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How committed are you to riding in the rain?

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Old 12-24-15 | 03:56 PM
  #51  
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I guess that you could rotate through an extra set of cycling clothes. Hang today's up to dry and leave them until tomorrow, put on yesterday's now dry clothes for the ride home. It might get kind of gamy though.
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Old 12-24-15 | 06:01 PM
  #52  
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As long as it isn't raining too hard so that I can't see, or cars can't see.
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Old 12-25-15 | 04:42 AM
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"Today is our 24th consecutive day of rain. It may be getting to me, just a little."

I've got no problems with rain..always have my rain gear with me..but 24 days of rain?? wow.. that gets damp & old real fast..
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Old 12-26-15 | 07:16 PM
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Andy_K, LOVE the photo!

I commute by bike because I like to ride my bike.

I don't like to be in the rain, on a bike or not, so I don't ride in the rain if I can avoid it.

Fortunately, we don't get much rain here in L.A., I have two cars, and I can work from home whenever I want, so I'm a happy boy...
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Old 12-27-15 | 02:57 AM
  #55  
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We had a Christmas miracle followed by a Boxing Day miracle -- two dry days. Tomorrow we're expecting rain again but I feel better about it now.
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Old 12-27-15 | 07:00 AM
  #56  
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I don't like riding in the rain, but I'm more likely to ride on rainy weekend days when I can time my rides to avoid the worst of it. Commuting in the rain sucks, IMHO, but I don't mind light rain that much. Unfortunately we get a lot of thunderstorms and soaking rains that I avoid riding in if possible. My commute is fairly long (31 miles round trip) and I get thoroughly soaked if the rain is steady or heavy. My route also takes me on several large roads with heavy traffic, and I feel much less safe in rainy conditions and find it difficult to see through my glasses.

The weather in NC has been much wetter than usual the past 3 years, which had made commuting much more challenging for me and my mileage has suffered. Last year, my commute miles were about 1,000 less than the previous year with drier weather. This year I made a concerted effort to top 5,000 miles commuting and fell short by 250 miles with a week to go -- and more rain in the forecast every day until New Years. I ended up riding on more rainy days than ever in 2015 and don't like it a bit more. In 2016, I'm going to ignore mileage goals and commute when the weather is suitable for riding. I'm tired of fighting the weather and stressing out over having to commute in heavy fog, steady downpours or thunderstorms.
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Old 12-27-15 | 07:41 PM
  #57  
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Originally Posted by Andy_K
Like I said, I think of myself as someone who bikes to work in the rain, but this month my resolve has failed. As of today I've driven to work more days (9) this month than I've biked in (8), and I'm on vacation for the rest of the month so my shame is permanent. Does anybody else in here feel the way I do?

On the bright side, the ten day forecast shows eight days with 40% chance of rain or less. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go sit in front of my happy lamp.
We bought another car 3 yrs ago when I got hit by a car and couldn't ride or even drive the car we had and I took several days this current December to drive 'cause it was just damn easier (it was only because we had the 2nd car handy, I didn't need to rent it or whatever that I had thought of enough other stuff to do to begrudge the 30 min difference between riding and driving). But I am committed to riding in the rain if it's going to be a riding day. Usually rain days give me some extra gratification because car traffic gets so much worse and I can just cruise right past it on the shoulder.
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Old 12-28-15 | 10:02 AM
  #58  
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I am totally committed to NOT riding in the rain.
I'm a hedonistic comfort junkie.
I ride for fun.
Riding in the rain is not fun
hence I do not ride in rain
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Old 12-28-15 | 10:36 AM
  #59  
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Originally Posted by avidone1
I am totally committed to NOT riding in the rain.
I'm a hedonistic comfort junkie.
I ride for fun.
Riding in the rain is not fun
hence I do not ride in rain
Well said.

I feel the same way about working out.

Remember, no pain... no pain!
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Old 12-28-15 | 11:30 AM
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I live in Florida where it often rains in the afternoons. It rarely rains in the mornings. It's dark morning when I leave for work, so if it's raining, I won't ride. For the ride home I usually get caught in the aftenoon rain, and at that point, it's a pain, but it doesn't really matter. I've got to get home anyway.
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Old 12-29-15 | 05:32 PM
  #61  
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Originally Posted by PaulH
Around her, massive traffic jams form when it rains. Riding in the rain is not commitment, it's just taking the path of least resistance.
Amen to that. I will ride with flash flood warnings instead of braving DC traffic (especially since it seems most of the motorist don't know how to drive in the rain).
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Old 01-07-16 | 07:33 AM
  #62  
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Originally Posted by aggiegrads
I use aluminum fenders from Honjo or Velo Orange. They are the only brands that I have found that have front fenders that are long enough to suit me. The front fender must be long enough to nearly touch the ground with a mud flap. This will keep my feet dry and the bike relatively clean. There are many fenders this long, like PB Cascadias and SKS Longboards.

Finding a fender with enough "front extension" is the hard part. I like a fender that extends past the highest vertical peak of the front wheel and starts to curve downward. This assures that the spray is directed downward and not up where I just ride into it.

The other nice thing about aluminum fenders is the rolled edge. Instead of dripping off the sides and onto my feet or rear mech, the runoff generally drips off the front or rear of the fenders. This keeps things much cleaner.
this is great, thanks [MENTION=179784]aggiegrads[/MENTION]
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Old 01-07-16 | 10:11 AM
  #63  
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Here is San Diego we're in the middle of a 'very rainy' week (3.5in the past two days, and still raining today).

Tuesday night I rode home in the rain with an ikea rain poncho up top, and sandals/wool socks. The poncho worked pretty good (not ideal positioning of arm-holes for cycling, but it kept me dry), and the socks were totally soaked (but not really cold, and waterproof sandals, so it's OK).

