Riding in the Rain
 

I rode to work on Friday in a steady rain in 42 degree (Fahrenheit) weather. Took a longer ride and was cold, wet, and miserable. Couldn't see for the fog and rain on my glasses. I used to ride in the rain before I semi-retired, but I may just have to pass on it in sub-60s weather. I was sore the next day, but I also developed some stomach discomfort, so I think I caught a bug, which would not have anything to do with the ride. I just wonder: Is it age (I'll be 60 in a few months) or just good sense that tells me I don't need to ride in the rain, even with good gear. Maybe next time I'll ride directly to work and not do a long ride in.

WOW! God bless you!:thumb:
I'm just 50, and I don't even want to go golfing unless it's at least 55 and Sunny:eek: (And I LOVE to Golf:love::love::love:)
In all honesty, one of my former golf buds was up from MD on business just a couple weeks back, and we(or HE I should say) had already decided we were playing Friday afternoon. Reason I point it out is(and mind you I hadn't hit a ball since my last trip to FL back in Dec.), it was... 42 degrees, cloudy, off/on light rain AND windy. Needless to say, the allure of a bar stool and a baseball game/wings/beer did not sway him.:lol: So we hoofed the 18, all bundled up and golf bags on our back. When we were done, I admitted I was glad we did it, although I played like $#!T, and my back hated me for the next 3 days.:mad: And Damn!; the wings and beer were OH so much the better!!:D


SO, If you're generally healthy, cant see that it should be that big a concern if you felt up to it. Might be a better ? for your MD, however I think you kind of answered it yourself already. Keep it up:beer:

Just work on building up rain gear.

There are some fair weather riders (which (I used to be partly one). But, 3/4 the year around here, we get RAIN. So if I want to ride, I must accept getting wet at times.

It's not age. If you dont like rain, dont ride unless you must.

It's okay to decide you just don't like something, and just set it aside. Particularly if you've done it enough to know. There are a lot of ways to use what time we have.

OTOH, it's okay to enjoy the challenge of overcoming.

It's not age. I hate riding in the rain and if looks like rain i the forecast I will commute to work by car instead.

I have an adrenal issue where my body temp plummets in cold and wet (or even just with prolonged exertion in warm or hot weather). Your greatest risk in the rain is hypothermia. Determine your basal (upon waking) temperature and your resting core temp and make sure you take extra precautions if it is below average.

I never ride in the rain intentionally. I'll get caught in the rain during summer as you never know when and where pop up thunderstorms will hit. But it's in the 90s when that happens so it isn't all that unpleasant. I wouldn't ride at 42 degrees if it was clear and sunny.

Hypothermia can rear it's ugly head even in moderate temperatures in the 60's and 70's if you are wet and creating self induced wind chill riding a bicycle. Water temperature also plays a large part in the process. It is not just the ambient air temperature.

[h=1]The Facts on Hypothermia and Cold Weather[/h]

[TABLE="width: 1"]
[TR]
[TH="bgcolor: #666666"]Water Temperature (Fahrenheit)[/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #666666"]Exhaustion or Unconsciousness[/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #666666"]Expected Time of Survival[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]32.5 degrees[/TD]
[TD]Under 15 minutes[/TD]
[TD]Under 15 to 45 minutes[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]32.5 to 40 degrees[/TD]
[TD]15 to 30 minutes[/TD]
[TD]30 to 90 minutes[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]40 to 50 degrees[/TD]
[TD]30 to 60 minutes[/TD]
[TD]1 to 3 hours[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]50 to 60 degrees[/TD]
[TD]1 to 2 hours[/TD]
[TD]1 to 6 hours[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]60 to 70 degrees[/TD]
[TD]2 to 7 hours[/TD]
[TD]2 to 4 hours[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]70 to 80 degrees[/TD]
[TD]2 to 12 hours[/TD]
[TD]3 hours to indefinite[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Over 80 degrees[/TD]
[TD]Indefinite[/TD]
[TD]Indefinite[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

I've always battled respiratory ailments, yet I wanted to ride all winter and early spring (our rainiest season). So my first bit of cyclist clothing was a Shimano Storm Jacket. It's been warm enough into the high 30s with just a long sleeve cotton pullover, and dry through some rainy rides.

