with the winter months here, I'm lucky enough to live in northern California where the weather is mild. Today is my normally scheduled 20mi lunch ride but it's raining. How many of you would ride in the rain? I'm itching to get on the road and ride but wanted some opinions about riding in the rain.

Im riding today at lunch... Its raining here in Scotts Valley, CA.. Get one of those light wt. clear sweat jackets.. er.. rain jackets.. and go for it!

I almost always do my rides, even if it is raining. I live in the bay area so the weather usually doesn't get too bad during the winter. (hopefully the storm from last week was an exception).

If the wind gusts are extremely strong or the visibility extremely poor, then I might cancel my ride and do a workout on the trainer or rollers. There was one day the wind in my area was so strong that it was breaking small branches off trees and pulling bushes out and tossing them in the road. It was a pain to ride that day and keep the bike upright. It just wasn't fun. A bit of rain though never stops me. I'd rather ride outside than be on the trainer.
I see you're in pleasanton. I'm next door in Livermore, so if you've ever done Patterson pass road, you know about the wind!!!

I know I need therapy but I'm too anal about the bike to ride in the rain unless I get caught out and have no choice.

SS

do you avoid fast decents and stay in flats? I normally climb on Wed. but will be reluctant to descend.

it depends how wet it is and how cold.

Generally, I'll ride in light to moderate rain if it's over about 65 degrees

So long as you dress appropriately, slow down a bit, and don't mind cleaning/drying your bike afterwards, I would say go for it. More often then not, I ride in the snow (and most recently rain) this time of year, and have (thus far!) had no problems.

T

i'm a weanie.. if it's cold out (and to me 60 degrees is cold!) i won't pruposely set out in the rain! heck... even if it's 100 degrees out... i don't think i've ever started my ride in the rain! i have been caught in the rain... i have a rain jacket that i bring along if i think it may rain!

i got caught in rain on the day after new year's day.. (and it was cold AND windy! YUCK!)

i got stuck riding in the rain once on the mountain bike, too... i was so miserable and cold! but we had driven all the way to the start point... and JUST started out on the bikes (barely left the guy's driveway) and it rained on us... GRRRRR)

but would i leave my warm house or warm office to ride in a cold rain? nope.. not me... i'm a baby... weanie.... whatever you want to call me! lol!

I'd ride for sure. Having in mind where I live, rain is no big deal + I bike commute to work so not much choice there

No matter how 'waterproof' you gear is though, you're never going to be completely dry. Also, it's a good idea make yourself as visible as you would if you were riding at night.

I work in Livermore so I have several good lunch rides:
-Del Valle and back
-top of Tesla road and back
-Patterson pass loop
-PP to Flynn Road loop

do you work in Livermore?

Get out and enjoy your ride. Once you are out on the bike, the rain is never as bad as it seemed when you were dreading it before the ride. Wear bright clothes because visibility can be low, and take it easy on the descents. If you ride in the rain regularly, you will be much more at ease if it starts to rain during a race.

I live in Portland, OR, so if I didn't ride in the rain, it would be a long winter. Most serious cyclists in the Pacific NW have a "rain" bike to avoid riding in the rain all the time on their nice bike.

Cheers,
cmh

You need a winter bike then. I picked up an ultegra10 k2 for just this situation..

cheers-
jim

Yeah, I work there too. I feel spoiled being across the street from Patterson pass.

If the roads are wet, I'd personally avoid going down the back of Patterson pass. It can get really windy and it's pretty isolated back there. If something happened, it's not the place you'd want to be stranded...but it sounds like you've done it before so you probably already know when I'm talking about. I ride Patterson pass every week rain or shine. Descending the front of it (meaning the side closest to greenville road) isn't too bad even if its windy. You may want to go a tad slower, but it's definitely doable. PP to Flynn is also not a bad one when the weather is bad. I think most of those you mentioned would be ok unless the cross winds were really bad.

I don't think you could call yourself a cyclist if you didn't ride in the rain here. You'd have approximatley three days the entire year where you could ride...at least that's what it feels like right now since we haven't seen the sun in over three weeks.

I used to live in pleasonton about 15 years ago and loved the Del Valle ride. I also used to ride north on Tassahara sp? road. I imagine its no longer a lonely single lane road.

I now live in San Francisco, its good, just not as good.

As to the rain, I just wait a couple of days for a sunny window.

Doesn't too many miles in the rain trash your components?

eric

What's all this whining about getting wet and getting your bike dirty?
It's a bike. It's not the Mona Lisa.
If you drive 100 miles to get to a race and it starts raining, what will you do? Pack it in and go to a movie?

I rode this morning in 40 degree and steady rain.
It was coming down in buckets when I started.
A month from now, when it's 0 degrees and snowing sideways, I'll beg for 40 and rain.

You know, I know people who say "Carpe Diem" when they should REALLY say "Carpe Sunny Diems"

Never had a problem with it, just need to dress right. For you posers, you can get a great "Paris-Roubaix" look going under the right conditions And remember, it doesnt count unless it's already raining when you start!

I've never melted, and neither has my bike.

Some of my best rides have been in rain.

You can draft with your eyes closed in rain---as long as the spray of water and grit is hitting you right in the face, you're getting a draft......

I generally won't start a ride in the rain, but if it starts raining while I'm riding I just keep going.

This assumes the temps are above 40 degrees.

If you do a lot of rain riding, sealed bearing hubs and crank are really nice.

Az

Don't be a fair weather cyclist. You don't melt in the rain. I really like all the people from CA complaining about not being able to ride because of a little rain. You've got to be kidding! There are people who ride in the snow/ice. Rain shouldn't be an excuse. Get out there.

I don't ride in the rain. I just don't enjoy it, so I'll just suck it up and deal with the trainer. Cold temps (>20 deg. F) don't bother me, but I just don't like wet roads.

I did the Yolo Causeway commute today - probably the only place you'll ever see aero bars and fenders on the same bike. I stayed dry no problems. The SSE wind was a bit of an issue. I'm not usually accustomed to having a headwind on my way to work.

This was my first long ride in the (albiet light) rain. I didn't melt. My bike didn't rust and sieze up. I didn't slip off the road. You do need to take it easy on the turns and watch out for the painted lines on the road- they can be very slippery.

And get some fenders. They make a riding in the rain far more pleasurable. You can fit them on a road bike, you just need to be very creative with zip ties and a rotary tool.

Thanks for all the advice and comments. I really don't care if my bike and I get wet and dirty, I just need motivation to go. I went out and had a good 55min ride. Just a little rain at the 4mile point until mile 10 but no big deal.

Here's motivation:
I have a friend who is dying of cancer.
He'll never ride again.
He'd give his last month on Earth for a chance to go out for just one more ride.

Live it while you got it, or give it to someone who'll use it.