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Riding in the Rain
 

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Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT

8/27/21 3:50 PM

Riding in the Rain

This place is dead !

So I thought I'd suggest a topic.

Anyone else here like riding in (or just after) rain? I find the streets feel smoother, the ride seems quieter. There are fewer cars (which is nice), but the main thing is how rain (and/or wet roads) muffle sound.

I got out for a nice ride in the hurricane we had here last week.

Yes, I have fenders.

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Kramer
Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 121
Location: Richmond, VA

8/27/21 3:54 PM

Yes and No

I won't leave for a ride in the rain but will keep riding if caught in the rain.

An 80 degree day in the rain is magical. Quiet like you said, seems smoother, almost impossible to overheat and dare I say fun!

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

8/27/21 4:39 PM

Other than the visual acuity being diminished, I may come back early or no leave. But don't mind it if the temp window stay centered. ;)

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Tom Price
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 505
Location: Rochester, NY

8/27/21 5:15 PM

I still remember a being caught in a downpour many years ago in Letchworth State Park. I was with two friends just wandering around Western NY on our bikes when a sudden storm popped up. The road through the park is rolling and at one point there was a couple of inches of water flowing down the rising road. It felt like we were riding in the middle of a creek. We smiled and kept going . Soon the rain cleared and we rode another fifty or so miles through a few small towns I had never been in before.

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Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT

8/28/21 11:08 AM

On the last day of the last Heartland AIDS Ride (2002), I rode into Chicago in a pouring rain with a bunch of other riders, only one of whom had fenders. I learned a lot that day about what water can do to a bike and rider. It was a miserable day that (fortunately) cleared up before the closing ceremony.

Ever since then, I've made certain to have solid rain gear of some sort on the bike if rain is at all likely and fenders always. I know they're not useful most of the time, but there are times.

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Nick Payne
Joined: 10 Jan 2004
Posts: 2625
Location: Canberra, Australia

8/28/21 6:01 PM

Riding in the rain can certainly be memorable. Like a day on our last but one tour through Switzerland, where the rain started at midday and gradually became heavier and heavier during the afternoon, until by the time we reached Yverdon-les-Bains it was quite drenching. I thought that was quite appropriate for a town with "Bains" (Baths) in its name. Just as well that Swiss hoteliers are pretty phlegmatic, and weren't at all fussed at a couple of cyclists cascading water all over their lobby.

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KerryIrons
Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 3234
Location: Midland, MI

8/29/21 10:46 AM

Dirty bike

The thing I don't like about rain rides is the need to clean the bike when I get home. If the temp is OK, otherwise I don't mind. Was on a ride once where it rained on brand new asphalt. We were riding on a mirror of water that beaded up on the new pavement. Memorable.

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

8/29/21 11:28 AM

I like it better if I had a disc machine rather than rim brake bike. Probably not alone there...

Alloy rims and a rain ride is quick added wear and a funky clean up, and all stained up for your pretty tanwalls, ;)

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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6884
Location: Maine

8/29/21 2:46 PM

Life’s too short

I’ve ridden lots in rain, from crashing on an uphill off camber corner in a rain soaked crit in ‘75 (I think everyone in the race crashed on that corner, including the winner), to freezing in cold rain turned to snow in Crank the Kanc (and then descending through the same crap to the start), to a couple centuries in pouring rain at about 40F, to afternoon thunderstorms at The Death Ride in the Sierras that had me hypothermic @ 85F.

But now, I don’t need it. I don’t mind finishing a commute in the rain, but I probably won’t start one. I used to be like Kramer in that I would finish a ride in the rain, but now I’d probably cut it short (other than an event) in significant rain. In an event I’d still ride through it.

Like Kerry, I don’t like cleaning the bike (or even oiling the chain). But basically I just find rain an unnecessary nuisance.

Muffling noise? Feeling smoother? Huh? I do notice corners being more slippery.

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sanrensho
Joined: 20 Feb 2004
Posts: 835
Location: North Vancouver

8/30/21 2:45 PM

Rain day = Zwift, treadmill or trail run (if light rain)

I'm down to one nice road bike, so washing/cleaning/relubing after a rain ride holds no appeal for me.

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