The rain.

buckett
buckett Posts: 19
edited August 2012 in Road beginners
This rain is getting on my nerves and I want to go out for a ride but I've never gone out when it is seriously wet before so what advice does everyone have? Things like: tyres, what to wear, routes, after care for the bike.

Thanks in advance

Comments

  • edewer
    edewer Posts: 99
    all i know is that its worth greasing up the running gear and cleaning after use in the rain
    A decent tyre should be ok, and wet weather gear a must, although in my case, I'm not gonna christen my brand new Felt in the rain, so its off to the gym instead!
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    Unless its winter, a wet ride is the same as a dry ride for me, in terms of kit, gear.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    If you're not used to skinny slicks in the rain, they can feel a bit slippery - take it steady and you get used to it. There is no such thing as a wet weather tyre for road bikes, tread gives you no more grip than slicks.
    Gear is a matter of personal preference really - I'm with danowat on that one, a waterproof just makes me sweat in summer so I go with getting wet.
    Post ride - just spray the whole bike with WD40.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    Just kidding about the WD ;-)
  • buckett
    buckett Posts: 19
    Thanks for the advice, I just have a fear of going round a corner and flying off my bike!
  • Bozman
    Bozman Posts: 2,518
    I enjoy riding in the rain and if you're set up ok you're fine.

    Just watch your speed around corners and islands, use more back brake than front and just remember to adjust your stopping distance, your speed will increase the more you ride in the rain and gain more confidence.

    Your tyres will be fine

    A set of clip-on mudguards like cruds will help to keep the wet off you and the grime off your bike.

    For clothes I just use a cotton cap(under your helmet if you wear one), a good lightweight Goretex jacket is worth every penny and in the winter I'll use overshoes.

    Give your bike a good clean and lube afterwards, make sure that you get the gunk off your wheel rims as well.
  • buckett
    buckett Posts: 19
    bompington wrote:
    Just kidding about the WD ;-)

    I always felt that my bar tape needed a little something!
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    buckett wrote:
    Thanks for the advice, I just have a fear of going round a corner and flying off my bike!

    If you are sensible, you won't.

    Watch for ironworks and painted surfaces, as they are very slippery in the wet, other than that, you'd be suprised how much grip you get in the wet, I've raced in the wet many times, and its never an issue if you keep your wits about you.
  • bobtbuilder
    bobtbuilder Posts: 1,537
    buckett wrote:
    Thanks for the advice, I just have a fear of going round a corner and flying off my bike!

    Don't lean into the corners as much as you would in the dry and make sure you stay off ironworks and painted parts of the road and you should be fine.
  • I've been out on the roadie a couple of times in the pouring rain (although mainly because it's pouring on the way home from work and I have no choice :( ) and it's not as bad as it seems.

    I've found that there's a terminal dampness one can reach and at that point you don't get wetter. Learn to love it, cycling in Blighty gives you no choice.

    Either that or moan and become a fair weather cyclist.
    Hills are like half life - they wait until you're 50% recovered from one before hitting you in the face with the next.

    http://www.pedalmash.co.uk/
  • Mikey41
    Mikey41 Posts: 690
    I suppose I'm guilty of being a fair weather cyclist, but I'm doing it for fun and fitness at the end of the day, so I'm not going to deliberately go riding in the rain. If I'm at work and I get an unexpected shower at hometime, well, I guess I'll get a bit wet. No biggie, skin is waterproof after all :D
    Giant Defy 2 (2012)
    Giant Defy Advanced 2 (2013)
    Giant Revel 1 Ltd (2013)
    Strava
  • buckett
    buckett Posts: 19
    I went out this morning with the hope of getting hope before the rain came. However, the rain came down when I was a couple of miles from home and loved it! Bombing down the hill just gets better when you have got a face full of water at the same time!
  • luke7s
    luke7s Posts: 8
    buckett wrote:
    I went out this morning with the hope of getting hope before the rain came. However, the rain came down when I was a couple of miles from home and loved it! Bombing down the hill just gets better when you have got a face full of water at the same time!

    Squinting the eyes as well, just so you can see :L Wet weather is always a blast :D
  • JayKay3000
    JayKay3000 Posts: 163
    There can be something quite exhilarating about riding in a torrential downpour.

    My last short 20 mile ride on my hybrid was constant rain through the whole ride.

    My advice is to wear some sort of eye protection like cycling glasses as I find the rain gets into my eyes and stops me being able to see as I squint because it hurts. This being more dangerous than the speed itself.

    Gear is an essential. If it's warm then you can get away with a waterproof jacket and shorts. I've got some showerproof cycling trousers that keep me warm and dry quickly when they get without making my legs sweat like waterproof trousers do. Simply wear a cycling top underneath to keep the chill off.

    As for shoes I use shimano spd shoes that only contain a foam inner that can be removed and I do this in the wet so they dry super quick as the water goes through the spd holes in the bottom of the shoe.

    Falling off? I've seen people fall off in the dry. It's about common sense and having a certain amount of feel for the machine.

    Mudguards I think are a must for the wet to catch road dirt and crud. They don't weigh a lot and can really help even if you want to pop to the shops when the road is wet and it's not raining or you hit a small puddle.

    Being wet is not a big deal. You have to make sure you don't catch a chill from being wet though.

    Learn to ride in the rain though and find out what works because not all journeys are going to be wet free. You might start a 30 mile ride in the dry, catch a massive downpour, get soaked to the skin then hit sunshine and dry off.

    The bike won't mind getting wet too much as long as it's kept lubed. Oh and it's a given that your breaks won't work nearly as well in the wet as they do in the dry.
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    Wet is a Boolean value; you either are or you aren't. If you are, so what? It's only water and if you're making any sort of effort you're probably sweating a bit anyway. As above, there's something basic about riding a bike in the the pouring rain being absolutely soaked. Learn to love it, grin like a loon and get on with it. Just accept that cornering speeds and stopping distances are hugely reduced or longer respectively.
  • Oldfield
    Oldfield Posts: 32
    Is it worth getting some of those (Whatever they are) Salmon brake pads, for use in the wet?
  • bompington wrote:
    Just kidding about the WD ;-)

    What is the general advice on bike maintenance after cycling in the rain? Is GT85 a no no on the cassette and chain?
  • daveski12
    daveski12 Posts: 158
    My brakes are already shocking in the dry!

    Part of me is looking forward to cycling in the rain. I've been caught a couple of times commuting and like someone else posted earlier, once you get to a certain level of wet it doesnt matter.

    May have to look into overshoes and mudguards though.
  • Paul E
    Paul E Posts: 2,052
    In the winter too I use waterproof duct tape and seal up the inside of the vents on my shoes, doesn't seal them but with overshoes too it helps keep out the cold and wet
  • Secteur
    Secteur Posts: 1,971
    Tip from the top - make sure you pack an umbrella in your saddle bad. All serious cyclists do this.