Northeast - 2009 NYC 5 Boro Bike Tour - Rain expected. what to do?

Sadly, rain is expected this Sunday for the 5 boro bike tour. It's the first time I've ever joined a tour. And I usually only go bike riding when it's sunny out.

My question is, if it rains in the morning and then clears out in the afternoon, will the streets still be closed so that I can join the tour then? Or is there a certain time the streets will reopen again? Does anyone know what time that is?

The tour will run through Broadway in Manhattan? Can I cut in mid-way? Thanks.

I don't know the timing of the street closures, but the ride starts in lower Manhattan and goes up Church St. to 6th Ave. and into Central Park. It doesn't go along Broadway. You can usually cut in at any point.

The street closures are timed and locked in well ahead of the ride date, and are fairly inflexible (especially the closures in Queens leading to Astoria Park, which is why it's often the case that half of the ride participants never made it there - they're detoured when exiting the 59th Street Bridge).

If it does rain, the ride goes. I've done it, and it can be a slog. The most dicey part of such conditions are metal surfaces, and the grate bridge leading back from the Bronx is the most hazardous place in rainy conditions. Otherwise, it should be fine, if wet.

There is no bad weather, only bad clothing choices.--I think I read this in a magazine ad.

Invest in some quality rain gear--Gore-Tex is pretty reliable--and you'll never have to decide whether to ride, only what to wear.

The street closures are timed and locked in well ahead of the ride date, and are fairly inflexible (especially the closures in Queens leading to Astoria Park, which is why it's often the case that half of the ride participants never made it there - they're detoured when exiting the 59th Street Bridge).
Yes, there's a rolling closure with the times pretty strictly enforced since agreements have been made ahead of time with the city. I remember one year when it was both wet and cold there were a few cases of hypothermia in that park in Queens since they wouldn't let us leave ahead of the schedule. It wasn't bad when riding but just standing in the rain in the park was rather chilling.

There is no bad weather, only bad clothing choices.--I think I read this in a magazine ad.

Invest in some quality rain gear--Gore-Tex is pretty reliable--and you'll never have to decide whether to ride, only what to wear.

Riding in the rain dressed in Gore-Tex is one thing. Riding in the rain with 29,999 people who've made bad clothing choices is entirely different.

Riding in the rain dressed in Gore-Tex is one thing. Riding in the rain with 29,999 people who've made bad clothing choices is entirely different.

Touche, Stacy, so true.

According to John Davitt's on NY1
"Looking forward to Sunday with the 5 Boro Bike Tour. Watch for some rain in the afternoon"

Of course not all boroughs get the same weather at the same time. According to their website right now it's raining in only three boroughs. It may have to do with where you are at what time.

I'm riding with my daughter, who has already told me she doesn't want to go in the rain. I went with my son a few years ago when it was cold and very lightly misting at the start. By the time they let us go he'd already had enough so we rode up to Union Square to get on the subway. Then the sun came out but he still didn't want to go.

Now that the forecast is less than ideal more and more tour packets are showing up on Craigslist.
http://newyork.craigslist.org/search/bik?query=boro+bike&minAsk=min&maxAsk=max

I'm quite tempted to snag a packet, but I'm finishing up my semester and don't need another distraction :( Couldn't this be two weeks later?!

Rain. Thats all it did today. Rain. But it was a good time...

So disappointed about the rain :( It didn't even stop once. I keep checking my window every 15 minutes beginning 5:30am until 12pm when I gave up.

I rode the 5 Boro Tour yesterday, and as mentioned, it poured the entire time. I had a slightly different approach - actually it was unique amongst the thousands of cyclists that I saw.

1. I had a bike with fenders. Why urban cyclists like to ride with a black stripe of road grit up their back escapes me, and it seemed like only about 5% of the bikes had them.

2. I wore a rain cape ($29.95 from Campmor). You basically have a tent around you that is reasonably shaped to shield you from most of the rain. We had a SW headwind for most of the ride, so my wind resistance was increased a bit, but I would still take that over being pelted by a cold rain. There are elastic attachments for holding onto the handlebars and seat so the cape doesn't blow up in the back or come loose in the front.

I was still gradually wet underneath the cape, but it wasn't the shivering hypothermia that was fairly evident on the Staten Island Ferry amongst many riders. Once we got off the ferry, I felt good enough to ride back uptown 10 miles rather than wrestling my bike on the subway.

