Riding in the Rain!

Fourth_Letter

Fourth_Letter

New Member
I want to ride so badly, but it's going to rain alllllllll week. How many of you ride in the rain (off the trails of course)? I was thinking that maybe I'd take a ride on the canal. I've never ridden in the rain on my bike. How bad is it for your bike?
 
Rain schmain.....go ride... if your worried about you bike, just wipe off and lube the chain when your done...
 
My buddy and I just got back from 2.5hr ride at Mahlon. Wasn't raining when we started , expected it at any moment . It poured for a bit ,rain was running off our helmet visors . Stopped raining for the last half of the ride .
It's a completely different ride in the rain . Things you normally ride with reckless abandon can easily kill ya on a rainy day .
 
Canal should be fine, just be careful were the over flow areas are could get a little hard to cross. Never had an issue but I have heard of some who did.
 
I was never cold on our ride today . Shorts , warm socks , Windstopper jacket <---( best bike related money I ever spent ) , short sleeve thin under armor shirt . I was warm !
Gloves were wet when the ride was over , but otherwise no issues.
 
Went out on the canal path at 5 AM while it was still dark AND raining. I think the will to go for a ride overrides the wet factor for me. Not really phased by the rain. I have warm and waterproof clothing so it's no big deal.
 
Will/k2 said:
Hello All,Not to hijack thread but looking for a recommendation for a wind stopper jacket
Thanks
Click to expand...
I'm not 100% sure of the model of mine, made by Gore , referred to as Windstopper . One of the features I like is that the sleeves zip off . It can be worn as a vest or just unzip to let some air flow in . Also has a rear fanny pocket .
paid about $150+/- for it I think .
 
rain riding

I mtbed hi mtn Sunday and the white trail down from wpu was very wet. The large rocks were slippery so a 1hr ride took 1.5 hours. Today ran 1 hr at saddle river. Of course farthest out in rains. I had nylon t shirt, shorts and wind vest roadie gave me.

Thursday should be nice. I hope to get out the fat tires before then:popcorn:
 
Don't let the weather put a damper on your rides. Just be smart and don't kill the trails. I'll be on the road all week in the rain.
 
I did two hours of commuting in the rain today. The PM commute was after dark. All good.
 
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A 40% chance of rain leaves a 60% margin for error. I rarely listen to the weather-casters. Today I started out in scattered drizzle and hit showers almost continuously on the way back. When you're moving, a light rain can evaporate almost as soon as it falls on you. In the final stretch I got caught in a downpour and got drenched but even that doesn't matter until you stop. When you do stop it's best to get out of the wet stuff and into a warm shower.

Today I wore a long sleeve underarmor under my jersey, tights and shorts and lightweight gloves, perfectly comfortable for fall riding. If you go for rain gear be aware that heavier stuff and things that are waterproof are not always breathable... some can hold heat and make you sweat like you're in a steam room. Wearing a cheapo rain poncho would probably not be a good idea.

Caution, wet road paint can be very slippery and wet leaves are slick as anything. And as fall comes; leaves on the road may be tempting to barrel through like you did as a kid but they hide glass and sewer grates and other junk. I learned about sewer grates under piles of leaves when I was a kid. That was also the day I learned about unplanned dismounts and how you really can't hide a black eye.:eek:
 
Riding in the rain isn't nearly as bad as it seems it could be. You'll be on your bike so that'll put a smile on your face!! Getting out in inclement weather now while it's it's still warm will have you better prepared for riding during the winter months, when it's cold, rainy, and windy all the time.

It's really just a matter of having the right clothing. There's 3 rain options.

A water-resistant jersey, lightweight shell, and a full rain outfit. Each will work at different temps. Here's a link to the lightweight packable shell...I wore one of these today during a 3-hour ride on the canal path.

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For colder temps and heavy rain I have a Cannondale Hydrono Jacket that works wonders. It doesn't breath extremely well so it's got be under 60 degrees.

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Then to complete the package you can get yourself a nice pair of rain pants. I have the Gore's. They're not cheap but I use them for other stuff too, like sledding in the winter:D

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Trek is also coming out with a commuter line of clothing that will be more economical and weather resistant but it's not out just yet.

-Jim.
 
Riding in the rain really isn't that bad, but it does take some motivation to get out there. The windstopper fabric is also water resistent and with keep you warm and dry when it is light rain, with heavier rain you will still get wet, but the windstopper helps keep you warm.
 
Riding in the rain or snow, for that matter, is not bad. Proper gear is a necessary. I have a canari Rain jacket (which is great), my helmet, gloves, glasses (which do fog up in the rain like there is no tomorrow) and usual shorts and shoes.
 
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