WestMass

Currently I don't have a bike set up with fenders, so I haven't been commuting in rain. Unfortunately, despite school starting last week (I'm a teacher), it has already rained multiple days. Today I saw a dude in rain gear biking (presumably to work) on my drive in and I just felt like such a wuss.

The bike with fenders is my cyclocross bike, but right now it's set up for racing, and none of my other bikes will take fenders (--the fenders I have). My single speed will fit them, but apparently when it was powdercoated, the threaded mounts on the fork got messed up.

blah.

[/rant ]

acidfast7

i take the subway to work (20min with no exchanges) when i don't ride and i feel like a total wuss.

essiemyra

I don't care for riding in heavy rain like we are having today, but I am not happy taking the car. I had to take it and went to spin class before work, but it is not the same as riding. I don't mind riding home in the rain, and if it were just a light rain, i would ride into work but it is heavy flooding rains today.

tarwheel 

You have several options. Get some quick release fenders like SKS Raceblades or Cruds to use on your regular commuter. Or take your single speed to a LBS and have them retap the fender eyelets, which are probably just clogged with paint. Or get a second wheelset with road tires for your cross bike. Why do you have fenders on a crossbike used for racing?

silmarillion

I didn't ride these past few days. Weather has been terrible. Rode last week and got soaked a couple of times. Not too big of a deal, but I cleaned my bike all up.

Besides, I'm a little edgy about riding in traffic in the rain. Some of the places I ride are too busy and close for bad weather.

Wait For Me

Think the fenders he has will only fit the cross bike that is set up for racing but the fenders are not on the bike because it is set up for racing.

The Chemist

I ride my electric scooter to work on the days I don't commute. It's pretty much the same route so I always feel good about the fact that I can ride my bicycle as fast as my electric scooter - the overall commuting time is almost the same regardless if I'm on the bike or the scooter.

Andy_K 

Obviously you need another bike -- two more really, as I don't see a pit bike in your list.

Artkansas 

If I'm not mistaken, any good machine shop should be able to tap out the threads. It will make it easiest if you can supply them with a screw that used to go in the thread. Then they don't have to guess at sizes.

Steely Dan

on days i don't bike commute, i take the train instead, and i feel like a total wuss and i hate myself. the train doesn't suck the same way that driving a car in rush hour traffic totally blows, but it's still nowhere near as awesome as being on a bike.

i'll generally ride through regular rain, but if there's a cats and dogs storm raging outside, then i'll make my walk of shame over to the train station.

WestMass

Usually the Kona JTS is the bike I commute on - but I switched over to my old cannondale since I put cross tires and took the fenders off the Kona. Maybe I'll look into some of those little road bike fenders. At least it'll be nice out the next couple days!

dramiscram

I only missed three days of commuting since the middle of march, one because of an appointement with the notary and two because of appointements with the dentist for my daughters. Rain or shine I'm on the bike. My only obstacle is winter time, up north it's quite a challenge.

CliftonGK1

Not even necessary for a machine shop. Most bike shops (at least around here) have tap/chase/face kits to accomodate every thread and bore on a bicycle.

The other option is a cheap clip-on setup. I have an X-tra Dry rear fender that clips onto my seatpost, and a Crud-catcher front for the downtube of my CX bike. Even on race day, I'll rock those for my pre-laps so I'm not hitting the line looking like I dooked my skinsuit. They take 15 seconds to remove, and I'll ditch 'em with my warm-up jacket and knee warmers.

Bluish Green

Today was the first hard rain I have bicycle commuted in. No problems with the riding - my visibility wasn't perfect due to rain in the eyes, but that was workable and everything else was fine.

When I got in to the office was the only minor problem. Changing out of wet clothes in a bathroom stall was more unpleasant than I had guessed it would be. It's doable, but next time I might try ducking into an empty carpeted office room to change.

Also, my shoes are waterlogged. I shouldn't have worn running shoes. They will be wet for the ride home - a minor annoyance, not a big deal. I will need to get more serious rain gear for fall season, though.

silmarillion

More than likely they just got powder-coated too. Like Tarwheel and Artkansas say, you could have them repaired at a LBS/Machine shop.

If you are good with practical machining you may be able to re-tap them yourself. Should be a 6mm or an 8mm tap if I'm not mistaken. Get a 2 fluted tap (take the screw to the hardware store if you are unsure..) and let them get you a tap and a tap handle. Use some motor oil to lube the tap and see if you can break the paint out by turning the tap through the threads with your fingers. If that does not work use the handle. You shouldn't be cutting any metal when you re-chase the threads. So there should be little resistance when you chase the threads.

If you are unsure about anything...take it to a LBS and have them do it. They have all the tools and the know-how. shouldn't cost too much to do this for you.

If you lived in Atlanta, I would say bring it by the shop we'll hook you up.

Kojak

We have one car, and my wife uses it, so I ride or I could take the bus. For the bus I'd have to walk 2 blocks (in the rain to get there), and about 6 or 7 blocks to the office when I got off, in which case, I'd still be wet. Not to mention that it'd take me about 45 minutes by bus, a bike ride?.... 12-20 depending on my route and level of exuberance.

In your situation, I'd find a cheap bike that could be your dedicated wet weather bike and you'd never have to think twice about riding to work again.

hubcap

Since going car-light, the decision is made for me. I'm not going to ask my wife to ride to work in the rain so I can take the car to avoid riding in the rain.

chefisaac

anytime I drive or go to work without my bike, I feel like a wuss. Exception is when I have been riding heavy on the weekends or approach 200 miles a week. Then I need a day off.

But I still feel bad.