Commuting In The Rain



oportosanto

Well-Known Member
Oct 28, 2015
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I have to say that I have tried it, but I didn't find it practical because even with adequate clothing I was all wet naturally. I am curious here, anyone brave enough to commute in the rain using the bike?
 
I am afraid how slippery the roads could get during the rain. I had been soaked in the rain before trying to accomplish my daily routine but I was only frustrated. The dirt, the cold water on my perspiring body, my wet clothes and all that.
 
The only time I rode my bike under precipitation (more like a drizzle than rain, I live in a desertic area) I fell off my bike epically. Slippery roads D:
 
Yeah, it's slippery and dangerous. I can understand that we can do it for fun on the weekend, it's awesome to be riding in the rain, get home and have a warm shower, but getting all wet out of the bike and go to work is not as pleasant.
 
Cycling to work in bad weather is never the best experience, and if you do have to do it, the right outerwear is a must.

While I think everyone would have been caught out by bad weather, having to then sit in an office for example in wet shoes isn't a pleasant experience, as I know, and I won't make the same mistake again!
 
I hate commuting in the rain, even though I carry my work clothes with me and change into them there. That doesn't help my soaking wet hair and running makeup though, and I hate going about my day feeling damp and grubby, so when it's raining I usually leave the bike at home and take the bus instead. I work in fashion sales though so I need to look relatively polished and together...getting rained on was never such a big deal when I had a warehouse/manual labour job, so I think it really depends on where you're commuting to :)
 
I had experienced riding when it was raining but only inside our village. I cannot imagine riding under the rains in the main road for it is like courting danger. Especially now that the rains are strange with the usual visibility zero, you can expect an accident. When there is a storm or typhoon, there are not much vehicles on the road. That's a good time to venture outside for those adventurous riders. But for me, I'd rather stay home when it is raining or if I need to go then I would just drive my car.
 
Seems an odd thing to say, but when it comes to!safety I think it's probably safer to ride when its actually raining than when it is just after its stopped, or if the ground is damp from rainfall from a few hours ago? Wet and greasy roads canmbe a nightmare, especially at this time of year aswell when you also have to watch out for slippery leaves aswell.

You wouldn't believe how dangerous a wet leaf can be until you've ridden a bike over one on a corner at high speed, it can feel like your back wheel as all of a sudden hit a patch of black ice as you don't expect it.
 
I have never rode in the rain. I have thought about it many times, but I always chicken out. Riding in the rain seems very dangerous and I do not trust the other drivers on the rode. Where I live the traffic is horrible and most people do not follow the driving guidelines. I feel that if I rode a bike in the rain then I would be putting my life in danger. Also, there are many natural hazards that present themselves on the road when it is raining. Therefore, in the rain, I prefer to drive or to take a bus or to simply stay home.
 
I like riding my bike in the rain, but not when I'm commuting to work. I like to have proper clothing and I ride really, really careful. Slippery roads can be a horrible thing both for you and for other people in traffic.
 
I think that's the difference, when I'm mountain biking I'll ride in any weather as I'll have the suitable gear on, and when I come home I can have a shower.

Commuting to work in bad weather is a totally different thing altogether, as you know you'll have to work all day then in damp clothes more than likely.
 
It feels good when you are in the rain and full wet but as soon as you get into a dry area like a building you just feel cold and icky and wishing you were in your bed under your warm soft blankets.
 
I maybe wouldn't go as so far as to say it feels good, but it's certainly not as bad as you think it would be when your out in it.

Like I said it's the effect after that's the worst part and if your coming home and can take a shower then get warm and dry off its not so bad, getting caught in bad weather then having to work all day isn't great though!
 
Safety first! I do not commute with my bike during the rainy season. The roads are slippery, lessened visibility and I do not like getting wet even though I have my rain coat on. The risk of accident is higher and I might catch a cold due to the weather. My main reason for bike commuting is for cost cutting but if my health and safety is the concern, then I do not mind spending a few bucks on gas or bus fare just to arrive at home and work, safe and sound.
 
Yep, pretty much, if we put logic into it it's not just about being practical, but being safe too. For fun sure, but in the day to day it's just too risky.
 
I bought an outer jacket from Voler last year for rain and it works great and it was only $13 which sold retail for $18, not sure why they quit selling it, I guess they wanted to raise the price $99 because the new one cost that much and looks almost the same except it has a zipper instead of velcro closing! Just go to Amazon and type in cycling rain jacket and chose the cheapest one with high ratings. I'll combine this with a breathable light jacket made by Garneau, or if colder then I put on a thicker jersey with the light jacket then the rain jacket to block the cold.

I also use a rain pant which I got cheap from Walmart but works very well against rain and cold wind and it was cheap.

If it's raining heavily I'll use shoe covers which all I got was the cheap Nashbar brand which works fine.

I also have a helmet cover which sort of looks like this one: http://www.amazon.com/TAIGA-Helmet-Rain-Cover-Waterproof/dp/B00NUHHMUQ/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1448133090&sr=8-15&keywords=helmet+rain+cover I like the rear flap because it prevents water from draining down my neck and into the jacket but cheap ones like this work too as far as keeping your head from getting wet; see: http://www.amazon.com/Rockbros-Windproof-Dust-proof-Mountain-Helmet/dp/B00WSJJHC8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1448133090&sr=8-3&keywords=helmet+rain+cover Also when it's cold and raining I'll had an internal head beanie.

I will also wear cheap clear safety glasses in the rain that have an aero look to it, they help to keep the cold air from blasting my eyes, I treat the glasses with RainX so the rain just flies off the lens leaving them clear.

Riding in the rain or on wet roads requires that you drop your psi by about 10 psi, also stay off of painted, including painted stripes, or steel, wood, or plastic surfaces as these will be very slick.

Use a light in the front and rear and set to flash mode.

Lastly you might want to consider fenders if you don't want crud flying up the back of your jacket and or want a cleaner bike when you're done. From everything that I've read I think these are the best; see: http://www.amazon.com/CRUD-RoadRacer-MK2-Road-Fenders/dp/B00435NFKA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448133491&sr=8-1&keywords=crud+fender Some fenders have been known to get objects stuck on the tread then get jammed into the fender which resulted in bent or broken forks, while I never seen this or knew of anyone this happened to I have seen examples on the internet so I think it's rare, but it's not something I would ever want to see happen and the Crud fender will prevent that because it just moves away instead of the fork. I use a Planet Bike Cascade fender set on my touring bike but just a Planet Bike Flipper on my commuter bike; haven't decided if I want to buy the Crud fenders yet. There is also a Planet Bike Grunge board which mounts to the down tube to help the tube from getting overly dirty, I don't know about this, I don't use one I just wipe the bike down when I get home which I would have to do anyways..
 
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Most of the time I use a raincoat and rain boots,

And I always have a spare pair of socks and shirt in my bag, but when it gets really crazy outside, of course I use the bus as everybody else.
 
I have always avoided riding while it is raining. I fear contracting the cold virus. I don't like riding while wet and shivering. It is generally not good to my health.