So I did my first commute this morning...
 

It was, overall, pretty good. I opened the garage door and saw it was raining (drizzeling really, but this is SoCal), I almost decided not to ride but told myself HTFU (sorry, had to use it). My commute is about 22 miles one way. About halfway to work, I get a flat....great first day of commuting! Oh well, this is all part if it, right? So, I get my flat changed and get going again and meet up with a guy named Andy who was pretty much going to the same area I was. It ended being a pretty nice ride, although my legs are just now starting to thaw out! :)

I did learn one thing...Planet Bike superflash light is NOT waterproof! It apparently stopped working somewhere in my ride and I see it come on intermittently while sitting on my desk. My guess is once it dries out, it will work again but what a bummer (first time using it).

I'm thinking this will be the last time I ride in the rain while living in San Diego, it's just too much of a risk of a flat and it really only rains a couple times a month at the most, so...

Chris

*EDIT* I just called Planet Bike about the blinky, they said a not problem(batch of bad seals, they said) and are sending me out a brand new one. Awesome customer support!

Welcome - You'll find SD is a great town for bike commuting!

(FWIW I opted against riding in the rain this AM. Roads too slick and drivers too cranky. Plus, as you say, flats. But perhaps I am just a wimp. ;))

Dude, you're hardercore than i am. :D

well, like I said, I think this will be my last "planned" commute in the rain. ;) I guess I was so excited about doing my first commute, I couldn't resist. I just hope my shoes dry out before it's time to leave at 3:00!

Stuff 'em with newspaper or paper towels. Mine dried in just a few hours when I did that.

Maybe this is a stupid question, but how does rain cause flats?

Superflashes are so waterproof, there was a guy who accidentally washed his in the laundry and it was still on when he took his clothes out.
Maybe your little hatch thingy was not secured properly.

Superflash waterproofedness (Look ma, a new word!) is actually kind of iffy. I've had 2 now. The first worked for most of a wet winter, but then gave up. The newer one seems to have a better seal and has laster for 1.5 seasons. Still, I wouldn't change it out for anything. If I have another problem with the SF, I'll just wrap tape around the seam to seal it better.

Good to know, I bought a couple of the 'stealthy' ones but haven't tested them in the rain. I had to use it this morning because of a little fogginess. The stealthy one looks great with all the black and silver I have on the Steamroller.

What I've heard is that the rain actually lubricates the metal, glass etc. on the road and makes it slip through the tire more easily.

I think the wet makes sharp things stick to the tire and when the tire comes full circle the all the weight of the bike and rider comes down on the object. I always wonder how those big screws seem to just stick through the tire at weird angles. I want to see a super slowmo video of this happening.

I stuffed them, hope it works! :)

As far as the rain/flats issue goes...I've been told the rain makes your tires super sticky, so they pick up EVERYTHING and especially on the sidewalls. Mine was actually on the tread, so hopefully I'll make it home. Lesson #2 for today is to carry more than one spare tube! ( I actually do have patches for in a pinch...)

Chris

Strange. I ride in the rain all the time, and I hadn't noticed a difference. Maybe it's because of the "all the time" part.... A CNN story I read yesterday said it only rains once a year in Portland...from October to May. :)

You keep posting this as if everyone else is wrong, or somehow incompetent.

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To the OP: I posted about mine doing the same thing a year or so ago (actually happened several times) and got the same ridiculous responses. It will work fine after it dries out, but you should definitely be aware that this is likely to happen if you have it in the path of tire spray.

I mounted both my Superflashes to the left seatstay. I'd put one on the right seatstay but my TCX has the rear derailuer cable along that tube...

Thanks, it dried out and seems to work fine now. Like I said above, I doubt I'll intentionally ride in the rain while I'm stationed in SoCal, but I may get caught out on the way home at some point. I'm really impressed with Planet Bike and their customer service. I guess a batch of superflashes had a seal that was a little harder then it was supposed to be, so it may leak a bit.
Chris