I did about 76 miles in the mountains today and for the most part the weather was fantastic. Unfortunately just a few miles before a long 13 mile descent to the finish (at about mile 60 or so) the rain came down in torrents. Because of all the climbing and overcast skies I didn't take any glasses with me nor a cap. The rain drops were hitting my face and eyes and it hurt!! I don't know if it was something off the road or junk from the pads in my helment but something got in my right eye (I wear contacts) and my eye was stinging and watering so badly it was useless-so here I'm riding with one eye closed.

To make matters worse while, the 13 mile descent is not terribly steep, but you can easily get up to 40+ mph and it's curvy enough to where you have to work your lines. I have super lightweight Zero Gravity brakes on the 5900 and they are just horrible compared to other brakes I've used. In wet weather they're just about useless. At least I have good all weather tires that are fairly new......

So, I'm a the top of the descent, on slick wet roads, with one good eye and really, really worried about getting to the bottom. I'm a terrible descender and given the conditions had about zero confidence in getting to the bottom safely.

Here's the ride profile.

The worst crash I've ever had was on a solo training ride where I took a curve too quickly and wound up going over the handlebars, landed on my head, tore up my helmet, separated a shoulder and cracked a rib. Ever since going down a steep curvy hill has been more difficult for me than going up.

I pulled over to the side of the road and went over all my options. If I got out on the road I was committed-chances were once I got started I wasn't going to get stopped very easily. I wondered if I would have any luck flagging down someone in a open bed truck who would take me to the bottom. I was so wet I didn't want to get inside a vehicle. I wondered how long I would have to stay up there until the skies cleared and the roads dried...unfortunately I didn't have enough food and drink for that long. There wasn't any cell phone service so I couldn't call anyone.......and who would come to take me DOWN a hill. Let's see, I can walk a bike a 2.5 mph so if I started walking it would take me over 4 hours!! I stood on the side of the road looking helpless for a bit and the few cars that came by didn't even give me a glance.

No other option but to get on the bike and go. Before I go, do I send an email to myself at home in case I go down and slide under a vehicle in the oncoming lane up the mountain explaining to whoever reads it what my last thoughts were???? What horrible thoughts!!

After several quick personal conversations with my maker I'm off with my one good eye. I'm trying to brake to keep my speed under control and the results are a little better than I imagined but I'm still terribly uncomfortable at the speeds I'm hitting --especially with having to lean so much in the curves.

After about 6 nerve wracking miles it's a miracle! All of a sudden not only does the rain quit the road is dry!!! I can relax and enjoy the ride-even tuck to pick up more speed.....whee......this is fun........what was I so worried about???

Well you knew I made it but it's interesting how much more I think after reading about others going down with numerous different causes.....not to mention being a little more aged..........


Edit:
If you add a climb of about 1200 ft at the 50+ mile mark and stop at the top of that climb, you basically have the last 50+ miles of the 102 mile Grandfather Mountain ride called Bridge to Bridge. The 80 mile ride will look similar to this without the 1200 ft climb. September 16 at 9am for anyone interested.

"At least I have good all weather tires that are fairly new......"
If you are on pavement, tread doesn't help!
Bikes don't hydroplane unless you ride off a dock.

I feel most secure on any wet or dry surface but loose dirt riding Avocet 32's with the pressure drained a bit. And they are as no-tread bald as Levi's head. Yet, nothing feels secure on rainy-wet, painted lines. Not familiar with Zero Gravities....have you tried other pads? The old light weight vs. reliability and proven performance issue.

Bet you were understandably relieved to pull into the driveway and go take a hot shower. This will make a great story for stopped-at-starbucks-with-friends bs'ing.

I'm trying to brake to keep my speed under control and the results are a little better than I imagined but I'm still terribly uncomfortable at the speeds I'm hitting --especially with having to lean so much in the curves.

Glad you lived to fight another day.

I worry about getting caught in the rain on some of my hilly routes because of wet brakes. So far, so good. The road bike brakes just aren't as good as the fork-mounted brakes on the old mountain bike.

Great story, jppe! I felt like I was right there with you as you considered your options, left yourself a farewell Blackberry email (classic!), and chose your line down the mountain!!

By the way, did the stinging in your eye turn out to be sweat from the helmet pads or something more ominous?

By the way, did the stinging in your eye turn out to be sweat from the helmet pads or something more ominous?

Good question. I was about to ask JPPE the same. When I was caught in the rain I had the same problem while I was wearing glasses and it turned out to be salt from sweat being washed into my eye.
JPPE, did you figure that one out? Was is sweat or something else?

If rain is in the forecast, I generally ride my mountain bike or the UO-8, both of which have wider, softer tires than the Bianchi or the Capo.

Great story--and a ride you'll not soon forget.

Yikes. Ya know, if you start down a mountain with only one functional eye, your factor of safety might be a bit questionable...

I worry about getting caught in the rain on some of my hilly routes because of wet brakes. So far, so good. The road bike brakes just aren't as good as the fork-mounted brakes on the old mountain bike.

Make them work the best they can by installing salmon colored Kool Stop brake pads. The color comes from iron oxide (rust) mixed in the pad compound and they work better than anything else in wet conditions.

I've crashed twice taking wet turns too fast, I now slow down when its wet. In both cases the bike went right out from under me and both of us went sliding along the ground. The bruising and road rash hurts but heals, the scratches on the bike however seem to hurt more.

Good question. I was about to ask JPPE the same. When I was caught in the rain I had the same problem while I was wearing glasses and it turned out to be salt from sweat being washed into my eye.
JPPE, did you figure that one out? Was is sweat or something else?


I'm 99% sure it was the salt/gunk in the helment pads. I've taken off all the ones in my helments and they're getting a good cleaning.

Incidentally I got a pretty bad eye infection a couple months ago that I attribute to the cause being from the "drippings" from the helment pads......

Just more fuel for Halo's......

One of the problems I have is Head Sweat. On my long rides I always wear a bandana round my neck to keep the sun off the back of my neck. However on holiday I had that moisture run down the forehead and straight into the eyes. The bandana went under the helmet and that cured it. Then later I have to admit that the helmet came off into the back of the car. The loss of that Lightweight helmet was fine and the bandana still kept the Sweat away from the eyes. Regretted the no helmet when I started to come down the hill though and I have never felt so vulnerable in my life.

Would like to get hold of the old style cotton caps for these situations but I do not think it would help in rainy conditions unless I could wring it out frequently.

In a case like this would it help to let some pressure off the tires to get a little more road patch or would less pressure make the tires more likely to roll off the rim? By the way I am not riding down a hill that I can't stop on. It would be my luck to go around a curve and the state troopers would have a license check or some other crap going on with the whole road blocked.