Weather Warnings

peanut

its impossible to ride some of the country roads around here when the rain is torrential. There is only enough room barely for a car to pass a stationary cyclist and the road simply ends in earth banks either side which can be over 10 feet high in places.

Very scary when there is nowhere for a mile you can actually leave the road. Coupled to which most of the tarmac is lifting and there are dozens of huge holes a foot across and 9" deep running down the road edge both sides.

If that wasn't enough the water pouring off the fields cascades down onto the road bringing with it all the mud so you can barely see the tarmac anywhere :shock:
Don't ya just love the countyside

Surf-Matt

Peanut - solution? A good mountain bike!

Both the two fords I cycle through were 1-2 foot deep and very fast running this morning, roads became streams, branches were falling, mud all over the place - all fine on an MTB.

Got soaked from the legs down but still loved it. Now to dig out my Seal Skinz socks for tomorrow's ride!

rhext

Surf-Matt wrote:

......Now to dig out my Seal Skinz socks for tomorrow's ride!

Sounds like you might be better off in a wetsuit!

rhext

Surf-Matt wrote:

... Now to dig out my Seal Skinz socks for tomorrow's ride!

In fact, it sounds like you might be better off going the whole hog and taking the surfboard too.

snooks

Surf-Matt wrote:

Got soaked from the legs down but still loved it. Now to dig out my Seal Skinz socks for tomorrow's ride!

Saturday was the first day I wore my seal skinz with tights in really bad weather....while I was cycling along waiting for the Ark to float by, I realised I'd made a mistake...I'd put my tights on, then put my socks over the top

Water was flowing down my legs into my lycra then filling up my socks :shock: ....So from now on it will be socks before tights

Never had this problem wearing shorts you know! Well not until rain of epic proportions anyway

woodyonthebeach

Moist is always better than dry. Makes life a little more interesting to say the least. Just wish my work had a shower it would save the hassle of have to go to the gym. Back to subject.

Grit you teeth and go for it. You skin is kind of water proof.

rhext

snooks wrote:

Water was flowing down my legs into my lycra then filling up my socks :shock: ....So from now on it will be socks before tights

Never had this problem wearing shorts you know! Well not until rain of epic proportions anyway

I can save you the trouble of experimenting. The water fills up the socks regardless of whether they're over or under the tights. Have reached the conclusion that the best route to dryish feet is, in fact, plenty of drainage holes.

STEFANOS4784

Damit! After leaving my helmet at work yesterday i now realise i've forgotten my rear lights so guna have to bus it, can't really justify spending another 25 quid on lights i've got tonnes of at home especially as i know halfords will be doing them 1/2 price next week :roll: :x

lost_in_thought

rhext wrote:

snooks wrote:

Water was flowing down my legs into my lycra then filling up my socks :shock: ....So from now on it will be socks before tights

Never had this problem wearing shorts you know! Well not until rain of epic proportions anyway

I can save you the trouble of experimenting. The water fills up the socks regardless of whether they're over or under the tights. Have reached the conclusion that the best route to dryish feet is, in fact, plenty of drainage holes.

I find that the secret to dry feet is in fact spare socks...

2tired2ride

I don't think my toes have ever been so cold!

I need waterproof shoes and socks!

Even if if is wet and cold it'll still be way better than not riding!

lost_in_thought

2tired2ride wrote:

I don't think my toes have ever been so cold!

I need waterproof shoes and socks!

Even if if is wet and cold it'll still be way better than not riding!

Overshoes for you!

cjcp

I wore my new Merino wool socks today. That must be one warm sheep because they were the business. Hopefully, they'll fare well on the way home tonight.

Nick6891

i absolutely hate going into a headwind like most people, but i still ride unless its a thurs when i have to get home quick

2tired2ride

I don't think my toes have ever been so cold!

I need waterproof shoes and socks!

Even if if is wet and cold it'll still be way better than not riding!

BoardinBob

Brutal on the way home tonight. Torrential rain all the way and a howling wind. Most of the roads were heavily flooded.

Great fun though.

STEFANOS4784

lost_in_thought wrote:

2tired2ride wrote:

I don't think my toes have ever been so cold!

I need waterproof shoes and socks!

Even if if is wet and cold it'll still be way better than not riding!

Overshoes for you!

