a rain jacket and pants, and get pedaling. You will probably get a little wet, but we’re guessing much less so than with this umbrella attachment.
Plus, you won’t look like Mary Poppins or be blown over by a truck’s slipstream, so you get to keep your skin, too.