Doug

Riding in the rain is basically like if it was dry, you just have to be a little more careful. I had a race yesterday in the rain, no crash's and the pace as basically as if it was dry.

Riding in the rain is basically like if it was dry, you just have to be a little more careful. I had a race yesterday in the rain, no crash's and the pace as basically as if it was dry.

I'm guessing you didn't have much metal plating at that race, didn't brake much, used clipless, and didn't care if your buddy got muddy road grit in his face.

Riding in the rain isn't a whole new science or anything, but I think "basically like if it was dry" is an overstatement. Yeah, you have to pedal and balance, but everything else changes.

As I mentioned in another thread, I would up buying a Showers Pass rain jacket (http://showerspass.com/products.asp?ManId=1256&ProductId=22&Product=Women%26%2339%3Bs+Elite+2%2E0) at Paragon. It was 30% off their regular price of $219 and I figured, according to Murphy's Law, that should've been enough to stop the rain. Obviously it wasn't.

The jacket worked so well that I'm now thinking about ordering the optional hood that fits under a helmet, and maybe some Gore rain shorts. I'm not currently running fenders but my heavy canvas Carradice rack top bag deflected a lot of wheelspray. It also held some paper towels, a spare pair of shoes, socks, my little Canon G10 when the weather got too wet to shoot, handwipes, food, etc.

I just wore coldgear Underarmour. It kept me warm, but not dry. Like a wetsuit.

The jacket worked so well that I'm now thinking about ordering the optional hood that fits under a helmet

I have that and like it. The only negative is the crinkly plastic noise in my ears. Besides that, it's great.

As I mentioned in another thread, I would up buying a Showers Pass rain jacket (http://showerspass.com/products.asp?ManId=1256&ProductId=22&Product=Women%26%2339%3Bs+Elite+2%2E0) at Paragon. It was 30% off their regular price of $219 and I figured, according to Murphy's Law, that should've been enough to stop the rain. Obviously it wasn't.
I bought the jacket at Paragon also. Did you notice if they have the Showerspass pants at Paragon?

I bought the Showers Pass Jacket in Portland a few years ago - I love it.

I did get the hood but haven't tried it yet. I looks kind of bulky for fitting under a bike helmet to me. I should try it this week - we'll certainly get the rain:rolleyes:

Is this Showers Pass Jacket also wind proof?

Yes the jacket is windproof too. I didn't notice any Showers Pass pants at Paragon but I wasn't really looking. I did notice that Paragon seems to have more items in the store than they show on their website.

You can order pants from the Showers Pass website (http://showerspass.com/categories.asp?CatId=10&Category=Pants), and they only seem to come in one size, but the Showers Pass website isn't having a 30% off sale.

Paragon does have Gore pants and shorts on sale. Georgina Terry says on her website that the shorts are 90% as effective as full pants.

Thanks Stacy! Gore shorts and neoprene booties/wool socks + sandals might be my warm weather rain outfit.

Thanks Stacy! Gore shorts and neoprene booties/wool socks + sandals might be my warm weather rain outfit.

Socks and booties...why?

Is this Showers Pass Jacket also wind proof?

+1 -

I rode alongside a guy on the QBB when I first got it (he had the same jacket) and I was baking with a heavy mid layer. He told me to just wear a light base and nothing too heavy for a mid, and the Showers Pass shell would keep me warm. I tried it the next day and was very pleasantly surprised. That jacket has been the best cycling clothes investment I ever made. I had never spent more than $100 on a jacket before but this one was worth it.

Socks and booties...why?
I meant socks or booties, although if it's too warm, I don't need either.

I wore a long sleeved cotton t-shirt under my Showers Pass and the only time I was cold was while I was waiting for the ferry... but that was probably more from my soaked knickers, soaked socks and shoes, and the soaked bottom of my cotton t-shirt.

The eVent fabric is a lot like the shell I had on a Columbia rain parka. I was able to ride comfortably in that with a brushed spandex top as low as 40ºf.

I rode despite the rain and found it to be rather refreshing (until I stopped riding long enough for my core to cool down, at least). I wore cycling shorts, cycling tights, a base layer undershirt, long sleeved jersey and water resistant PI wind breaker. I stuck a visored cap under my helmet and I was fine. The layering worked to keep my lower torso, which was the only real wet area warm. The PI Jacket kept me dry up top and he visor kept rain out of my face. I was able to comfortably wear my glasses with little spraying on the lenses.

