Today is my major ride day, base miles/saddle time stuff and it's a rainy 52F. I will be in my shop working on my vintage John Deere JD140 getting the mowing deck ready. Maybe by the end of the day I can get a short/intense ride in (but I doubt it).

I own bikes with Mudguards , I use them when it rains , the one without Mudguards stays inside in my House until its Not Raining ..

like D'oh!

Pro's Just Get Wet, and dry of in the team bus on the way back to the Hotel..


I live where the Californians want to steal the water From...

And the front fender keeps a lot of crap off your bike as well.

Riding in the rain

Most of my riding, especially from April through October is for training/fitness, and I follow a pretty rigid schedule with daily mileage quotas. Furthermore I incorporate that schedule into my commute, so I do accept riding in the rain, but only on my beater mountain bike with fenders and wide tires. Getting wet personally was not a major concern, and as tsl has written:

A perfect answer to that incessant querying about how to stay dry. However, below about 50⁰ and especially into the 40-30⁰ range my hands demand neoprene gloves, and IMO riding in cold rain is worse than freezing cold. Also, I find drenched feet to be uncomfortable and I wear waterproof layers to keep them dry; sweat is not uncomfortable. (Note the plastic baggies over the sneakers, to make the rubber overshoes easier to slip on, and provide a further barrier to the rain.)



One other important item for me is a baseball cap with a visor (longer that a cycling cap) to keep the water off my prescription eyeglasses, with an occasional finger wipe when they get wet. Rarely do I wear safety goggles over the eyeglasses (less than than about 35⁰).

While getting wet was not a problem for me, I hate the grime that gets kicked up. The one post on BF that dispensed my concern about tedious clean-ups was similar to this one:

Now that was a regimen I could handle, suitable for my beater bike.

For those who like riding in the rain though, and claim rainwater is so pure, I’m reminded of a post where the subscriber said the rainwater kicked up off the road is a mixture of oil, grit, and liquified roadkill.

Finally, the Rules of the Velominati praise those who ride in bad weather:

So drenching rain is now my only limitation.

70 and rain not a big deal, 40 and rain sucks.Even with fenders When I get home from commuting in the rain I hose off my wheels and brakes and watch black road slime ooze off. When it dries out I'll clean the rims and brake pads. Will I head out in the AM if it's pouring, no I have a perfectly good car with wipers. Will I ride home in the rain if starts while I'm at work? Yes, in fact I did yesterday. Working in the field, I do watch the weather and if it looks like heavy rain for the ride home I often will take the car if it's obvious it's going to be wet going home especially spring/fall when temps are lower. Other times I take my chances.

I've ridden in the rain down to 33° and sleeting, and once did 70 miles in a steady downpour at 36°. The biggest problem is gloves. I'm now using Giro 100 Proof gloves: Amazon.com : Giro GA09000 Mens 100 Proof Winter Gloves : Sports & Outdoors

Feet are actually pretty easy, you just need to spend money. Lakes MXZ 303 boots are the best I've found. The problem with any such waterproof footwear is that water runs down your legs into the whatever it is. The fix is easy and cheap: dry suit leg seals around the ankles and over the boot tops. Bare Replacement Latex Drysuit Ankle Seals One Size Fits All (One Size Fits All) | Amazon.com: Outdoor Recreation or visit your local dive shop - probably cheaper there. I cut them to fit nicely around my ankles without cutting off the circulation.

I agree with the no-waterproof clothing thing. For bottoms, either PI AmFib or Performance Triflex w/o chamois (bike shorts under). On top, long sleeve Craft winter top, a heavy poly jersey, Voler Jet HiViz shell. I take along a wind vest in case the rain quits or to double under the shell.

I like this quote, and used to keep a copy of it in my day planner. Today the day planner is on the phone

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain." unknown

(DBrown, this might be in your neck of the woods, Lewiston, MI)


IMO you can ride one day of rain in just about anything, but without a way to dry your clothes every day a good set of rain gear is essential. For riding day after day in wet weather I find a good set of breathable gear with good synthetic base layers works well. Unless it is cold, I don't worry about my feet. If it is really warm, I don't worry about wearing rain clothes, except maybe the unzipped jacket. It keeps the things in my jersey pocket dry.

