Do you like riding in the rain?

Random Vince

i was discussing this with millie last night,
we came to the conclusion that if you've wrapped yourself in warm layers of waterproof then rain seeps through then you mind quite a bit, as you've set yourself up in your mind to stay warm and dry and don't like the opposite happening

if you've gone out with the assumption that you'll get wet then you don't mind as you've psycologically set yourself up for it.

personally i can do cold, i can do wet

not fond of both together

whyamihere

On the way home, when it's fairly warm, I love riding in the rain.Not sure what it is about it, it's just brilliant. On the way in, though, it's a bit of a problem, because I have to sit in wet shorts for ages (always take a change of tshirt). Not very nice when it's cold either.

flybywire

Slightly damp roads = faster (not puddles) this is due to less surface tension & friction apparently..

Time a straight section of road when conditions are similar but when raining & when dry (ie wind/temp & that you're similar fatigue level), pros suggest it's quicker aswell on the straights.

Another thing sealskin gloves are NOT waterproof! :? Tthe mtb type that I have are 3weeks old & waiting at the level crossing 2/3rd on way to work yesterday hands were saturated (Not sweat & these aren't damaged/split)

Word of warning with puddles, they mask potholes/roadside erosion - since rain has lapsed should see the size of holes in the road around here :!:

Matteeboy

Don't mind it but become a wuss on downhill wet sections after a major off a while back - multiple injuries!

T800

Love it. Only downside is riding in the rain in the dark as I wear glasses and if it's heavy headlights from oncoming cars can be a real pain.

graeme_s-2

Sometimes I like it, and sometimes I don't. On Friday I'd been out on foot in the rain at lunch time and wasn't really looking forwards to it as I'd gotten soaked once already. I leave work at 3.30pm on a Friday, and as I looked out of the window at 3.20 I saw this:



Cycling in even the grossest weather has still got to beat sitting in a traffic jam.

magicroundabout

personally i can do cold, i can do wet

not fond of both together

I always say there are three types of bad weather: cold; wet; and windy. I reckon I can handle any two, but all three is a killer! Though, actually, wet and anything else is highly unpleasant. Rain on its own is fine.

Cycling in even the grossest weather has still got to beat sitting in a traffic jam.

I remember the great floods of 2007 that we had around Gloucester - where I am we weren't hit so bad but it was very wet! Everyone thought I was crazy cycling in that day but I had the last laugh getting home when the roads were gridlocked for about 4 hours. :-)

MR

flybywire

Yeah, ditto - Back in July - That friday rained persistantly and the flooding from the Kennet & other tributaries meant that the A4 was just about passable from Newbury to Reading..

I recall nose to tail traffic (almost stationary) from Newbury to Reading and I was able to zip all the way down the middle of the road after work (the rain had lapsed) on the mtb with slicks & was doing between 26-30mph (slight tailwind - awesome).

At Aldermaston where I turn off it was 3foot deep across the A4 - just went for it (150metres). Great fun but had to regrease/lube everything over the weekend! :?

ademort

Simply, no i do not like riding in the rain but after 28years of cycling in all weathers have got used to it. I,m just happy if it,s dry and if not (tough) Greetings Ademort

Random Vince

Graeme_S wrote:

Sometimes I like it, and sometimes I don't. On Friday I'd been out on foot in the rain at lunch time and wasn't really looking forwards to it as I'd gotten soaked once already. I leave work at 3.30pm on a Friday, and as I looked out of the window at 3.20 I saw this:



Cycling in even the grossest weather has still got to beat sitting in a traffic jam.

is that the road through warwick campus that runs behind the bus stop? takes you out towards kennelworth / A46?

webbhost

I dont mind riding in the rain, then again I dont love it.

It makes for some nice long skids when you hit the brakes which is fun, however not fun if you need to stop "quickly" lol.

As with me, It seems that I fly in the rain quicker too, not sure how that works out through.

More oxygen in the air? I'm no scientist like.. but I can see where this could be true? Water (H2O) is going to cause the air to contain more water vapour, and there fore there would be more oxygen in the air am I right? I imagine this would have a particually nice Oxygen increase as the water is evaporating.

Then again I could be well out.

DavidTQ

I hate the thought of riding in the rain. If its raining I dread my commute

The odd thing is once Im out there I tend to have a grin on my face. Its never as bad as it seems before hand. I absolutely love feeling "tough" enough to be out in the pouring rain, especially when Im wearing shorts. Knowing that every one of the car drivers in the queues beside you thinks you're some sort of nutter. Great feeling, yet somehow if its raining its harder to get out the door, luckily I sold my car last year so I HAVE to cycle in the rain .

I hope that with time commuting in the rain will cause my brain will overcome the previous rain=bad to be outside reaction. Perhaps with enough positive reinforcement of rain=fun to ride in eventually I will look out the window and say yay its raining. Im a long way from that point at the moment...

Bassjunkieuk

well if we're going to get all scientific surely when it's cold outside the air should be slightly denser and contain more oxygen? I just get this idea from car engines where cooler air causes more power from the engine as it's denser then warm air??

The only other thing I can think I hate about rain is what a mess it makes of your bike - all that sh*t from the roads just seems to get everywhere!

graeme_s-2

Random Vince wrote:

is that the road through warwick campus that runs behind the bus stop? takes you out towards kennelworth / A46?

That sounds about right, yep, it's Gibbet Hill Road.

You can see the photo on a map here.

redddraggon

I wouldn't say I like the rain, but I don't mind it.

I just don't like the foot deep puddles that can occur on route when it does rain.