+1

Mine are god-sends, highly recommend, dry feet and warm enough to sweat only cost a tenner as well

The Chingford Skinhead

I biked in and home today on the trusty hybrid. I had a most frustrating weekend with all the rain so I was going to cycle in today regardless. Managed to miss most of the rain in and home though the wet slippery leafs are an interesting addition to the tarmack as are the "closed" roads in Islington which are being resurfaced. My sense of direction means taking a diversion is likely to end in an extra five miles so I went on the uneven surfaces, in the wet, in the dark, it was...interesting The only dodgy bit of the journey was being caught twice with two very strong cross-winds. Lucky for me my weight kept me on the bike :LoL

The weekend: I really wanted to go out on the road bike on Saturday but it really p'd down in East London all day so as soon as there was a break I went for it. How you guys don't use mudguards is beyond me. Five minutes into my journey I could feel the back of my trousers were soaded with an unpleasant muddy wetness - so no stopping off for a coffee anywhere unless I wanted the general public to think i'd had the kind of accident that doesn't involve falling off one's bkke! Also, as good at eating hills as the roadie is, the thin tyres (23) really do like to fishtail on the wet road and the bumpy bus lane surface that the hybrid bounces over darn near knocked my fillings out on the harder road bike set up Still, I was glad to get out - esp as Sunday was even worse with swirling gale like winds

snooks

rhext wrote:

snooks wrote:

Water was flowing down my legs into my lycra then filling up my socks :shock: ....So from now on it will be socks before tights

Never had this problem wearing shorts you know! Well not until rain of epic proportions anyway

I can save you the trouble of experimenting. The water fills up the socks regardless of whether they're over or under the tights. Have reached the conclusion that the best route to dryish feet is, in fact, plenty of drainage holes.

Oh Poo!

So is there any solution??? :roll: to having dry feet?...Extra long seal skins perhaps?

rhext

lost_in_thought wrote:

I find that the secret to dry feet is in fact spare socks...

I'll try that. How often do you stop to change them?

rhext

snooks wrote:

Oh Poo!

So is there any solution??? :roll: to having dry feet?...Extra long seal skins perhaps?

Overshoes keep my feet dry and toasty for about half-an-hour in torrential rain. Unfortunately, my commute is 50 minutes - so it's back to the drainage holes I'm afraid. Mind you, my overshoes aren't very good, and those winter riding boots with neoprene collars look interesting.

attica

These work

lost_in_thought

rhext wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

I find that the secret to dry feet is in fact spare socks...

I'll try that. How often do you stop to change them?

One pair for the way in, one pair for the way home. If they're thick enough I can't tell that my shoes are soaked through until the water in them has warmed up.

Surf-Matt

Got some Endura overboot cover things - they keep out all rain but they are a bit of a hassle to put on.

Luckily my "commute" is out and back home again so even if I get soaked, I just dry my stuff out in the boiler room - two hours later it's dry!

rhext

I've often wished that Sealskinz were as good at keeping the water out as they are at keeping it in. Then it hit me. I need to wear them inside out. Now all I need is some rain - suspect I'll not have long to wait.

chromehoof

I wear shorts on my commute (except in january). This morning there was a lot of surface water and it was bitterly cold. When the water splashes up onto your legs, the chill you get from the cold and the wind is almost unbearable. There should be a law against it being cold at wet at the same time!

snooks

chromehoof wrote:

I wear shorts on my commute (except in january). This morning there was a lot of surface water and it was bitterly cold. When the water splashes up onto your legs, the chill you get from the cold and the wind is almost unbearable. There should be a law against it being cold at wet at the same time!

I wore shorts all last winter for commuting, eventually bought a pair of tights, and now find myself wearing them more than shorts at this time of year....to spare anyone, including me, from any horrible sights I just wear board short over the top...legs toasty and warm, even in the rain, just the feet which were suffering on Saturday's deluge

Surf-Matt

Bunch of jessies.

Try surfing for two hours in February in the UK to experience REAL cold...

snooks

Try testing 80mph boats on a cold day in November.

Or hanging out of a helicopter in December, everything is a lot colder with a chuffing great fan above your head and cold air whizzing by at 60mph

Anyway Cornish water is in the gulf stream, ego it's warm!

gimme water and a wetsuit any day

Surf-Matt

Not on the South Coast of Cornwall it isn't...

And I've done lots of Winter speedboating - as long as you're wrapped up, you stay dry and warm

Can't claim to have done helicopter stuff though.

Got hypothermia on an Army exercise though - that was cold.

biondino

Guys, guys, you're both as cold as each other. Now run along and play nice, and I'll give you both a sweetie.