As for road safety on an crowded, wet ride, I don't ride in someone elses wake avoiding a shower from his/her rear wheel. I Give enough distance to see the road in front of the bike ahead to avoid pot holes. In the rain I can't see how deep the hole is, so avoid them. Point/yell out your intent before going and I was fine.

I found myself giving advise as I rode along (I know, no one likes a know-it-all, but I can't help it.) When someone suddently appeared too close to me as he passed, I said "Whoa. Let me know you are there. 'Yell On Your Left', next time." If someone suddenly swerved in front of me, I gently said "Easy, Nice straight lines. Just center you body over the bike." If I see someone trying to go to the side of the road from the center by drifing over, I said "Point where you are going and they will let you in."

Rather than join the crowd at the start, I waited in the Village for the Police escort to pass and joined the ride there. As a result, I was in Ft Wadsworth by noon and I hear of people getting in as late as 5PM. There was no stopping in midtown, easy access to Centrla Park and before I knew it I was in Harlem. It was wet, but a very nice ride, albeit slow, I averaged about 11mph overall.

I'm guessing you didn't have much metal plating at that race, didn't brake much, used clipless, and didn't care if your buddy got muddy road grit in his face.

Riding in the rain isn't a whole new science or anything, but I think "basically like if it was dry" is an overstatement. Yeah, you have to pedal and balance, but everything else changes.

Correct, no metal plates (lines were the only possible slick area), almost no brakes cause its a race (some braking in races but not much), clipless always, mud and grit which is all part of the fun :lol: .

There were Marshalls posted at "hot spots" like winding downhill slowdown areas. They were yelling "Slow down. Wet road ahead.". I yelled back. "It's raining....Duh!"

A Marshal needs to have a little fun too.

Correct, no metal plates (lines were the only possible slick area), almost no brakes cause its a race (some braking in races but not much), clipless always, mud and grit which is all part of the fun :lol: .

In my experience, sliding on wet metal, dealing with reduced brake effectiveness, feet slipping off pedals, and getting all muddy are some of the main differences in rain riding. It really is a different beast. Same genus, maybe, but different species.

I found it amusing that the marshalls were all promising dry and sunny weather at the next rest stop.

I listened to the marshalls on the few descents and "dried my brakes". I ended up burning my pads to a crisp, rims are ok though.

There was a woman waiting in one of the many porta potty lines at the ConEd rest stop who got into a real snit when she began to suspect that maybe someone had moved from one line to another, or that maybe two lines had merged. So she began to scold like an angry third grade teacher trying to reorganize everyone into a nice straight lines - hand gestures and all. Of course once she finally got her turn, and emerged from the porta potty, she was all smiles. What a difference a pee makes.

There was a woman waiting in one of the many porta potty lines at the ConEd rest stop who got into a real snit when she began to suspect that maybe someone had moved from one line to another, or that maybe two lines had merged. So she began to scold like an angry third grade teacher trying to reorganize everyone into a nice straight lines - hand gestures and all. Of course once she finally got her turn, and emerged from the porta potty, she was all smiles. What a difference a pee makes.

:roflmao2:

You have no idea... I didn't know how I held my bladder so long from the WTC stop home to Queens. I got upset at the E train driver for seeing me coming down on the bike and closing the doors in my face. Next one didn't come for another 10 mins. Boy I was miserable. But after releasing the bladder I was all smiles too.

There was a woman waiting in one of the many porta potty lines at the ConEd rest stop who got into a real snit when she began to suspect that maybe someone had moved from one line to another, or that maybe two lines had merged. So she began to scold like an angry third grade teacher trying to reorganize everyone into a nice straight lines - hand gestures and all. Of course once she finally got her turn, and emerged from the porta potty, she was all smiles. What a difference a pee makes.

That's funny. I guess I am not the only one with control issues. (in more than one manner of speaking, If you know what I mean)

:lol:

Another pee story...
While we were backed up on the BQE, slowed down by that accident at the split in the road, one guy said he was on the verge of tears because he needed to pee so badly. Apparently he only had one kidney. So his buddies formed a wall to give him a little privacy. Then they offered to do the same for anyone else in need.

hey - when ya gotta go, ya gotta go!

Another pee story...
While we were backed up on the BQE, slowed down by that accident at the split in the road, one guy said he was on the verge of tears because he needed to pee so badly. Apparently he only had one kidney. So his buddies formed a wall to give him a little privacy. Then they offered to do the same for anyone else in need.

That is very touching. A little scary, but touching.