Commuting - Watch out, it's raining out there!

"It's raining hard out there!!!"

I reply, "Great!"

Motorists hate rain. But these summers are MUCH better in the rain! I love it!!!!!

Yes, rain is definitely fun! However, thunderstorms are scary, I try not to ride in them.

It's been nice and sunny out here. It's been a relatively mild summer so far in So California. I think the only thing I really like about summer is the long days! More riding time! :D

I agree it's better not to ride in thunderstorms unless you're in a downtown area surrounded by tall buildings. Otherwise you're too much of a target for lightning.

My only near-call with lightning came, not on a bicycle, but when I was sweeping my porch one morning (ah! those were the days, when I still practiced housekeeping...:D). It was raining and thundering. All of a sudden there was this prickly feeling all over my body, like an electric charge--and then a huge WHAM! of thunder simultaneous with a blinding flash of light.

I high-tailed it back into my apartment and sweated for awhile.

I love rain. The rain we have around here is a pleasant temperature all year round. I also love thunderstorms. I remember a ride I did this year at the end of a day going from work to a late lecture at university. If you can picture the ocean on one side, the orange of the sunset on the other, add a rainbow and lightning all around, and you have something very special indeed.

Chris

I know you have one of the most beautiful spots on earth to ride in. Hope you continue to enjoy it for a long time! :)

I love bicycling in the rain on bicycle trails. Around Chicago, a good rain often scares so many people off of the trails that it doesn't matter that my brakes are wet -- there's no one left for me to run into and I go at a pace slower than I would normally go.

I haven't really gotten the hang of bicycling in solid rain for my work commutes. The longer braking time and the slower pace which work well on the trail seem like they'd make me a target on a road full of fast moving cars.

Originally posted by ViciousCycle
I haven't really gotten the hang of bicycling in solid rain for my work commutes. The longer braking time and the slower pace which work well on the trail seem like they'd make me a target on a road full of fast moving cars.
I don't want to seem to be pushing you beyond what you feel comfortable with, but I think once you try commuting in the rain, you won't mind it. If your brakes are properly set and you have aluminum rims, you should be able to stop almost as well as under dry conditions. The main thing is to be sure you have good visible lights.

Test the brakes a couple of times during the first block, though. They will often tend to grab unpleasantly till they get used to the rain. It will also give you a feeling of what to expect when you have to use them later on.

If the rain is just beginning to fall, remember that bike tires can hydroplane just like car tires. But I've never fallen or crashed in the rain--yet. (Everytime I or somebody else posts something like this, it feels like asking for trouble! :eek: )