Weather



N

naked_draughtsman

Guest
Is anyone else getting fed up with the changeable weather at the
moment?

I didn't get my lie in this morning because it was so sunny and as
this was the best weather we've had for a while I thought I should
make the most of it. I set off at 7:45 and it was blindingly sunny
and quite hot for that time of the morning.

A mile down the road, it started spotting with rain and had started to
go a bit dark so decided to turn back and do a route which stayed
closer to home in case it did start chucking it down as having to ride
back home over several big hills isn't much fun in the rain. It kept
drizzling for the next half an hour so I gave up and went home after
only doing 6 miles.
Now I'm home and have to go out somewhere else, it's hot and sunny
again outside. With hindsight I should've stuck it out in the drizzle
although sod's law says I would have got a thorough soaking if I did.

When I get back this afternoon, I bet it'll be pouring down.

peter
 
"naked_draughtsman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Is anyone else getting fed up with the changeable weather at the
> moment?
>
> I didn't get my lie in this morning because it was so sunny and as
> this was the best weather we've had for a while I thought I should
> make the most of it. I set off at 7:45 and it was blindingly sunny
> and quite hot for that time of the morning.
>
> Now I'm home and have to go out somewhere else, it's hot and sunny
> again outside. With hindsight I should've stuck it out in the drizzle
> although sod's law says I would have got a thorough soaking if I did.
>
> When I get back this afternoon, I bet it'll be pouring down.
>

Like you said the big mistake was turning back. Getting soaked is not a bad
thing. One you're soaked through, you cant get any wetter!

Now gird your loins and get out there!

;-)
 
naked_draughtsman wrote:
>
> A mile down the road, it started spotting with rain and had started to
> go a bit dark so decided to turn back and do a route which stayed
> closer to home in case it did start chucking it down as having to ride
> back home over several big hills isn't much fun in the rain. It kept
> drizzling for the next half an hour so I gave up and went home after
> only doing 6 miles.
>
URA fair weather cyclist AICMFP ;-)

Tony
 
In article <[email protected]>,
naked_draughtsman
[email protected] says...
> Is anyone else getting fed up with the changeable weather at the
> moment?
>
> I didn't get my lie in this morning because it was so sunny and as
> this was the best weather we've had for a while I thought I should
> make the most of it. I set off at 7:45 and it was blindingly sunny
> and quite hot for that time of the morning.
>
> A mile down the road, it started spotting with rain and had started to
> go a bit dark so decided to turn back and do a route which stayed
> closer to home in case it did start chucking it down as having to ride
> back home over several big hills isn't much fun in the rain. It kept
> drizzling for the next half an hour so I gave up and went home after
> only doing 6 miles.
> Now I'm home and have to go out somewhere else, it's hot and sunny
> again outside. With hindsight I should've stuck it out in the drizzle
> although sod's law says I would have got a thorough soaking if I did.
>
Get decent clothing so it doesn't matter if it rains, and stop being
such a softy.
 
On 22/07/2007 09:45, naked_draughtsman wrote:
> Is anyone else getting fed up with the changeable weather at the
> moment?

What bothers me most about it is that my digital ITV reception seems to
be highly weather dependent (channels other than 55 are all fine unless
the weather is exceptionally bad).

Reception is usually OK in July, but this year I'm finding it quite
difficult on some days to follow le Tour :-(

--
Danny Colyer <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/>
Reply address is valid, but that on my website is checked more often
"Daddy, put that down. Daddy, put that down. Daddy, put that down.
Daddy, why did you put that down?" - Charlie Colyer, age 2
 
On 2007-07-22, Danny Colyer <[email protected]> wrote:
> On 22/07/2007 09:45, naked_draughtsman wrote:
>> Is anyone else getting fed up with the changeable weather at the
>> moment?
>
> What bothers me most about it is that my digital ITV reception seems to
> be highly weather dependent (channels other than 55 are all fine unless
> the weather is exceptionally bad).

For some reason you can always get the channels you'd never want to
watch loud and clear (QVC, UK Bright ideas, BBC1, etc.) but ITV4 is
one of the worst affected.

> Reception is usually OK in July, but this year I'm finding it quite
> difficult on some days to follow le Tour :-(

Ain't that the truth, and the particularly annoying thing about it is
that the one time you particularly want to watch TV is when it's
raining.

You can download the ITV4 programs from http://uknova.com, but usually
one day late because of their strange rules.
 
On Jul 22, 11:12 am, Rob Morley <[email protected]> wrote:
> Get decent clothing so it doesn't matter if it rains, and stop being
> such a softy.

I can't find any waterproofs that are any use to me - everything I've
tried either makes me even wetter through sweat or lets the water in
anyway and I've tried cheap stuff right up to £60 waterproof trousers
which were supposed to be good for cycling. I've found light cycling
tops and shorts better than anything else because at least you dry out
quickly.

