What is the real word on biking in the rain?

ptlwp

Let's say it is more of a steady rain than a downpour...what is the best way to go about this? Staying somewhat dry, out of trouble and safe. I know there is quite a bit of rain in the United Kingdom of Great Britain as well as other places. Here in the midAtlantic states, we can expect rain, but fairly decent temperatures until the January freeze.

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Eden

I live in Seattle - need I say more. Going out riding in the rain really isn't so bad. The worst part is talking yourself into going outside in the first place. As long as you are dressed properly you'll be fine. Dress in layers. I usually wear an undershirt, my regular jersey and a jacket. A good waterproof/breathable jacket is a must. I really like my softshell, which I find keeps me quite dry, but is much more breathable than a regular rain jacket. I don't have waterproof tights, but the ones that I have are thermal and very very warm even if damp. Shoe covers are really nice. I've got the neoprene kind that keep don't really keep your feet dry, but they do keep them nice and toasty. Some of the people I ride with like to put on plastic bags over their socks, but my feet would sweat so much that they would be just as wet with a bag as without so I don't do it. Long fingered gloves are also nice, but I really wish mine were more waterproof. I think I'll have to get new ones or waterproof overgloves. One thing that I don't have is a good hat that fits under my helmet.

The other thing you have to do is be very dilligent about cleaning the mud and grit off your bike and drying it off when you get home. When I get home I rinse the worst of the gunk off, take my bike down to the cellar, strip off the worst of my wet gear, toss it in the washing machine and then immediately dry off my bike. I don't shower or eat first - in that amount of time your chain can rust!! After the bike is nice and dry I lube the drive chain. Then I shower and eat and if the bike was really really dirty I might go back down to the cellar and give it a really good drive train cleaning. You'll have to keep a good eye on your brake pads as well, as the road grit you pick up when you ride in the rain wears them down very quickly. Oh, it seems like there is a lot more junk on the roads and your tires pick it up easier so flats are more prevelant when you ride in the rain. I just put my tire liners back in. Some people don't like tire liners, they think they cause pinch flats, but I wen't about 9 years without any flats with them in and I just had 3 flats in 4 weeks without so I've put mine back in.

Because of all of the maintenance issues I don't like to take short rides in the rain so I prefer the trainer for weekday evenings, but I've just joined a team so I've been going on team rides every weekend - often in the rain! Really its not bad, it can even be quite fun to be the only people out.

yanosan

Riding in the rain is okay if you've got some dry gear at your destination! Eye protection is often an issue for me. While I don't usually ride with glasses, and though they get awfully messed up in the rain, glasses keep the road grime out of the eyes. The best part is arriving at the office and having the other tenants scowl at you as you drip on the floor!

Ike90

I also live in the Seattle area, and commute by bicycle about 90 percent of the time.

I don't use cycling shoes or clothing, just polypropylene longjohns under a standard nylon rainsuit in winter, and nothing out of the ordinary in warmer months. As noted above, consider some eye protection.

Tires are a key. I commute on a semi-converted MTB, and I have some Specialized Hemisphere kevlar tires that are excellent on wet pavement, and basically bullet proof. Wet traction is important, and knobby tires are usually the worst in those conditions.

Lights and reflectors are another must, especially in winter. I have lots of both on my commuter bike.

Since I ride everyday, cleaning and drying my bicycle on a daily basis is impractical. I try to wash mine twice a month, but if I had some ultra-spendy road bike, I wouldn't ride it in the rain, ever.

Watch out for wet lichen or algae on mostly unusued winter paths. Seriously, there are sections of my ride in which, during winter, I'm the only path user. They get slick with algae. Also, puddles can be tricky, because they hide what's below, in my neighborhood that's often a slick layer of muck.

Meeba

Dont forget to stuff wet cycling shoes with newspaper to absorb moisture out,l put fresh paper in every few hrs too. Oh and a cheap shower cap (hidden)under your helmet for those down pours!

danpat

Apart from the clothing and safety factor, I've found the best thing I've done for riding in the rain is to start riding a fixed gear (a single-speed would probably be just as good).

