First Wet Commute

bill_gates

This morning was my first real wet-weather commute and although I'm only a small amount of miles form home to office, I got drenched this morning but mainly around my lower legs and feet.

My wet weather setup to date is as follows:

• Aldi waterproof over trousers (which I wear on top of my business trousers)
• Specialized SPD trial-stye shoes
• Endura jacket which I can swap to my NightVision one when it gets darker later in the year also
• Rucksack with Aldi over protector (which worked OK although I didn;t know where to put my keys, etc one I had the overcover on and had locked the front door)
• Zefal style trial mudguards which I think might be an issue as they are not full length but they weigh nothing and I clip them off and on when needed, etc.
• Gloves are OK and I have some Altura heavier ones for when it truely gets cold
• Lights are Cateye and they are OK.

I should've carried a small towel also and I did have are socks in my drawer at work.

Any other improvement tips.

asprilla

Get full length mudguards with a big flap. These more than anything else will stop you getting soaked. Your feet and legs get more water on them form spray than from rain.

Also, water resistant overshoes can help a lot, but without decent guards they will be overwhelmed.

bill_gates

OK, that might be the problem then. What sort of guards should I be looking at for a hybrid with 700c x 28

Light, stylish and easily removable is usually my criteria but is that the holy grail of flaps?

slowbike

Change of clothes kept at work along with a washkit & towel.
Don't wear business clothes when riding unless it's warm & dry - even then don't go too fast as it gets sweaty.
SKS guards (on my wishlist) - I'm currently riding with crud rr2 on the front and just a rack with bag on the back.
Keys don't matter if they get wet - just put them in a jersey/coat pocket.

In wet weather assume you're going to get wet.

bill_gates

What is the best SKS models then. I've had a good look at the website and think either Chromoplastics or Bluemels would be best but I've got disc brakes and the last time I looked at full length mudguards that looked liked it would not fit unless the stays were bent.

redvee

You've had one wet commute and it won't be the last Surprisingly there won't be that many.

tootsie323

I'm fortunate in that my workplace has shower and changing facilities. I can go in any weather and even XC if I choose.

I'm not sure that I'd commute, full-stop, without the option of changing at the end of the trip.

bill_gates

I did read that on average it is only a handful of days a year for a wet commute? How does the maths on that work especially in Bonny Jockland where it always rains? :-)

goonz

Proper waterproof overshoes, SKS raceblades these are great. Althought you mentioning stylish with mudguards is a faux pas. This is one instance when function definitely exceeds form. Bikes dont look good with mudguards end of.

I would seriously not recommend riding into work in wet weather in work attire even under waterproofs. Water always seems to get in. Especially in extreme rain. Look for a jacket with taped seams and adjustable cuffs etc that can keep tight so water does not seep in.

redvee

In F1 parlance, I'm going full wets for today's commute

goonz

I tend to get wetter in full wets than not, with the boil in the bag effect.

asprilla

goonz wrote:

SKS raceblades these are great. Althought you mentioning stylish with mudguards is a faux pas. This is one instance when function definitely exceeds form. Bikes dont look good with mudguards end of.

Fitted raceblades to by SS this morning and haven't had the opportunity to test them yet. There is some rubbing at the moment so they need adjusting.

The Ti commuter has SKS Chromoplastics which are excellent, although as they are plastic and generally under stress they will snap at some point.

Previously I've used polished alloy guards from both Honjo and Gilles Berthoud, and some brick red ones in a Honjo style that came from Civia. Some guards can be stylish, but it needs to fit with the look of the bike.

goonz

To be honest mate those dont look half bad!

Im pro mud guards now dont worry, I used to hate them as I am a bike tart but now I have discovered full mud guards in wet weather I would never go without.

agg25

Change jobs to one that has a shower at work and ride in proper bike gear ;-)

nigglenoo

Gilles Berthoud stainless steel mudguards FTW, more durable even than SKS Chromoplastics and weight virtually the same. I got some super cheap from Planet X for £30 (SJS charge £40 for a set plus P+P) for my touring bike and they still have them: http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/FSG ... fender_set Ignore the sizing these are 40mm wide, suitable for tyres from about 28-35mm.

Ideally you should then add a long mudflap down to 1" above the ground (I have yet to fit this) made from anything flexible enough to cope with vibration, kerbs etc., but heavy enough not to just trail in the wind at speed. Apparently builders DPM (damp proof membrane) is a good choice, or cut up an old wellington boot. This is assuming you don't want spend the extra £16 for the pucka GB leather one: http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/FSG ... r_mud_flap

night_porter

I have commuted for the last 5 years with SKS Thermoplastic mudguards and been quite happy with them.

However I just bought a new road bike with discs on for my commuting and I thought I would try the SKS Longboards instead as they were only marginally more expensive.

The transition is like night and day, the longboards have virtually eliminated the spray from the front wheel and my shoes hardly even look as though it has been raining. Admittedly I have put a "set" in the front left stay to clear the brake but I could have used a small tube to pack it out and a longer allen bolt but the set doesn't look bad so no problem there.

I would highly recommend the Longboards as the very best mudguard I have ever used.

NP

PS They come in black and already have the mud flaps fitted

slowbike

Is it the mudflaps that have eliminated the spray?

nigglenoo

Slowbike wrote:

Is it the mudflaps that have eliminated the spray?