This was 50F, which appropriate gear makes riding in the rain relatively comfortable, even for several days in a row.

Thanks for the reply. This afternoon I rode in rain approaching drenching, in only shorts, shirt and a cycling vest, no gloves, and no feet coverings in a raw gusty wind up 24 mph, in the 50⁰'s …but only 1.5 miles.

Usually though I do wear rainpants and a water resistant jacket. I have ridden in drenching rain, unwillingly when necessary, since my abscess but when I get really wet I worry about a recurrence of the abscess to keep me off the bike during my training period. I didn’t mention also that I had a reaction to the antibiotic used to treat the abscess. So now I just avoid drenching rain; one day off won’t hurt.

BTW, regarding foot coverings, in my picture above, those green Gortex gaiters were about $70, the Totes overshoes about $15, and the plastic bags...can't even give them away.

The Totes and plastic bags alone might be sufficient waterproofing themselves but I found the Totes became abraded by the pedal crank, and a hole was worn into them. The gaiters cover the hole, and would have prevented that. Also they cover the tops of the Totes from water draining down, and are excellent windscreens. That get-up is my footwear, with an extra pair of socks during the winter, for my 14-mile commute, down to 0⁰.

BTW, the gaiters do have an open sole for clipless pedals, an are much easier to wrap around and fasten with Velcro, than struggle to pull on and close Neoprene booties (which I also use).

the title of this chat: "Riding In The Rain" is very broad.
(a) (meant as) Begin a ride, as the rain has already been going on?
(b) Riding, as the rain began at a later time during the ride??

This morning, when I opened up my door to ride to work, it was pouring. But I looked on NOAA website and it looked like the storm should be passing. So I waited 15 minutes and sure enough the skies were dry though the streets were wet. I put my rainsuit in the pannier and rode to work. My shoes got wet, but the rest of me was dry.

Had the NOAA shown lots of storms, I probably would have just put on the rainsuit and proceeded. But I was happy it worked out well.

When I am touring, I will ride in the rain. It really is kind of depressing to take down the tent and load the bike in the rain, then ride 6-8 hours in the rain and to set up the already wet tent in the rain.... Usually, those nights I look for a motel, if possible.

Also, when I have commuted by bike, I have ridden home some afternoons in the rain on days that it was not raining in the morning.

I don't like riding in the rain, but do it a few times a year so I can be prepared for those times when there's no choice. Case in point: last year's PMC (a fundraiser) when we slogged through 111 miles of rain on the first day of the event. The first 70 were merely wet, the last 41 were a deluge. However, since we knew what to expect we all completed the ride with no "events." Just some sore bottoms from riding on what felt like a wet diaper. I'd prefer not to, but sometimes there's no alternative.

+1. I don't know how many times I've had to explain to people (especially at work) that, last time I checked, I was not water soluble.

My winter bike (with fenders of course) looks pretty bad by the end of the season; even my fixed gear (w/o fenders) on which I sometimes get caught out riding in the rain (or even right after a good rain), is looking a little grungy these days. I keep meaning to clean up both, but the weather's nice right now . . . I'd rather be riding.

As far as setting out to ride in the rain, no I don't intentionally plan to ride in the rain. However when I plan to ride, I don't use rain as an excuse to not ride. I mean, if on Sunday I plan to ride my bike to work on Tuesday, and it's raining when I get up, I know I'm going to ride in the rain. I may take my winter bike instead of my fixed gear or road bike, and I might take/wear rain pants and a rain jacket instead of bib tights and a softshell jacket, but I'm going to ride. Only if there was lightning in the air, or tornadoes I guess (neither are a common occurrence in Northern California), would I reconsider the plan to ride.

I've decided that life is too short to have very many things that I "never" do. I don't like riding in cold rain and will usually avoid it. Riding in warm rain is usually not too bad once I get into it. Getting started is the hardest part. I tend to avoid starting in the rain, but if I really want to ride and it's not going to stop anytime soon, I'll go ahead and ride and I usually find it quite enjoyable.

