Bikes at School (Rain)

back in my day (dinosaurs and all) i either walked or rode my bike the 2 miles to school. i didn't die if i got wet, and nor did my bike. put a dishtowel in her backpack to wipe off the seat. or maybe her bum will get wet. it'll just be wet, not gross.
good for you for letting her travel in this healthy fashion! don't get stuck in the tiny, tiny potential downsides.
khairete
S.

I'm a HUGE fan of this idea!

I'd just encourage HER (note, her & not you!) to cover the seat with a grocery bag every day when she gets to school. Get her a good lock (make sure you also know the combination or have a key), maybe do a dry run over the weekend so she can get the hang of how to put her bike in the rack, cover the seat & lock it up, and then reverse the process.

If you were to leave the bike out all year round in the rain, the chain might rust if you didn't take care of it -- but it will rust and the tires will go flat if it just sits at home & never gets used, too.

Good for your daughter!

We usually tie a plastic bag around the seat and/or carry a rag to wipe the bike off if we need to. Bikes are meant to be ridden in all weather, so rain won't hurt it. Regular maintenance, like oiling the chain is a good idea. If she doesn't have a rear fender on her bike you can get one for it so the water doesn't splash her back when she rides in the rain or through puddles.

Updated

We usually tie a plastic bag around the seat and/or carry a rag to wipe the bike off if we need to. Bikes are meant to be ridden in all weather, so rain won't hurt it. Regular maintenance, like oiling the chain is a good idea. If she doesn't have a rear fender on her bike you can get one for it so the water doesn't splash her back when she rides in the rain or through puddles.

Updated

We usually tie a plastic bag around the seat and/or carry a rag to wipe the bike off if we need to. Bikes are meant to be ridden in all weather, so rain won't hurt it. Regular maintenance, like oiling the chain is a good idea. If she doesn't have a rear fender on her bike you can get one for it so the water doesn't splash her back when she rides in the rain or through puddles.

Others have already answered your question but let me point out that if it rains (yes the seat will be wet) your daughter is going to get wet anyway. Unless you pick her up, she will riding in the rain right?

If you leave the bike out all the time in the rain, sure it will rust. Occassionally and with normal maintenance, I wouldn't worry about it.

Can you take her or have her ride the bus when the forcast has rain to minimize the problem?

If the seat gets wet, she can use a paper towel (from the school bathroom).

Sometimes the rain may unexpectedly show up, so it may be hard to know when to cover it with a plastic bag.

I noticed here, if it rains really hard at the end of school, the children seem to be picked up or catch a ride..

Play it by ear, talk about options, talk about flat tires, phone calls and how they can be made to each other.

When I was in college, I rode my bike all over town in all kinds of weather. (I didn't have a car... that was my only transportation.) Unfortunately, I didn't have a back fender, so I often got a muddy stripe up my back.... (this was in Kansas, so it did rain much more often there.)

My bike was also parked outside, not in a sheltered place.

Yes, the chain may get a bit rusty, but with proper maintenance, it will be fine. (I still have that bike, and it is over 30 years old... I haven't ridden it for many years, though....)

Yes, she may get a bit wet.. (but... how often does it rain anymore in Texas, anyway?) .....

The exercise and independence is well worth it... teach her how to properly ride her bike to and from school, and to lock it securely every day.