I have other bikes with mudflaps that are not as good as the GB guards without flaps, but they do not go as close to the ground as the GBs, so I think the main point is to get coverage as close to the ground as possible, particularly at the front as that will protect your feet and the bike's transmission.

However the best thing to have really near the ground is something flexible like a rubber or leather flap, as rigid plastic or metal could catch on something like a kerb.

The Longflaps do give ideal coverage but I would be concerned that the longer plastic blades are only supported by the same number and design of stays as the standard SKS guards, so I suspect the Longboards may prove to have a shorter lifespan. Standard SKS Chromplastics generally last about 4-5 years before breaking up in my experience, but YMMV. I am hoping the GBs will last a decade or two but time will tell.

night_porter

Slowbike wrote:

Is it the mudflaps that have eliminated the spray?

Well it really cannot be because I had to remove the front flap as it was too long and was touching the ground.

I can shorten the front guard and refit the flap but I thought I would try without at first and the results are outstanding. I may just fit the flap to another bike which has shorter mudguards or I may just leave it off.

NP

jimmypippa

Bill Gates wrote:

I did read that on average it is only a handful of days a year for a wet commute? How does the maths on that work especially in Bonny Jockland where it always rains? :-)

I did a year on that earlier.

Because I didn't believe that stat.

Here is this thread. http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12640419

ANd the final result:

jimmypippa wrote:

Wooo
May 1 drizzle in 18 days
June 2 rain in 5-days
Gaps are due to holiday's or (mutter mutter) alternative forms of transport


Aug: 4 in 10 days
Sept: 8 in 22 days
Oct: 7 in 17 days
Nov: 18 in 21 days
December: 9 rain 3 snow in 16 days
January: 7 snow 6 rain in 14 days (Days cycle commuting - I took the bus on three days because of the numpties in the snow)
Feb: 5 rain 1 sleet 5 snow in 18 days
March: 2 snow and 1 rain in 19 days
April: 2 rain in 18 days

voodooman

Been commuting for two weeks now on the ridley xbow. Fitted Longboards as they were on a good offer at Ribble - it has transformed my start and end of the day. Not so much faster than on the mountain bike, but dry shoes, dry kit, and only really wet cycling in the rain. Best of all the BB and derailleurs (and tubes) still look pretty much pristine.

Yeah it's not as beautiful as some other bikes, but it's a workhorse and each day on the bike puts another 25 miles in the legs. Plus rain is only liquid sunshine, get out and enjoy it before it gets cold as well.

redvee

goonz wrote:

I tend to get wetter in full wets than not, with the boil in the bag effect.

The reason why I wear a long sleeve top under my waterproof jacket.

goonz

redvee wrote:

goonz wrote:

I tend to get wetter in full wets than not, with the boil in the bag effect.

The reason why I wear a long sleeve top under my waterproof jacket.

Yep, nope tried that, still sweat not as much though.

I prefer a waterproof gilet and go with bare arms until it gets really cold, arms can dry quickly.

DrLex

nigglenoo wrote:

Gilles Berthoud stainless steel mudguards FTW, more durable even than SKS Chromoplastics and weight virtually the same. I got some super cheap from Planet X for £30 (SJS charge £40 for a set plus P+P) for my touring bike and they still have them [...]

Thanks for the link - I'm fed up with the multiple breaks in my SKS rear 'guards, so have ordered up a set to go over 35mm slicks on my Pompetamine. Will attempt to transplant the rubber flaps and re-use the mounting stays - some surgery is already required to take over the rear dynamo light & reflector.

nigglenoo

DrLex wrote:

nigglenoo wrote:

Gilles Berthoud stainless steel mudguards FTW, more durable even than SKS Chromoplastics and weight virtually the same. I got some super cheap from Planet X for £30 (SJS charge £40 for a set plus P+P) for my touring bike and they still have them [...]

Thanks for the link - I'm fed up with the multiple breaks in my SKS rear 'guards, so have ordered up a set to go over 35mm slicks on my Pompetamine. Will attempt to transplant the rubber flaps and re-use the mounting stays - some surgery is already required to take over the rear dynamo light & reflector.

The GBs come with rigid alloy stays, about 4-5mm thick and one pair per blade, which attach to the blade in a very different way to the SKS system. The frame attachments are for direct drillings at rear brake and chainstay bridges and into the bottom of the steerer at the front (using a bolt with hole through which the brake bolt passes and a rubber washer).

If any of these don't work on your frame/forks the original SKS brackets may help. I made up a short L bracket in stainless for the rear brake bridge, drilled and pop rivetted on, as did not have direct drilling there, but the rest was OK. The blades are easy to drill with a decent bit so transferring your light and reflector should be fine and the mudguard should be able to take the weight better than a chromoplastic.

gbsahne001

It hasn't been cold enough for waterproofs yet, I just get wet and change at work.

nigglenoo

gbsahne wrote:

It hasn't been cold enough for waterproofs yet, I just get wet and change at work.

I know what you mean, but I have just started using my very light and breathable Montane H20 jacket over a base layer, but only when it is actually raining hard. Legs and feet unprotected so far.

folsom1

Agree totally that full length mudguards make a massive difference, although your shoes tend to get wet if the road's got a lot of standing water.

Not too convinced about SKS Chromos though, I'm on my 3rd rear one under warranty as they keep on cracking and falling to bits where the metal stays attach. Maybe it's just the bumpy London roads...