With only a front brake, there are just less parts to maintain, get dirty and clean, it's so much easier to keep it in good working condition than a bike with a full set of gears. I also use a track chain which is considerably more heavy duty and doesn't seem to acumulate as much crap off the road in the wet.

Xboy

Love seattle any body heard of canyon park or bothell. i comute most of the time to school in the rain. Doesnt help we almost got 30 days or rain strait . i hope we have a dry summer.Remember that in the rain nobody can see well so be extra visible. i cant stress that enough.

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commuterking

As for me I'm a fair weather rider for the most part, but with a shaved to bic head, I don't worry about head protection other than helmet. A face mask is nice for the days when its in the 30's. The biggest thing for me is getting out of bed and not warming up my car, instead trodging through our bike un-friendly town here in Eureka. We get darn near what seattle and portland get every year. It just doesn't snow here. I'm on a full on road bike too where a lot of other people are using cross training bikes and converted mountain bikes. I say no matter what just get out there and train!!!

scorpionryder

It rained one day in Los Angeles so far this winter. I own no rain gear.
I wussed out of my 12 mile trek home as my GF came and got me and carted me off to the pub.

BTW, sometimes I think that I am the only bike commuter here in LA.
People think I'm poor.

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Jarery

I live in vancouver (very rainy) and commute every day, without fail, year round.

I swap chains every week, keeping one in solvent, take out friday to dry, install dry one on bike sunday, toss dirty one in solvent, add fresh lube, repeat every week. Thats it.

I do a yearly tune up, and the odd wash on a sunny day. Its rain, not acid, the bike is metal, it doesnt disolve. My car sits in the driveway in the rain every day and its fine too.

As to myself, I was born with this new skin, its 100% waterproof !
I wear a showerspass.com elite rain jacket, over a thin base and mid layer. I wear windrproof pants, and add knee warmers under the pants on days approaching freezing in the rain.

Head, i wear a headsweats coolmax beanie, and a helmet cover.
Hands, aqua guard gloves.

Feet. wool socks, covered with sealskins gotretex socks, and shimano sandals. They dry in 10 min at work, no need for newspapers or wet feet on way home.

Some people think rain is going to destroy their bikes and they spend 2 hours cleaning it after it gets wet. /shrug Mines fine, and when it does fall apart, i'll be ready for an upgrade anyways

jamesdemien

I was wondering when someone was going to chime in and say something like this...

I agree the bike is a tool...I don't was my mountain bike every time I ride it and I certainly don't was my road bike every time I commute in the rain...

Just use some Beoshield or other expensive waterproof silicon lube on your drive train and cables and forget about it.

I did like your SPD sandal idea...

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Tenspeeder

I also live in Vancouver, and I wear glasses. Rain sucks, especially when it's cold.

I look like a goof when I cycle in the rain...but only because I wear eye goggles that I wear over my glasses at work when working on the bandsaw or drills at work. But...its easier to wipe the rain off the googles as opposed to my normal glasses.

As for clothes...I always keep a spare pair of jeans at work if mine get really wet.

And under my helmet: I wear a do-rag most of the time regardless.

Oh, but the biggest thing...my commute is usually ten to twenty minutes longer in the rain. No need to go fast when the people out here barely know how do drive regardless. :-)

aa9t8

danpat you are riding a track bike? is there no hills where you live? i recently got one. and the hills are killer. specialy down. i have no front brake. i have only taken it out a few times. it is just a fun bike a special kind of challenge.
for rain riding i use a mtn bike with fenders. actually put some extra fender to stop the crud from kicking up on the front derailler

Chris Cannon

PTWLP. I was just thinking the same thing.


I have not been able to ride the bike to work all week. The weather calls for rain everyday so I take the truck and at 3.05 a gallon I am not happy with it. The worst part is is that it looks like it can open up at any minute but it hasn't yet.

I fear riding in the rain since my way home is on a two lane road but it does not have a specified shoulder to ride in. It does have a sign that says "Share the road" with a cyclist on it but I don't think anyone cares about that. It is iffy enough on a nice day I can't imagine taking a chance in the rain.

How many of you have a narrow route you take and ride in the bad weather?