On the down side, even with the rear cape-type vent it can get sweaty at temps above 60F. So my next purchase, around January or February, was a Pearl Izumi base layer undershirt, and a couple of poly short sleeve casual fit cycling jerseys. Much more comfortable than cotton under the Shimano jacket, tolerable even up to 80F for short rides (a couplafew miles at a leisurely pace).

Medical researchers keep telling us we don't get colds, the flu, etc., just from being caught in cold wet weather. But our bodies say otherwise. It may be that the congested sinuses from warm/cold/warm again temps are better breeding grounds for respiratory bugs.

My experience tells me I don't get respiratory bugs nearly as often when I'm warm and reasonably dry -- although sweaty is okay, as long as I don't get chilled.

Keeping the nasal passages moist may help too. I wore a paper dust mask, bandanna or scarf over my mouth and nose on a couple of dry cold rides. Seemed to help, including reducing the asthma attacks. On rainy chilly rides I don't cover my mouth and nose, but we didn't get many seriously freezing days this winter.

Out here, we ride in the rain or we do not ride a whole heck of a lot. After awhile, riding in the rain is perfectly fine. I will take rain and 40-50 degrees over dry and 100+ degrees or 80+ degrees and 80+ humidity.

Those numbers are about being in the water, not about being wet. Totally different situations regarding heat transfer.

I have ridden bikes and motorcycles in the rain for about 45 years, I have been very wet and cold, but I only remember 1 time in which hypothermia was a possible issue. And, that was 28 degrees on my motorcycle without the right gear.

i do not care if others like or hate riding in the rain, I am just providing one perspective from a guy who has done it a LOT.

Point taken! I was looking for numbers on rain temps and thus getting wet combined with wind chill at various temps and should have read the article closer.

Regardless, hypothermia can be a threat at even moderate ambient air temps. Children and older adults are more susceptible to hypothermia. Add medications into the mix and it becomes more problematic.

Here is another article that covers hypothermia and hyperthermia for cyclist.

Bicycle Medic

I went for a rain ride yesterday, just for fun. Temp was in the 40's, I wear sandals, shorts, and compression long sleeve shirt. I can't stand wet shoes and docks, so sandals are the best option for me. I stay warm as long as I keep moving. I kind of enjoy riding in the rain. The only pain is having to clean and reliube the drivetrain and clean the wheels and rims afterwards.

Hypothermia is strange. There have been cases of people who have died, even though the conditions were not severe. Then, our special forces are trained to endure conditions that should bring about hypothermia and still function with fine motor tasks. Like the guy below your posts, above this post, I never feel it too much unless I have to stop for an extended time, even in very cold weather.

I commute in rainy and cruddy conditions and only clean and lube the chain every couple of months. I put 4,000-5,000 miles per year on this bike and I have no significant drivetrain issues.

:thumb:

Like the saying goes: into everyone's life a little rain MUST fall. Get on with living - and bicycling when you can. Be careful about others because of poor visibility, and the condition of the road - slippery surface yadda.

Enjoy. Get over your "bug" as soon as possible.

If you're cold, wet, and miserable, that's a good time to head straight home (or to work). Clean up, dry off, get warm, and do the longer ride another day.

Which, in a roundabout way, brings up a question I've had for years. I've seen a bunch of detailed training plans. How do people deal with, for instance, riding 57 minutes in Zone 3 when it's cold, wet, and windy?

A short little story. When I first got back into cycling I had a frind that I thought knew every thing about cycling so I tended to follow his examples and advice. As I got to the point where I was riding more and longer distances I asked him how he dealt with riding in the rain? Not a very big problem where I live but it happens. He told me, "If you are home and it is raining stay home, there is always tomorrow." I told him I understood by what gear does he carry in case it rains while he is out riding? He just smiled and pulled a cell phone from his pocket and held it up and said," this is all I ever carry in case it rains." I do have a rain jacket but other than that I don't ride in the rain unless I have to to get home.

Best investment was a Cyclists Rain Cape .. well tested design developed in England over the past 100 years..

Arms on the bars supports the front of the cape, & keeps rain off your legs & hands , but its open like an umbrella for ventilation.

Bike does Need Mudguards.

If I lived where it rained frequently, I'd ride in the rain.

But I live where rain is relatively rare, so I don't see the point in riding in the rain by choice.

That's not to say I haven't ridden in rain, snow and all kinds of things ... I have. But almost without exception, it was a case were we really had little choice.

