Riding in the rain

sonny73
sonny73 Posts: 2,203
edited August 2009 in Training, fitness and health
Do you enjoy it?
«1

Comments

  • brownbosh
    brownbosh Posts: 602
    Yep until i stop. Them it becomes a pain in the arse. You better learn to deal with it if you want to be a cyclist in britain!
  • sonny73
    sonny73 Posts: 2,203
    I quite enjoy it and your right, it's when you stop that it's nasty.
  • nottscobb
    nottscobb Posts: 147
    Which is more fun, being out on the bike in the rain or being stuck indoors because it's raining? For me the bike wins everytime.

    Do I enjoy cycling in the rain? Yes. Do I prefer to cycle in the dry? Yes.
  • MrChuck
    MrChuck Posts: 1,663
    Doesn't bother me too much on the MTB (although I'd rather it was dry!) but it really puts me off going out on the road.
  • holmeboy
    holmeboy Posts: 674
    Yes as long as its not getting blown into my face or so heavy you're thouroughly soaked/cold miles before reaching destination. Cycled into work on Monday in the rain and thoughourly enjoyed it. Obviously you can't go round sharp corners as fast but it's amazing the grip you can get on wet roads. :shock:
  • CHRISNOIR
    CHRISNOIR Posts: 1,400
    It's ok when you're out there. I find the accumulation of cr*p on the bike afterwards makes for the biggest ball-ache!
  • brownbosh
    brownbosh Posts: 602
    CHRISNOIR wrote:
    It's ok when you're out there. I find the accumulation of cr*p on the bike afterwards makes for the biggest ball-ache!

    Thats why i have 6 of them! One giant wash in a week! :shock:
  • Bhima
    Bhima Posts: 2,145
    I love it.

    Don't even have mudguards, but you actually don't need them on high-quality country lanes most of the time. :)

    The city centre/grimey roads are a no-go though.

    The only problem I have is getting my feet wet - even with overshoes, they never stay completely dry. Maybe I need to get better overshoes... Once your feet start going numb, the whole experience isn't very nice. :?

    I just got one of those things for my helmet - which stops the rain from hitting your glasses and shades you from the sun in bright conditions. Well worth a buy. Only cost me a quid. Without it, you can't see a thing through the lenses and are forced to take them off.
  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    I like the rain, 2 weeks ago set off the filey on club run in it, roads where puddled all over it was a downpour, I hate getting my backside soaked from the road though so I just wack on my raceblades if need be.
  • brownbosh
    brownbosh Posts: 602
    The secret with feet isnt trying to keep your shoes dry- its impossible! Stick with the over shoes but add a set of sealskinz waterproof socks. Makes a huge difference.
  • sonny73
    sonny73 Posts: 2,203
    brownbosh wrote:
    The secret with feet isnt trying to keep your shoes dry- its impossible! Stick with the over shoes but add a set of sealskinz waterproof socks. Makes a huge difference.

    Good call on the sealskinz!
  • Blonde
    Blonde Posts: 3,188
    Cycling in rain isn't great but it's not really to do with getting wet - if you're dressed right and can change/dry bike off at the other end of your trip it doesn't really matter. It's not being able to see, or stop the bike properly that I don't like, nor the slippery wet drain covers/white lines etc. I crashed on a wet level crossing in the dark once, even though I was being really careful. Not fun. Poor visibility affects drivers as well so it just seems a bit more dangerous. I try not to commute in the rain as putting cold/wet kit back on to come home at the end of the day is horrible and my bike sits all day at work with a wet chain which doesn't do it much good either. I don't mind coming home in the rain so much as I can have a shower and dry the bike off straight away but I still feel pretty vulnerable with the sudden decrease in driving quality (which may be down to poor visibility) that always seems to accompany rain.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Blonde wrote:
    Cycling in rain isn't great but it's not really to do with getting wet - if you're dressed right and can change/dry bike off at the other end of your trip it doesn't really matter. It's not being able to see, or stop the bike properly that I don't like, nor the slippery wet drain covers/white lines etc. I crashed on a wet level crossing in the dark once, even though I was being really careful. Not fun. Poor visibility affects drivers as well so it just seems a bit more dangerous. I try not to commute in the rain as putting cold/wet kit back on to come home at the end of the day is horrible and my bike sits all day at work with a wet chain which doesn't do it much good either. I don't mind coming home in the rain so much as I can have a shower and dry the bike off straight away but I still feel pretty vulnerable with the sudden decrease in driving quality (which may be down to poor visibility) that always seems to accompany rain.

