Terex

Don't.

BikeArkansas

You are correct, it is a typo. Showers pass jacket will keep you dry if - Sorry for the typing mistake. That does make it confusing.

sknhgy 

If you wear a ball cap under your helmet first take off that button on top of the hat. Pry it off/destroy it with pliers. That way your helmet won't impress it into the top of your noggin.

downtube42

I opened this thread thinking I could contribute, but I've ended up learning a few things. One thing I'll add is if it's cool or cold, carry an extra layer in a ziploc bag to put on in case you have a mechanical problem. Put it on immediately when you stop.

I'm going to try the baseball cap suggestion for my glasses.

fietsbob

I'm right on the coast, rain squalls off the ocean (or out on it)
dump a lot of water down in a short time .

this winter a Rain Cape from Grundens thru Riv Bike, and a Souwester hat
seam welded nylon backed pvc
from the local Marine supplier,with a watch cap underneath,
a pair of LL Bean half rubber boots
and a light pair of rainpants, and gloves ,

and I made it thru the storms on my trips to and from the town center
all winter.. and I was fine ..

heading into gales to get home was interesting,
as the following wind was rewarding.


my bike : rohloff hub disc brake bike friday
mudguards , dyno hub lights , front panniers

and a thick plastic saddle cover formerly filled
with 5L of wine.

Phil85207

Spend a few summers in Westport Washington and if you don't ride in the rain, you just won't be doing any cycling. Being wet is not so bad if a person can stay warmish. Thats where wool comes in to play. Got to be careful about man hole covers and painted lines on the road. I slipped once on an area where the road crews poured tar on cracks in the pavement too. Leaning into turns can be tricky and stopping not as quick. Just gotta be more careful. Visibility both for the cyclist and drivers is poorer so I always use a rear blinking light ( its never off the bike) and If I know its going to rain I put a bar light on too.

RoadTire 

I guess I'll just watch the weather and try to avoid rain.

Clarabelle

Riding in the northwest, one expects to get wet, especially when touring. When touring, we've ridden in some real gully washers that lasted all day. Staying dry is hopeless, so staying comfortable becomes the goal. A wool sweater and a breathable raincoat will keep you warm while riding. We gave up on the rain pants as they are bulky and hot. Shoes get soaked. All our bikes have fenders which help if not too rainy and avoids the "skunk stripe" down your back. And remember, what gets wet, gets dry.

stapfam

Did a ride today- in fact did two. Temp not that great so it was a 4 layer day with the top layer being a waterproof with plenty of vents. All the time I was moving I was fine but when i stopped for coffee- I froze. Moisture build up inside the clothing. Got warm again once I started riding but this time with ALL the vents open under the arms- across the shoulders and down the sides.

Second ride was just into town and it was drizzling. Not hard and with the same clothing as I had not changed from the morning ride. I needed an extra layer. The drizzle cooled everything down including me. Closed the vents- got warm----And wet. Roll on Summer when rain is warm.

Mobile 155

I used to live in outside of Seattle and I loved the T-shirts, "this isn't a tan it is rust". But I don't like riding in the rain. Getting caught in it will shorten a ride because as soon as it starts I head for home. It is one of the reasons I live where I do and no longer in Bellevue. But if I did still live where it rains I think good rain gear and a dedicated rain bike would be in order.

Because you generate your own heat staying dry is out of the question. When I rode motorcycles a full face helmet, ISDT suit and good gloves work pretty well, but you aren't generating heat like cycling.

gear

Fenders are great, make sure the front one has a flap that ends around 4" from the ground and you will keep a lot of road grit, oil and water from coming up onto you (and your bike) from the road surface.

Lights are a wonderful safety feature, a Dinotte taillight is a beautiful thing if you value your life much.

Disc brakes work as well in the wet stuff as they do in dry weather, rim brakes require that you "adjust" the way you ride in the rain, they will smear and scratch your rims.

If it's dark and wet you will not be able to tell how deep the puddle is, could be a half an inch or two feet deep, it will look the same.

Your feet will get wet (much less so with fenders), because rain water will go into your shoes by running down your legs.

Heavy rain sucks to ride in, all other types of rain are OK unless you add other weather obsticals (like wind or cold) to the mix.

You should immediately dry and re-lube your drivetrain after a wet ride, don't let it sit wet.

fietsbob

Last summer was nice, and fortunately many people got to enjoy it,
because it came on a Sunday..

Doug64

Hide under a bridge when all else fails We had 35 days of rain on this trip.

digibud

I went on a tour where we ended up riding in the rain every day for a week. I couldn't take it. I killed myself.

Northwestrider

Fenders and a cover for my helmet are musts for me. When the temps are fairly low, it can be a challenge to keep your hands warm in a rain, I'm considering a glove for kayakers to solve that problem. If the temps are warm, I'll ride in just a t shirt, but carry a rain jacket to keep me warm if I need to fix a flat. Riding in a good rain can be a lot of fun. Enjoy

GeoKrpan

Buy a cheap rain suit and cut the sleeves off mid-fore arm and the legs mid-calf.
The non-breathable cheap rain suit will keep you warm and dry, and the cutoff sleeves and pant legs let in plenty of air and reduce the "sauna" effect.
Wear no socks. Wear shorts and a short sleeve jersey. Long sleeves and pant legs will get wet and "convect" the wetness to your body.
Dressing lightly under the rainsuit will reduce sweating.
Only ride as hard and fast as your clothing allows. In other words, don't build up a sweat.

krobinson103

If its raining on a day I've designated to train I just put on my cycling clothes and go anyway. As long its relatively warm and I keep moving it makes no difference. If I'm commuting and arriving soaked to the skin is a bad thing... then I'll get some wet weather gear. Then at least all I need do is baby wipe, towel down, and change into fresh clothes. Drenched shoes however take days to dry out. I also find that my glasses don't agree with rain. I have to stop every 5km or so and wipe them down so I can see where I'm going.

Prabuddhadg

In the tropics, rainy season is a nice time to ride. Here in Bombay, India, the coolest time of the year is when it is raining. All the rest of the year including winter, I tend to run out of water on my 100 km rides, but during monsoon, I can ride on a single bottle of water and still feel cool. My main bikes do not have fenders, and the result is that all kinds of dirt gets thrown on my back, my legs and into my helmet and my hair. So, after a long ride, I look pretty filthy. But in comparison to the sun burnt, parched feel of riding at other times during the year, I quite prefer this dirty and cool feel.

This time, I am setting up one single speed bike for riding in the rain with fenders- for when the going gets really tough. By the way, my road bikes do not have provisions for fenders at all. I am sure the fendered bike will give me a much cleaner, if slower ride.

Another issue of riding in rains is that all the debris on the road lead to more frequent flats. In fact, on one 70km ride the year before last, I got three flats. Now I mostly ride on Conti Gatorskins which do provide some added protection at the cost of loss of road grip.

The road also gets broken and pot holed. So I generally ride on 28 mm tires.

Yet another issue with riding in the rains is the spray from passing trucks and buses. Cars do not cause so much spray, but some fast buses throw up so much spray, that I need to squint to see.

If I see a broken down vehicle standing by the roadside, I have to be careful about oil spills as I pass it. In spite of this, I have crashed once after slipping on oil leaking from a broken down truck.

Metal manhole or other covers can be pretty risky. If you are too close to stop, its best to just coast through with your weight exactly centered over the bike.

I ride on week ends and after every rain ride, I have to wash the dirt and grime off my bike and lubricate the parts.

It seems to sound very nasty. But, all said and done, monsoon is one very nice time to ride.