I don't mind the rain, I just wish it would stay damp or stay dry
(preferably dry).

peter
 
On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 07:55:06 -0700, naked_draughtsman
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Jul 22, 11:12 am, Rob Morley <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Get decent clothing so it doesn't matter if it rains, and stop being
>> such a softy.
>
>I can't find any waterproofs that are any use to me - everything I've
>tried either makes me even wetter through sweat or lets the water in
>anyway and I've tried cheap stuff right up to £60 waterproof trousers
>which were supposed to be good for cycling.

Well there's your problem. I'm not up-to-date on UK prices, but I
wouldn't think you can get Gore-Tex, or even any of the many
imitations, for that sort of money. Anything that's not Gore-Tex is a
waste of money

>I've found light cycling
>tops and shorts better than anything else because at least you dry out
>quickly.

I'v never bothered with waterproof trousers, TBH. Shorts in summer and
tights in winter. They dry out very quickly and trousers/socks/shoes
can either be left at your destination of carried in waterproof (bags
in) panniers.

--
Ace in Alsace - brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom
 
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 07:55:06 -0700, naked_draughtsman
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >I can't find any waterproofs that are any use to me - everything I've
> >tried either makes me even wetter through sweat or lets the water in
> >anyway and I've tried cheap stuff right up to £60 waterproof trousers
> >which were supposed to be good for cycling.
>
> Well there's your problem. I'm not up-to-date on UK prices, but I
> wouldn't think you can get Gore-Tex, or even any of the many
> imitations, for that sort of money. Anything that's not Gore-Tex is a
> waste of money

Bargains can be had - I've recently bought (after my Aldi "waterproofs"
proved they weren't) a set of army surplus Gore-Tex waterproofs from
eBay for £30 (inc postage). They've amply proved their worth in the rain
we've been having over the last couple of weeks, and let me cycle to
work in standard clothes without getting wet or sweaty (though you have
to ride at a moderate pace to avoid overheating). I think for Gore-Tex,
£30 for jacket and trousers would be considered cheap. The only downside
is looking like I'm on my way to Catterick, so I have to make sure
there's a bit of hi-viz somewhere on me or the bike.

--
Colin

Coincidence is the alibi of the Gods

(remove FOOT to reply)
 
On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 17:29:24 +0100, Colin
<[email protected]> wrote:

>In article <[email protected]>,
>[email protected] says...

>> Anything that's not Gore-Tex is a waste of money
>
>Bargains can be had - I've recently bought (after my Aldi "waterproofs"
>proved they weren't) a set of army surplus Gore-Tex waterproofs from
>eBay for £30 (inc postage). They've amply proved their worth in the rain
>we've been having over the last couple of weeks, and let me cycle to
>work in standard clothes without getting wet or sweaty (though you have
>to ride at a moderate pace to avoid overheating). I think for Gore-Tex,
>£30 for jacket and trousers would be considered cheap.

Absolute bargain, I'd say.

>The only downside
>is looking like I'm on my way to Catterick, so I have to make sure
>there's a bit of hi-viz somewhere on me or the bike.

"Stealth cyclist"

--
Ace in Alsace - brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom
 
On 22/07/2007 16:29, Ace said,

> Well there's your problem. I'm not up-to-date on UK prices, but I
> wouldn't think you can get Gore-Tex, or even any of the many
> imitations, for that sort of money. Anything that's not Gore-Tex is a
> waste of money

Personally I think Goretex is over-rated. I also do mountain and
hill-walking, and have a Goretex jacket. Even from new I ended up
getting just as clammy inside as with a normal jacket.

> I'v never bothered with waterproof trousers, TBH.

For commuting, the distance I ride makes it not worthwhile to faff about
changing at each end, so I wear £30 waterproof trousers that really are
waterproof. They're not Goretex, y'see :) The jacket is a CTC yellow
jobby that is just as waterproof, and no more clammy than my Goretex
jacket. If it's raining going in to work I rode slower so I don't get
cooked. For leisure rides (means my MTB) I might wear waterproof socks
if I remember, otherwise I just get wet!

So no, I wouldn't bother paying way over the odds for Goretex when I can
get just as clammy for half the price :)

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/
 
On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 18:58:21 +0100 someone who may be Danny Colyer
<[email protected]> wrote this:-

>That's what I keep telling my wife, but she doesn't really believe it.

A good reason to get satellite television. I picked up a basic kit
from Lidl for IIRC £30, plus a larger dish for IIRC £7.50. These
have now been augmented with a few bits and pieces, but the total
cost was still rather less than a bike. More expensive equipment is
available for those with more money than sense.

