Zaphod Beeblebrox 

Anyone else get caught in that downpour yesterday afternoon on the east coast?

I was up in Kinnellon about 4:30 cruising on a causeway between 2 reservoirs when it opened up and proceeded to dump for the next 20 minutes. I had water coming out the tops of my shoes, and a 10 foot roost coming off my back tire...and a lovely mile-long downhill to negotiate...Kool Stop Salmon pads and aluminum rims and all, but I might as well have just been dragging my feet flintstones style to slow down.

I let the bike drip dry overnight on the porch, and brought it in earlier to clean off.

Its a nearly white (actually 'creme') bike, now covered in a film of grey-black road grime. The rims (polished) were actually solid black on the sidewalls. The brooks saddle is nearly dry (it got surprisingly wet for being under my butt the whole time) but the Elkhide wrap is still soaked.

I've cleaned it all up with towels and windex so it looks fine, a coat of Mother's wax is hazing on it now...and I'll lube it with silicon spray after.

If this was my commuter I'd hardly bat an eye, but this is my baby.
Anything else you all recommend to do after your 'nice weather bike' gets hosed?



in retrospect I sorta should have known I was gonna get rained on and planned accordingly...I just really wanted to ride the Super Course

JJPistols

what is this rain you speak of?

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

remember back in '05 when you guys had that wet stuff fall out of the sky?

it was like that but only for about 20 minutes and with less national guard troops.

NYC_zx10

ROFLMAO

Good one!

JJPistols

shoot




I barely remember last night



and they tell me I was there







how's the Varso rollin?

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

you weren't there...they're just messin with ya because they know they can

thae VarSISity... Pretty good. I had to switch the rear tire to a 1.75...the 2.125 was rubbing, but I may have a fix for that...

I'm taking it out in a little while, I'll snap a shot. the indexing is working great now and I've now got proper SIS cable stops on it too.

JJPistols

pop a washer or two on the axle to space inside the frame, see if that don't give you the clearance

High Fist Shin

I went for a ride in the late morning. I was about 9 miles out when the clouds started rolling in and the breezes picked up. They were cool and refreshing.

I started back and got all the way home, parked my Univega out back, and the clouds unleashed the torrent. Just made it.

20grit

wasn't on a bike. was playing a music convention. my bass and guitar got wet. does that count?

David Newton

You mean on the East Coast when you get a downpour, the whole section of the country gets it?
In Texas you can get a flood, and two miles away it's dry as a bone.
Except when the flood has a "name".

j0ew00ds

Absolutely got nailed by that storm in the Boston area. Around mile 58 of 63 on the way home and it just rained torrents. Insane, worst rain storm I've been in. Shoes were filled to the brim, didn't need to blink from all the water. Miles 60-63 was sunny and hot and it never did rain here at home. Pretty wild stuff, was hoping for rain to fill up the rain barrel.

Chombi

Everytime I got caught in heavy rain, which I try to avoid riding in as much as possible, I totally break down the bike to dry and relubricate ALL parts/components to avoid any corrosion damage. Water will get into everyting on the bike and stay trapped in there long enough to start corroision on bearings, racesm frametubes....everything. A big can of WD40 should be liberally sprayed on all these parts to eliminate all the water and moisture in them. this also cleans out the water contaminated grease so you can put in good fresh grease on all the rolling and sliding parts. It's a lot of work, but I found it fun to do because, personally, I like taking things apart and putting them back together. It's also a good way to really learn about your bike to the last detai if you haven't done a full, all components off the frame, "tear down" on it ever.
Do the breakdown/relube ASAP because despite letting it drip dry and wiping it down, there's still water in that bike that you cannot reach and see.....I guarantee....
P.S. Remember to spray WD40 into all the frame tubes to push out anu water trapped in them too.
The main tubes are easy enough to spary into through the head tube, BB shell and the seat lug holes. For the fork, seat and chainstays, you can spray the WD40 into the small brazing gas relief holes they drill at their ends. Spry till the stuff drips out the other end hopefully carrying out all the moisture with it.

Chombi
84 Peugeot PSV.

narr33

I got caught in a down pour coming home fron work about 11:30 on Friday. I was on a bike with fenders so that helped - but I removed the seat post when I got home to help it dry out. I also applied frame saver when I bought the frame so I am not worried. Today I will remove and clean the chain and wipe down the rims - that's about it.

divineAndbright

I love getting caught in the rain, a hail storm though is another story

sailorbenjamin

We got caught out today, me and the girls. It was a real turdfloater. We weren't far from home and just on our way back from the pool so noone got upset.
Did yesterday's ride happen?

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

no, but I did the proposed route anyway...just started around 2:30

Amani576

I got hit yesterday on the way home from work. I love riding inthe rain. Fenders and a rain cape keep me almost 100% (precipitation) dry.
Though my Surly is hardly a nice weather bike.
-Gene-

Veloria

We were in Lexington, Mass. on a couple of vintage Raleigh 3-speeds when the downpour began. The forecast predicted it for later in the day, and foolishly we believed it. Within minutes, we were soaked through and rolling with non-operational brakes. All ended well though; good times!

JohnDThompson 

Only if they're acoustic.

JunkYardBike

My parents live in Kinnelon. If I had come, we could have sought shelter! But I'm kinda glad I didn't! So you were riding Fayson Lakes Road? It's pretty on that causeway...when it's sunny! I'm about 30 miles WSW of Kinnelon, and we got nothing! Rain and T-storms predicted yesterday and today, and all we got was 5 minutes of heavy rain today. I was able to squeeze in 40 miles this evening, after planning for rain all weekend.

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

Yeah thats exactly where I was

I make that part of my route all the time because I love bombing at top speed across that causeway

But yeah that and all the way down Fayson Lakes rd to Boonton ave...it was kind freaky with barely any brakes.

I'm trying to sort out a decent route to get me up into Sussex county... I found one way to do it by going through Rockaway and up through Lake Hopatcong area on 181.