    Defo with you on that one!
  • janetthompson
    janetthompson Posts: 82
    I love riding in the rain, but I find that drivers always tend to drive faster past me, especially when they're going through a puddle...
    Not lost, just exploring...
  • sonny73
    sonny73 Posts: 2,203
    Has to be said that lashing rain on a cold day with very busy roads is not very appealing.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Its not so bad if you have the right kit - mudguards are a must for the winter. I also quite like it when you get those complete and utter downpours - so that everything is wet. You feel like you have achieved something just from getting back alive.
  • Bhima
    Bhima Posts: 2,145
    cougie wrote:
    mudguards are a must for the winter.

    In Manchester, mudguards are a must for the summer.
  • shockedsoshocked
    shockedsoshocked Posts: 4,021
    In winter, I don't mind it, in summer, I refuse.
    "A cyclist has nothing to lose but his chain"

    PTP Runner Up 2015
  • stevenmh
    stevenmh Posts: 180
    I like it if it is not too hard, like what you get in England. :lol:
  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,715
    On a warm day, a rain shower is incredibly refreshing - I'd have loved to get soaked to the skin today. I can't stand water coming up off the road though, so if it's likely to rain/has rained recently and the roads are still wet, I'll take out a bike with full mudguards.
  • bexley5200
    bexley5200 Posts: 692
    i dont mind getting wet in the summer,its the cleaning afterwards i dont like
    going downhill slowly
  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    Today the wet was awesome untill we got 400meters up and it was frreeeeeeeezzzzzziiinngggg!
  • holmeboy
    holmeboy Posts: 674
    holmeboy wrote:
    Yes as long as its not getting blown into my face or so heavy you're thouroughly soaked/cold miles before reaching destination. Cycled into work on Monday in the rain and thoughourly enjoyed it. Obviously you can't go round sharp corners as fast but it's amazing the grip you can get on wet roads. :shock:

    Erm, Well was looking forward to cycling home on Friday night although it had been raining all day, was still going to go the long way till I got out to the Bike shed. The wind had got up and was blowing from the directiion I was heading, so hastely wound my neck in and went direct route. Still put the "hammer down" and got home in one of my quickest times even passing a colleague who set out well before me and usually catches me! Working both days this weekend so won't get out anyway whatever the weather. :oops:
  • Tom Butcher
    Tom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    Bhima wrote:
    I love it.

    Don't even have mudguards, but you actually don't need them on high-quality country lanes most of the time. :) ..................................


    The only problem I have is getting my feet wet - even with overshoes,.

    Mudguards make a huge difference in keeping your feet dry.
    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    All about expectation for me... If I can reasonably expect it to be peeing it down and blowing a gale, i'm usually ok. Yesterday though,... It's the 15th of August for chuffs sake! I was majorly peeved at having to waer leg warmers, a jacket and overshoes!

    I also "snapped" and had a glove throwing, squelchy strop last april when I got back in off another ride in a massive headwind and heaving rain, to realise (with the help of my training diary" that I hadn't had a ride without a huge headwind since October :evil:
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • brownbosh
    brownbosh Posts: 602
    makes you stronger goat
  • nolf
    nolf Posts: 1,287
    I don't mind it.
    I did the polka dot this year and it changed my perception of bad weather.

    If it's raining and i was planning a cafe stop- I take it out as nothings worse than getting freezing cold at a cafe. Just keep going and maybe speed up a bit to stay warm.

    2 favourite wet weather items- cycling cap- keeps rain off the eyes and face, Gilet- keeps your chest and body warm.

    Over winter you should probs get a full length coat for the rain otherwise your arms will freeze.
    "I hold it true, what'er befall;
    I feel it, when I sorrow most;
    'Tis better to have loved and lost;
    Than never to have loved at all."

    Alfred Tennyson
  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    So far, I haven't deliberately gone out in the rain, but I am going to start doing so. Once I'm out however, I don't turn back just because it starts raining.
    Fortunately, I don't have a commute to work - Paraffin budgey, once a month...
    I just need to get a proper, good jacket, soon, a quality gillet, too... Hmm, maybe next topic for a new thread...
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • Mark Alexander
    Mark Alexander Posts: 2,277
    stevenmh wrote:
    I like it if it is not too hard, like what you get in England. :lol:

    Come to Wales.
    http://twitter.com/mgalex
    www.ogmorevalleywheelers.co.uk

    10TT 24:36 25TT: 57:59 50TT: 2:08:11, 100TT: 4:30:05 12hr 204.... unfinished business
  • NWLondoner
    NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
    I don't mind the rain. What i hate is all the manhole covers that are placed in really stupid places in Central London. Honestly in some areas there is more metal per SQM of road than tarmac :shock: Also the condition of the roads is so bad if it rains really heavy you cannot see the pot holes until it's too late. i.e your front wheel has gone in it and all your bones shatter :x

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