Getting satellite television is now becoming what it is on the
mainland, get a kit from a supermarket and fit it yourself.

The satellite with most of the UK channels is still lacking Channels
4 and 5, as they are extricating themselves from Rupert Murdoch over
the next year or so, but there is still a lot to watch. There is
also some excellent radio, including NPR from the USA which has some
very interesting programmes.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54
 
On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 18:46:41 +0100, Paul Boyd <[email protected]>
wrote:

>On 22/07/2007 16:29, Ace said,
>
>> Well there's your problem. I'm not up-to-date on UK prices, but I
>> wouldn't think you can get Gore-Tex, or even any of the many
>> imitations, for that sort of money. Anything that's not Gore-Tex is a
>> waste of money
>
>Personally I think Goretex is over-rated. I also do mountain and
>hill-walking, and have a Goretex jacket. Even from new I ended up
>getting just as clammy inside as with a normal jacket.

Must be a sweaty thing, I guess. I've got through probably eight or so
mountain jackets (including Ski Club uniform ones) in the past 15
years since I've been skiing, and have found that some of the
proprietry non-GT breathable/waterproof membrane ones (e.g. Tenson,
Nevica) are nearly as good as the real thing, but that others (e.g.
Helly-Hansen) just get wet on the inside even with the vents open.
Same is true for motorbike gear - the only stuff I've ever found
that's truly 100% waterproof is the PVC stuff I had from my Merchant
Navy days, but gore-tex is the closest to it I've found in any textile
product.

>So no, I wouldn't bother paying way over the odds for Goretex when I can
>get just as clammy for half the price :)

Well, we're all individuals, but my opinion obviously difffers
somewhat from yours :)
--
Ace in Alsace - brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom
 
in message <[email protected]>, Ace
('[email protected]') wrote:

> On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 07:55:06 -0700, naked_draughtsman
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>On Jul 22, 11:12 am, Rob Morley <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> Get decent clothing so it doesn't matter if it rains, and stop being
>>> such a softy.
>>
>>I can't find any waterproofs that are any use to me - everything I've
>>tried either makes me even wetter through sweat or lets the water in
>>anyway and I've tried cheap stuff right up to £60 waterproof trousers
>>which were supposed to be good for cycling.
>
> Well there's your problem. I'm not up-to-date on UK prices, but I
> wouldn't think you can get Gore-Tex, or even any of the many
> imitations, for that sort of money. Anything that's not Gore-Tex is a
> waste of money

For cycling in summer (provided you can change at the end of your journey)
waterproofs are a waste of money. If you're working hard enough, you won't
get cold.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; I put the 'sexy' in 'dyslexia'
 
Chris Eilbeck wrote:
>
> The technology itself is excellent.

So was Betamax

Tony
 
On Jul 23, 4:18 am, Simon Brooke <[email protected]> wrote:
> in message <[email protected]>, Ace
>
>
>
> ('[email protected]') wrote:
> > On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 07:55:06 -0700, naked_draughtsman
> > <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >>On Jul 22, 11:12 am, Rob Morley <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>> Get decent clothing so it doesn't matter if it rains, and stop being
> >>> such a softy.
>
> >>I can't find any waterproofs that are any use to me - everything I've
> >>tried either makes me even wetter through sweat or lets the water in
> >>anyway and I've tried cheap stuff right up to £60 waterproof trousers
> >>which were supposed to be good for cycling.
>
> > Well there's your problem. I'm not up-to-date on UK prices, but I
> > wouldn't think you can get Gore-Tex, or even any of the many
> > imitations, for that sort of money. Anything that's not Gore-Tex is a
> > waste of money
>
> For cycling in summer (provided you can change at the end of your journey)
> waterproofs are a waste of money. If you're working hard enough, you won't
> get cold.

Some urban commuting doesn't provide the opportunity to "work hard
enough", and indeed in heavy rain with limited visibility and reduced
grip it may be somewhat unwise to go too fast anyway.

I often wear a goretex jacket, and I'm very pleased with my new
goretex overtrousers, which through being home-made were not
unreasonably expensive (plus they actually fit). 40 minutes in tipping
rain can be rather unpleasant IME. In those conditions, I get wet even
with the goretex, but it's a much warmer and more comfortable form of
wet.

James
 
On 23/07/2007 02:49, [email protected] said,

> Some urban commuting doesn't provide the opportunity to "work hard
> enough", and indeed in heavy rain with limited visibility and reduced
> grip it may be somewhat unwise to go too fast anyway.

Agreed - I work 2.5 miles away from home. OK, if I was *really* keen I
could take the long way round, but why? The working hours are long
enough without adding to the overall time.

Coming home tonight I had driving rain in my face. I could see the
front wheel, but not much further. I wasn't going fast :)

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/
 
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