It’s inadvisable to be bike commuting at all during a thunderstorm.
Rain? Absolutely. Thunderstorm? No thanks.
ColbyJack74 on
I’d be more worried about capsizing with those gusts. Probably a fairly infitesemelle chance of getting struck unless your steel bike is a penny farthing.
RandomMuseum on
If lightning can travel miles through air what makes you think it cares about what material your bike is made of?
out_focus on
Depends. Where are you riding? A polder? Some open fields? Lower Manhattan?
Little_Creme_5932 on
It is not advisable to bike home when there is a thunderstorm. Watch the radar. Stay at work a few extra minutes if there is a thunderstorm. If it is thundering during when you must commute in the morning, get to work another way.
jeffbell on
Lightning hits trees and they are nonmetallic.
If you are out in a large open space there is a risk, but in an urban or suburban road environment there are much taller things around you.
TheNetworkIsFrelled on
It’s probably fine unless you’re the tallest thing around, and trees and streetlamps are closer and more conductive than you are. It’s not the ferrous metal, it’s the conductivity – alumimum is a better conductor than steel.
I do wonder whether or not tires are good insulators, though….
addisonshinedown on
Eh… your chances of getting struck by lightning are incredibly small no matter what you do. Use your best judgement.
Dapper-Ad9787 on
Any bike. You’re out in the open.
Smash_Shop on
As with all lightning recommendations, as long as you’re not the tallest thing in the nearby area, you’re fine. If your commute is in a city with buildings or trees or telephone poles or trucks you’re fine. If your commute is across a golf course with precisely cut 0.5″ grass, then no.
goatoffering on
The metal will not attract the lightning but you or taller objects nearby might….
You’re on rubber wheels anyway right?
I’d roll in the rain and wind but severe lightning storm im taking the bus/train/car.
That being said if you got stuck in one you’d probably be fine.
ChanFry on
I still figure I’m more statistically likely to be hit by a car than by lightning. Orders of magnitude more likely.
Doesn’t mean I’ll ride in that weather, just saying.
Un_Ballerina_1952 on
Being outdoors in a t’storm is not wise. Fully enclosed by a metal car is relatively safe; anything else is far less so. The metal beneath doesn’t change anything – lightning has an exquisite ability to find a path.
Gr0ggy1 on
Just be aware of limited visibility and drivers being hyper aggressive.
The first is a given, but depending on your route and the automotive traffic on it, heavy rain/darkness is going to be sketchy. One does not want to be the taillight some driver opts to follow in low visibility at 3-4x the speed.
The second is simply that drivers through some type of vestigial instinct get very aggressive when the weather is threatening, shedding any remaining bit of patience in a rush to get their mobile climate controlled box to either their work or sleeping box.
vaustin89 on
Depends on your route, since I commute entirely in an urban area I just look out that I don’t stay too long near electrical post.
animatorgeek on
As far as I know, almost every bike is made of a conductive material. Steel, aluminum and carbon fiber are all conductors (though for carbon, you’d have to get the resin that holds it together before you get to the conductive bit). In fact, I’m pretty sure aluminum is a better conductor than steel, and carbon may be as well.
Amazing-Software4098 on
My commute is short, and my risk tolerance may be greater than others. I’ve commuted through pretty good storms with lightning in the area, and through some tornado watches (which usually don’t amount to much around here).
19 Comments
See you in the other subreddit
It’s inadvisable to be bike commuting at all during a thunderstorm.
Rain? Absolutely. Thunderstorm? No thanks.
I’d be more worried about capsizing with those gusts. Probably a fairly infitesemelle chance of getting struck unless your steel bike is a penny farthing.
If lightning can travel miles through air what makes you think it cares about what material your bike is made of?
Depends. Where are you riding? A polder? Some open fields? Lower Manhattan?
It is not advisable to bike home when there is a thunderstorm. Watch the radar. Stay at work a few extra minutes if there is a thunderstorm. If it is thundering during when you must commute in the morning, get to work another way.
Lightning hits trees and they are nonmetallic.
If you are out in a large open space there is a risk, but in an urban or suburban road environment there are much taller things around you.
It’s probably fine unless you’re the tallest thing around, and trees and streetlamps are closer and more conductive than you are. It’s not the ferrous metal, it’s the conductivity – alumimum is a better conductor than steel.
I do wonder whether or not tires are good insulators, though….
Eh… your chances of getting struck by lightning are incredibly small no matter what you do. Use your best judgement.
Any bike. You’re out in the open.
As with all lightning recommendations, as long as you’re not the tallest thing in the nearby area, you’re fine. If your commute is in a city with buildings or trees or telephone poles or trucks you’re fine. If your commute is across a golf course with precisely cut 0.5″ grass, then no.
The metal will not attract the lightning but you or taller objects nearby might….
You’re on rubber wheels anyway right?
I’d roll in the rain and wind but severe lightning storm im taking the bus/train/car.
That being said if you got stuck in one you’d probably be fine.
I still figure I’m more statistically likely to be hit by a car than by lightning. Orders of magnitude more likely.
Doesn’t mean I’ll ride in that weather, just saying.
Being outdoors in a t’storm is not wise. Fully enclosed by a metal car is relatively safe; anything else is far less so. The metal beneath doesn’t change anything – lightning has an exquisite ability to find a path.
Just be aware of limited visibility and drivers being hyper aggressive.
The first is a given, but depending on your route and the automotive traffic on it, heavy rain/darkness is going to be sketchy. One does not want to be the taillight some driver opts to follow in low visibility at 3-4x the speed.
The second is simply that drivers through some type of vestigial instinct get very aggressive when the weather is threatening, shedding any remaining bit of patience in a rush to get their mobile climate controlled box to either their work or sleeping box.
Depends on your route, since I commute entirely in an urban area I just look out that I don’t stay too long near electrical post.
As far as I know, almost every bike is made of a conductive material. Steel, aluminum and carbon fiber are all conductors (though for carbon, you’d have to get the resin that holds it together before you get to the conductive bit). In fact, I’m pretty sure aluminum is a better conductor than steel, and carbon may be as well.
My commute is short, and my risk tolerance may be greater than others. I’ve commuted through pretty good storms with lightning in the area, and through some tornado watches (which usually don’t amount to much around here).
Bike material does not matter
Dont be in open fields