Thunderstorms and hail are a different matter. I'll wait that out.

I rode all in all weathers when I was living in the UK - I found that a low mudflap on the front fender was necessary - otherwise, road grit gets thrown right where you don't want it, the chain. But you don't melt. tsl said it all better than I could.

I try to commute by bike every day. For any trip I ride in the rain, I feel is penance for all those sunny days in the past that I chose to take the car. Until that debt is paid, I will not complain about getting wet, nor accept any accolades for "toughing it out".

Its not a big deal for me, I want to ride so if its raining I will be getting wet. Lightning is a different case, completely, that dog won't hunt, for me. Been hit back in 1984, not riding, but I won't be offering myself up to the angry gods of electricity, as a ground path.

Bill

Well, since I'm NOT on tour, and just commute in Summer months, I tend to draw the line at commuting to work in the rain -- Or if there is an over-50% chance of rain on the way home. However, if I get wet, I get wet. That also means cleaning the bike which can take an hour or more, and the wife frowns on my working on my bikes when I could be 'doing something productive' like cleaning the house or.... We must pick our battles...

I never cancel a ride due to rain or snow for that matter. I just put the bike on the trainer. Seriously I hate starting a ride in the rain but if I get caught out in it so be it. I don't care for it but it's not the end of the world. Really cleaning the bike after is the worst part IMO.
I'm retired so I don't commute and I don't get paid to ride so I just don't feel the need to prove I'm a hardazz. Back in the day I used to run in any kind of weather but I've had some orthopedic issues, including a hip replacement, so I try to stack the odds in my favor as much as possible when it comes to keeping the rubber down.

In my youth, I rode every day to school - including in Winter in suburban Cleveland. I was on the high school swim team - a Wintertime school sport, which necessitated me being in the pool at 6am. I rode my trusty (and rusty) 3-speed three miles to the pool, then after practice the 1-1/2 miles to the school - with wet hair that froze on the ride in the era before blow dryers! - for my first period (8:15) class and then after school another 2 miles to get home. Yeah, I rode through a lot of snow and rain. I've paid my dues...

I try to never cancel or avoid plans due to rain (or rain prediction). I will seek cover in a total deluge, but I have certainly ridden in them as well. Fenders are pretty key.

I got caught in the rain today. Hmm'd and haww'd about going out. Took the helmet cover and rain jacket and got in a good ride. Had to put the rain gear on for the final 4 miles, but glad I went out.

In the mountains, hiking, riding or just plain living, it's best to always be ready for rain.

As I reported in another thread a few weeks back, I was caught in a doozy of a storm on top of Colorado Monument. Although I was prepared with a coat, it was no match for the volume of water, intensity of the wind, and the sudden 30 degree temperature drop. Waiting it out did not seem like an option, since I was getting colder by the minute.

I wouldn't head out in that kind of weather, but riding in it is doable, and it's fun to talk about later.

When I first started biking about eight years ago I didn't have much choice. I went car-free at that time, and if it was raining, and I wanted to go somewhere, it was by bike. We get a lot of cold and freezing rain here and those were particularly wet years - continuous rains, epic floods. Frankly I hated it and I spent a lot of time trying to deal with it.

A few years later I did get a car again, but by that time I'd figured it out and continued to commute by bike daily, in rain or other conditions. 2150 times to my current job or back, 15-22 miles round trip, and very few of them "miserable". I don't care what the weather is on a commute, which is a different story than setting out for a tour or long training ride.

The difference, the "trick" to it, is in the rider, not in equipment or clothes. Being wet, for a short period, is no great problem. Even a soaking deluge; after a point you don't really get any wetter. Accept it, enjoy it, and get on with it. It helped when I developed the aerobic conditioning for enough effort to keep myself warm, but that's a fairly low bar.

One more thing to realize, in the really cold rain, it's the air blowing across the water that saps heat. So something to block the wind, not necessarily water proof, is helpful.

Well said; indeed commuting is a different mindset from a training ride, and commuting makes it much easier to adhere to a training schedule, probably because it’s a more defined goal, and pragmatic expenditure of time. But that doesn’t mean I enjoy riding in the rain, only disliking it less.