Riding in the Rain
- Thread starter hammonjj
- Start date
It is a big + if you can train in the rain as it will help you in bike handling skills. I do it alot and feel much more confident in races similar to what CX will do for you. I have started CX this year also.
If you do plan on racing, keep in mind there will be times when it will be raining and you will have a big advantage.
-Js
If you do plan on racing, keep in mind there will be times when it will be raining and you will have a big advantage.
-Js
hammonjj said:
*If you get a crappy, used "rain bike", don't get one with chrome steel rims and caliper, canti or v brakes; it's like they're not even there in the rain.
*Aluminum rims will slowly abrade away and get real thin if you ride in the rain a lot. I think the abrasion issue is one of the main reasons discs became popular on MTBs.
*wash the grit out of your chain with a chain cleaner; the front tire's splash will make the chain grittier than mudding an MTB even if you ride in the city.
*be prepared for reduced visibility because it gets in your eyes
*I was always concerned about riding by a busy road even if there was a safe, wide shoulder or sidewalk because the mist and spray is full of roadkill bacteria.
*be especially careful for the first ten minutes because the oil from dripping cars is still on the road and combined with water, makes it extra slick.
*Aluminum rims will slowly abrade away and get real thin if you ride in the rain a lot. I think the abrasion issue is one of the main reasons discs became popular on MTBs.
*wash the grit out of your chain with a chain cleaner; the front tire's splash will make the chain grittier than mudding an MTB even if you ride in the city.
*be prepared for reduced visibility because it gets in your eyes
*I was always concerned about riding by a busy road even if there was a safe, wide shoulder or sidewalk because the mist and spray is full of roadkill bacteria.
*be especially careful for the first ten minutes because the oil from dripping cars is still on the road and combined with water, makes it extra slick.
I'd rather ride in the rain than in the wind. Wind and rain together generally sucks. Thunderstorms can be pretty exciting and I try to avoid riding in them although I did get caught out in a couple this year. Ever notice how the white line becomes like teflon in the rain?
Just back from a ride I was 1/2 way into and it started lashing down.
Worst for me was the rain washed the sweat off my head/brow into my eyes. Stings like bugger till enough rinses it.
I was wearing glasses not contacts so they steam up when you stop at lights
.
I ride all weather rain,hail,sun,wind and snow either when its falling or banked.
Snow and ice really test your bike handling skills.
Saying that I only put my toes down on the straight in those conditions.
Hot shower afterwards feels twice as good.
Worst for me was the rain washed the sweat off my head/brow into my eyes. Stings like bugger till enough rinses it.
I was wearing glasses not contacts so they steam up when you stop at lights
.I ride all weather rain,hail,sun,wind and snow either when its falling or banked.
Snow and ice really test your bike handling skills
.Saying that I only put my toes down on the straight in those conditions.
Hot shower afterwards feels twice as good.
Full length mudguards are a really good idea for rain or damp conditions. Even clip in mudguards are good too.
Certainly they help to keep things like the backpassage dry for longer
Certainly they help to keep things like the backpassage dry for longer
Neoprene overshoes are good. They don't stop your feet getting wet (so don't wear your best shoes) but they do trap a layer of sogginess which acts as a barrier for coldness. I would often feel cold almost everywhere except for relatively warm feet after a couple of hours in the rain.
Mudguards are a must, especially if there are people behind you, although a mudflap or a home-made extender made from a washing-up liquid bottle seem to be necessary, as even full-length guards don't stop everything. Rain will spew up from the exposed part of the tyre between the road and the end of the guard and, thanks to the water coming off at a tangent, will hit the bloke behind square in the face! Keeps you dry though...
Puncture-resistant tyres should be on your list - there's nothing worse than changing a puncture in the rain. You get cold, you get filthy, training partners get cold and fed-up. No fun.
Mudguards are a must, especially if there are people behind you, although a mudflap or a home-made extender made from a washing-up liquid bottle seem to be necessary, as even full-length guards don't stop everything. Rain will spew up from the exposed part of the tyre between the road and the end of the guard and, thanks to the water coming off at a tangent, will hit the bloke behind square in the face! Keeps you dry though...
Puncture-resistant tyres should be on your list - there's nothing worse than changing a puncture in the rain. You get cold, you get filthy, training partners get cold and fed-up. No fun.
It all depends on the individual and how you train when you're in the rain. Unless you're actually out somewhere where there aint much traffic and you have a couple of layers of clothes and a bike that you don't mind bending the bars and pedal/cranks if you fall off when riding too fast around corners 'searching' for the limit, then all you're going to do is get wet and discover that it takes longer to brake. Having a couple of layers of clothing is useful to reduce the amount of road rash - but aint gonna do jack if you snap the ol' collarbone or something similar.jsirabella said:
Some people train all the time in the rain, hate it with a passion and still can't handle a bike worth a damn in the rain through fear of falling off. Likewise, some people never see rain but just revel in the fact that everyone else hates it when it does rain during a race so they just put the hammer down.
The old me, I would ride in the dark and I would ride in the rain but I would avoid the combination of both.
The new me, no.
Apart from avoiding getting the prosthetic soaked, I have a great indoor trainer set up now and can go to an indoor velodrome if I wanted to.
I would race an A priority race in the rain though and have enough experience to know what adjustments, if any, to make. For a crit it might simply be a little less pressure in the tyres.
The new me, no.
Apart from avoiding getting the prosthetic soaked, I have a great indoor trainer set up now and can go to an indoor velodrome if I wanted to.
I would race an A priority race in the rain though and have enough experience to know what adjustments, if any, to make. For a crit it might simply be a little less pressure in the tyres.
Im just a regular everyday rider. I don't "train" I just ride.
I did my ride in the rain today. As previously mentioned it makes me
feel tough(er) I love screaming through deep puddles from time to time.
I don't cram it around corners. I brake and take it easy.
My favorite rain rides are heavy downpours in the middle of the hot
summer in the northeast USA where I ride. It cools me off and it gives me a
feeling of elation.
I did my ride in the rain today. As previously mentioned it makes me
feel tough(er) I love screaming through deep puddles from time to time.
I don't cram it around corners. I brake and take it easy.
My favorite rain rides are heavy downpours in the middle of the hot
summer in the northeast USA where I ride. It cools me off and it gives me a
feeling of elation.
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