Re hypothermia: I ski, backpack, and do all kinds of things in cold weather, but the coldest I've ever been was on a soaking wet 43 degree descent out of the Santa Monica mountains. I was shivering so bad, I could hardly hold on to the handlebars, and it took a couple of hours in front of a wood stove at the Reel Inn to stop shivering.

Who knows; maybe even I'll reconsider getting out in the rain a little this summer!:D (albeit it wont be unless the temperature is 65 or greater)
If any of you can recommend some makers of halfway decent rain gear, at a reasonable price, much appreciated.
:thumb:

The best time to ride in the rain is when it's raining pennies from heaven.

Pardon my impertinence, but I just had to say that there have been rides in the rain (in summer) that have not only been my best rides, but some of the most memorable events of my life. Riding at night (in summer), as well. In both cases, the road seems to be softer and the ride, smoother.

https://www.mountainhardwear.com/wat...160503171344:s

For a somewhat vast selection of raingear brands and items (some discontinued), complete with user reviews, check : Trailspace: Outdoor Gear Reviews

Awesome... I'll check them out. THANKS:)

I have a simple formula: Damp is tolerable if it's warm, Windy is tolerable if it's mild, Cold is tolerable if it's not damp or windy.

Riding in the rain is a really broad question. A steady rain in the 40°'s or colder, I am not going out for a long ride, recreation or training, on a regular bike. Like someone said earlier, do it tomorrow or the next day.

Commuting to work, that same cold rain never stops me. The difference is that I know that I can deal with it for half an hour, all weather conditions that I've seen in this state. But longer than that could be threatening, and it won't be any fun.

After about 70° a ceaseless rain might or might not be unpleasant and much warmer the rain is sometimes even welcome.

I ride. Year round. In any weather. As I keep telling people - the thing that's worse than riding in this mess, is NOT riding in this mess.

I actually ENJOY riding in rain - as long as I am dressed for it. I shold note, though, that I am not primarilly a recreational rider - I commute and run errands, and if the ride is recreational, it is usually at kid speed - and I don't make the kids ride in rain.

The thing I find about rain riding is that you need a balance between breath-able and water repellant. Cheap waterproof raingear does not breathe, and that defeats the goal of keeping dry since one ends up stewing in one's own persiration - wet is wet. Raincapes are great in warmish weather - though you have to accept that you will not remain perfectly dry, but "dry enough", which is good enough. I sometimes combine rain trousers with the cape, but most often I just ride in shorts and accept that my legs will get a bit wet - this really depends on temperature and wind. One can spend a bundle on good gore-tex high tech gear, but, while it does breate, it does not breate so freely as one might wish. My favourite find in this arena has been the water repellant hoodie - they breate nearly like a cotton hoodie, but I have riden quite long distances in the rain and remained dry and warm, without excess perspiration - particularly with a layer (or 2) of wool underneath (or some polyester tech fabric when temps rise).

If I am riding in rain and have decided to try to stay completely dry (say when temps are closer to freezing) I ride with rain-proof trousers and use high top old-man overshoes and platform pedals.

Good gloves are essential - I either use water-proofed leather mittens with wool gloves inside, or thin work gloves which I found at the local dollar store, which turned out, unexpectedly, to be mostly waterproof (and high viz - high viz gloves = bicycle turn signals). I also carry extra gloves on wet days. Wet, cold hands WILL make me misreable, no matter how comfortable the rest of me is.

And - a rain cover for my helmet. Many of you may not ride with a helmet, but I do, and the combination of helmet with rain cover greatly improves comfort in wet and cold.

MUDGUARDS!!!

HOWEVER - with all that said, I do not insist that all should enjoy riding in all sorts of weather, as I do, and I won't think the less of you if you don't, and choose not to. I might give you hard time for it, but I won't think less of you.

I also should admit, that I do derrive some sense of accomplishment from pushing through to live my life by bike in bad weather. Accomplishment and smug self satisfaction. Not sure what that says about me ...

Can't say that I love riding in the rain, but here in my part of the UK not riding in the rain would rule out many of my rides.

Summer riding in the rain can be very pleasant, but I draw the line at winter riding when it's cold and/or windy.

I just bought a new lightweight waterproof cycling top yesterday in readiness for summer.

P.S. Hardy commuters would scoff at the problems of riding in the rain.