So far this year I haven't had mudguards fitted, a wet back doesn't bother me, but the bike getting covered in crap making it really hard to clean is starting to really annoy me. It's probably not doing the bike much good either.

I think I'll be buying myself a set of chromoplastics as soon as I get paid next.

graeme_s-2

A wet back doesn't bother me, but I find a dirty water and grit enema a fairly unpleasant experience!

Totalnewbie

My boyf took off the mudguards on his bike to make it look better. He regrets it now because we can't get the black marks off the back of his jacket!

I've got SKS mudguards on my bike, they are fairly unobtrusive and keep me fairly clean.

Bassjunkieuk

DavidTQ wrote:

I hope that with time commuting in the rain will cause my brain will overcome the previous rain=bad to be outside reaction. Perhaps with enough positive reinforcement of rain=fun to ride in eventually I will look out the window and say yay its raining. Im a long way from that point at the moment...

I'd say I've got to the point now where I don't think it's a bad thing to be out in the rain. Once when I had cycled in to a site in London I hadn't brought a coat (as I don't need one - it just makes me sweat!). When I went for lunch it was raining outside! The guard said "It's only rain!" to which I replied "Yeah but this is my only shirt!" then realizing that I had my t-shirt I cycled in wearing downstairs!

I popped downstairs and changed and went out in that! It wasn't cold out luckily but it was great walking around in a t-shirt whilst everyone else was huddling under an umbrella or had their coat over their head! Once I got back I was quite wet but I had a nice warm meal, popped my top in the tumble dryer (quite fortunate to have one of those onsite!) and changed back into my dry shirt to carry on working the afternoon :-)

el_presidente

DavidTQ wrote:

I hope that with time commuting in the rain will cause my brain will overcome the previous rain=bad to be outside reaction. Perhaps with enough positive reinforcement of rain=fun to ride in eventually I will look out the window and say yay its raining. Im a long way from that point at the moment...

I think the only people who REALLY love to see it raining are white water canoeists. Everyone else just puts up with it with varying degrees of stoicism

Totalnewbie

el_presidente wrote:

DavidTQ wrote:

I hope that with time commuting in the rain will cause my brain will overcome the previous rain=bad to be outside reaction. Perhaps with enough positive reinforcement of rain=fun to ride in eventually I will look out the window and say yay its raining. Im a long way from that point at the moment...

I think the only people who REALLY love to see it raining are white water canoeists. Everyone else just puts up with it with varying degrees of stoicism

Or if you've bought new wet weather gear (eg overshoes) that you want to try out! Or is that just me...

ChrisLS

...I've bought some new over-trousers...and I think it's gonna rain tomorrow...can't wait...I am SO sad...

graeme_s-2

Yep, I always look forwards to rain when I've just bought some new wet weather gear

steve77uk

So please tell me - what is the best way of keeping your feet dry?

I had trainers but obviously they are not waterproof and had to go through a puddle in the rain - i felt it through my toes and had wet feet all the way home!

What does everyone else have?

tomfoolery

So please tell me - what is the best way of keeping your feet dry?

SealSkinz waterproof socks. Best 25quid I ever spent. Never had a problem with rain running down my legs which is the biggest problem with these - maybe because my tights are just waterproof enough. Keep your feet warm when it's cold and totally dry when it's wet.

Mog Uk

Overshoes for me...

2nd winter with these and they are only just starting to show signs of wear and tear on the bottom....

http://www.parker-international.co.uk/productdetails/mcs/productid/3015/GroupID/2/CategoryID/25/referrer/froogle3015

DavidTQ

steve77uk wrote:

So please tell me - what is the best way of keeping your feet dry?

I had trainers but obviously they are not waterproof and had to go through a puddle in the rain - i felt it through my toes and had wet feet all the way home!

What does everyone else have?

Well today was looking pretty miserable, metoffice were saying 41mph average wind gusts up to 60mph and torrential rain. My journey may have been a couple of minutes quicker than normal but I spent 60% of it down the righthand side of the traffic as it seemed to be national drive in the cycle lane day.

Despite that I ended up remarkably dry and warm, my feet were the driest theyve ever been in bad weather thanks to lidls carrier bags , they are made out of far thicker plastic than most carriers, and they have no holes down the bottom. Ideal for waterproof socks on the go. I was a bit sceptical about carrier bags on my feet but they worked a treat and I gave the carrier bag a second life of usefullness.

With my tights and shoes on there really wasnt much carrier on show I doubt given the weather conditions anyone was paying much attention...

steve77uk

Well I have just got into work it was chucking it down, everything was dry except for my trainers and socks and eugh feet!, not pleasant, but didn't care as I was on my new bike!!

now that I am sitting at my desk with wet feet, the moment is fast slipping away and need to look for alternatives fast!

ChrisLS

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.a ... &N=Shimano MW02 Shoes

...I bought some of these on someones recommendation... very nice dry feet...

BigBlackShed

Up until last Thursday I had a pair of Endura Overshoes these: http://www.endura.co.uk/Product.aspx?dept_id=107&prod_id=14

But the zip broke. So I sent them back and the very nice people at Endura should be sending me some new ones.

BUT in the mean time my feet get very wet, I have to carry spare socks, and my office looks like a laundry drying room!!!!!!!!!!! And I've just realised that my cycle shoes stink!!!!!!!!!

t4tomo

I left the bike at home this am mainly due to the forecast 55mph gusts of wind for this pm. Don't mind the rain too much, but the wind can be dangerous especially in town as it gusts down side streets.

The wost thing about the wet is puddles concealing potholes, manhole covers become slippery as ice and drivers with steamed up windows and zero visability, completely impatient because there is more trafiic about. You end up getting cut up / pulled out in front of far more frequently.