Wed morning I rode in with poncho, rain pants, and my riding sneakers in plastic grocery bags (ghetto shoe covers). Waste of effort, it was just barely sprinkling. But through the day the rain really picked up, there was lightning and thunder, and believe it or not a tornado warning! Since my wife was out picking up kids anyways, I wussed out and had her pick me up too. I'll drive home tonight and back to work again tomorrow, my bike will be locked up safely at work the whole time. Fri night I'll leave 'my' car at work (like I usually do, it was home for Christmas) and bike home (probably dry).

I am willing to ride in the rain, but I'm not super eager to make a point or prove something by riding in the rain when I don't have to.
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Old 01-07-16 | 06:15 PM
  #64  
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Just saw this thread. We were in PDX for Xmas and you weren't kidding about the constant 36F rain. Wow. And I saw a fair number of riders in those conditions. I tip my hat.
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Old 01-08-16 | 03:25 PM
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The last few days of 34 degrees and freezing fog have been a little sketchy. It's tough when it's dark and foggy. Can't really use my helmet light, it's up too high and it reflects light off the water droplets... similar to driving a car in fog with high beams. The only thing to do is slow down. I think I prefer the rain.
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Old 01-08-16 | 03:40 PM
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Originally Posted by InTheRain
The last few days of 34 degrees and freezing fog have been a little sketchy. It's tough when it's dark and foggy. Can't really use my helmet light, it's up too high and it reflects light off the water droplets... similar to driving a car in fog with high beams. The only thing to do is slow down. I think I prefer the rain.
I hear you! The hill down from my house has about a 15% grade as it is going around a horseshoe turn. This doesn't mix well with ice. I didn't even leave the house on Monday. Tuesday was mostly OK, then more ice on Wednesday. I know the people who live in places that have actual winter are thinking, "Why don't you just get studded tires?" but for the two or three days a year that it drops below freezing I'm happy to just stay home.

Things have been much better the past two days and the extended forecast looks pretty good. I'm feeling much better about things now.
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Old 01-08-16 | 03:45 PM
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Originally Posted by caloso
Just saw this thread. We were in PDX for Xmas and you weren't kidding about the constant 36F rain. Wow. And I saw a fair number of riders in those conditions. I tip my hat.
It has only rained 6 days in the two weeks since Christmas. That would be pretty great if it we hadn't also had freezing temps a couple of those days.
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Old 01-08-16 | 05:00 PM
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I heard 26 turned into a hockey rink. A nice inclined hockey rink.
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Old 01-13-16 | 11:17 PM
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My car would have to be non operational for me to ride in the rain. Before I had a car I had no choice but to ride in the rain and I hated it. Mind you its only going to work I have a problem riding in the rain, but coming home from work I have no problem.
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Old 01-13-16 | 11:51 PM
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Yesterday on a dark damp morning, I took a tumble when I focused on the oncoming pedestrians on the bike trail instead of the curb that was curving to the left. VERY LUCKY I was that I fell off onto some damp grass and dirt. On the way home, I saw that my right knee had left a crater in the dirt where I hit. Would've likely broken some over 60-year old bones without that triangle of dirt and grass there.

So, today, (getting back on subject), it was raining hard when I got up. No way was the get-off going to scare me back to the automobile. It was about the most careful very wet ride I've taken in a while, but well worth it. My conversion to all-weather (no ice) riding is almost complete.
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Old 01-14-16 | 01:46 AM
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I better be committed to riding in the rain. The 15 day forecast shows rain for 14 of those days. At least it's warming up a bit - highs in the 40's and lows above freezing... I can deal with that!
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Old 01-14-16 | 07:56 AM
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IT is supposed to rain tomorrow and I am probably going to drive. I have ridden 3 days this week so far.
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Old 01-14-16 | 12:44 PM
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I can't drive to my work, so if I wish to avoid riding in rain, I either need to catch a ride with my spouse (which is not always an option) or catch a bus (which doubles my commute time and is generally inconvenient). Still, riding in rain can often be frustrating and uncomfortable, so I do sometimes take the former option.

For the most part, I'm more concerned about what rain does to my bike than how it feels, unless it's also cold. I hate having to take the time to clean my bike. Besides, the only dedicated commuter bike with full fenders that I have is an ancient hybrid that is somewhat unpleasant to ride the 8 miles between work and home. So I'm usually on my road or cyclocross bike, and as I mentioned, getting them covered in grime is extremely aggravating as a regular thing. I would add a full-time commuter road bike with full fenders to my collection, but my bike budget isn't unlimited, and keeping the race bikes fully functional comes first.
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Old 01-14-16 | 02:47 PM
  #74  
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Originally Posted by InTheRain
I better be committed to riding in the rain. The 15 day forecast shows rain for 14 of those days. At least it's warming up a bit - highs in the 40's and lows above freezing... I can deal with that!
The forecast here is looking like merely cloudy tomorrow and next Wednesday (only a 20% chance of rain those days). Time to party!

I got drenched on the way to work yesterday, but it was dry for the ride home. I'd just like to have a dry weekend day sometime. I'm back to being able to motivate myself to bike in to work since I have to come here anyway, but if I get up on Saturday morning and it's raining there's a very good chance I'm going to spend the entire day on the couch eating potato chips.
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Old 01-14-16 | 03:13 PM
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I heard 26 turned into a hockey rink. A nice inclined hockey rink.
Top if the Coast range on 26 is 1000+ feet ,, there was a Black Ice sheet on the rest area parking lot ..

Later the PDX news featured people getting on their Ice Skates On the Streets there ,,, Cul De Sac Hockey anyone?
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