DiabloScott

I've forgotten how nice it is - the sound, the smells, the little splashes.

Got my fenders on just in time for morning commute.

My roof is leaking - hopefully just what I saw in the garage but now I've got to check the rest of the attic.

cthenn

we had 0.6" in the gauge when I left for work this morning, that's significant!

Darth Lefty 

Hero dirt!

VNA

Rain or not I ride this Ron Cooper from time to time!
Where is El Nino anyway?

slimyfrog

My gut feeling is that El Nino won't bring nearly as much rain as they are predicting. They'll explain how global warming disrupted normal patterns and we still won't get as much rain as we need. More cycling, less showering. A recipe for disaster.

VNA

What rain?

Darth Lefty 

Cold front, no water, cover your plants... rain maybe Wednesday.

slimyfrog

This coming weeks looks particularly wet. Ordered fenders for my commuter and wool socks for me.

danec99

I am going kicking & screaming into the use of fenders, but I found a supplier of wood fenders and hope to place my order this week. I was thinking of the minimalist type of wedge shaped plastic fenders but if you have to go, might as well go with class. They will not be worn year round. In fact my mounting them will probably signal the end of all rain.

slimyfrog

I installed my fenders on Saturday. I think they'll grow on me. My 8 years old son summed it up nicely: "Your bike looks like one of those old bikes now. It's kind of cool...". *sigh*

VNA

What rain?


(Can't help asking!)

danec99

That rain VA. I dodged a few different rain events in the previous weeks, but not today. Drenched. See how dry things are when it is time to put them on again, the go sit at a soccer game until 8. Need my flask...

slimyfrog

I have a short ride to Bart. Just over 3 miles round trip. I have to admit with warm rain gear, waterproof shoes and fenders on the bike, riding in the rain is actually very pleasant... The weird part is I'm not used to having 'changing my pants' as part of my commute routine.

ricebowl

I actually kinda like riding in the rain. But I avoid it because even with fenders I have to do too much maintenance to my bike after.

VNA

The chain is the real problem, I had to take it apart clean it in a bath of kerosene, and clean the bike even with fenders.
Today went up to the junction, the roads were very wet and then fog, but I don't think the chain got too much grime this time and now we have the sun!

djkashuba 

1-5-16 V.O. Passhunter by djk762, on Flickr

cccorlew

I love that photo! Nice job!

Red Rider

I've ridden twice in the rain this season: Nov. 1 (10 dry miles, 35 wet ones) and then a couple Sundays ago. It was overcast and dry when I left the house, and then ˝ block from my house the clouds began spitting rain. Eventually it was steady but not windy or violent and not so bad.

I love the smell of wet eucalyptus -- that embodies winter in CA to me. It's refreshing and sinus-clearing without being overwhelming. Who am I kidding -- I live in NorCal -- wet anything smells great!

slimyfrog

Great picture, @djkashuba Makes me want to go out for a ride.

cthenn

This is why I use a singlespeed for rain rides. So easy to clean up after a ride, no shifters, no cassestte, no extra cables. Just hose it down (yes, hose it down in the rain) to get the gunk off, wipe it off, then relube the chain. Takes 5-10 minutes and it's good to go for next time! The trick I use is to bring it inside the house to help it dry quickly. I've left it in the garage before and if I didn't dry it well, I've had some rust issues.

cccorlew

I'm sure that I've just ended the rain and any chance of the drought ending I bought SKS Raceblade fenders for my early 70s Gitane Tour de France turned fixed-s/s. I've set it up with lights and such until my new commuter arrives sometime in February.

Today was my first bike commute (though not first ride) since my encounter with a truck. It's so wonderful to be back on the bike.

Those small stickers say "I Voted" and "Ya Voté." I sure with I could get them in other languages too.

Anyway, I am now rain ready!


Gitane tempory commuter bike by curtis corlew, on Flickr

anotherbrian

Even easier, I've been riding a fixed gear (White Industries eccentric hub, so it'll convert any bike) with fenders. Give the cranks a spin and it'll keep going long enough to hose down all the moving parts. Since it has been raining more regularly I think there is less gunk on the road and less need to clean it.

I did run into the chain starting to rust overnight when I left it to dry before relubing. I'm using an old 9spd MTB chain that has seen far worse, and I've quit worrying about it. I did consider sneaking the blow dryer out to the garage or blow the chain out with a compressor though.

DiabloScott

"Ya Voté" literally means "I already voted"... it's an awkward phrase I've never heard or seen anywhere but those stickers. It would've been better to say "Voté Ya" (I voted already). But if they'd've asked me for the Spanish phrase to put on the sticker I would've suggested "ACABO DE VOTAR" (I just voted) or maybe "HE VOTADO" (I have voted). I wonder if the language in these other stickers are just as awkward... the Spanish version here is "Yo Voté", which also sounds like a Yankee picked it.





??? I think we need a post about this.