Fair weather Silicon Valley roadies
 

When the weather is nice, the roads here are full of cyclists. But if the weather turns even mildly inclement, it scares most of the cyclists off the road. This afternoon, it started drizzling, and I whined a little since I was planning a ride right after work, and I didn't believe it was raining again after the crazy wet winter we just had. I decided to go anyways, since the weather didn't look like it would turn into a raging storm. I just finished one of the best rides I've ever had since the cloudy skies and rain kept me cool, and I could relax with the uncrowded bike lanes. Despite the perfect temperature for riding, the rain seemed to keep a lot of roadies off their bikes.

On the way back down Pagemill road toward a right-hand turn on Arastradero, I saw the one thing that scares me the most when I ride on rainy days. A red BMW 7-series had lost control on the steep downhill on Arastradero right before it meets Pagemill, and its front end was crushed with a deployed airbag on the driver's side. It appeared the ambulance had already taken away the driver, and two police cars were parked on either side of the car with the policemen directing traffic. I have seen so many rainy day auto accidents here in Norcal since a lot of drivers here believe they shouldn't slow down at all on downhills or turns when it's wet. My thoughts are that if I lay it down when it's wet, that's bad, but if a car hits me because the driver's lost control, that's really bad.

As I finished my ride, the sun broke threw the clouds. In a way, it was validation of my belief that it's okay to go out on a road ride even if the weather isn't perfect.

I also road this afternoon after work around 4pm when it was raining and I was the only rider I saw in the drizzle.

I was planning on going for a ride after work, but I didn't put a fender on my bike. :( So I just rode back home. By the time I got there my rear was soaking wet. heh.

I rode in the morning before the rain today. But I do notice a seasonal pattern. There are few riders during winter, then it spikes for the first couple warm weeks in spring and then it goes down again for the summer. For most people rain cancels...

I just cleaned up my bike and replaced all the rain damaged bits. I'm not looking forward to riding it in the rain for a while. The headset is still whacked from water damage, waiting for a new one to arrive.

I manged to ride Palo Alto to Campbell with a detour up Highway 9 to Skyline, before the rain started. Nice day, only a handful of bikes on the road. The pavement on 9 is so smooth, since it was repaved.

Uh... Some of us had to work yesterday. I'll be doing about 70 miles today, though.

Scares?

I have a commuter rain bike, and two other bikes that I would prefer to ride before my main road bike. I just don't want to spend an hour cleaning everything up-- unless it is for a race. My rain bike, mountain bike. or fixed gear will do just fine in nasty weather. Am I a fairweather biker? I commute year-round in a very rainy area... I don't think so. Most people don't drive their Porche in a blizzard, either.

I made it out in the morning before the rain started. I was quite surprised by it. I am in full on summer readiness mode and all of a sudden it started to rain. I felt weird all day because of it.

You've got something there about SV cycling wimpiness.

With the Almaden Cyclists, Don Axtell did his lunch on Mt. Hamilton. Hauled a Burley loaded with lunch for the usual 50-70 participants (weighing 90 lbs) up to the summit.

It was a little chilly and cloudy today, so half that number partook.

Did Don keep his clothes on? I sure hope so.

Do you guys still wear your glasses when you ride in the rain? One time I got caught in the rain and I wished my glasses had wipers...

Wait until you get caught in a Vancouver downpour and the rain washes a week of sweatband salt into your eyes... that's some real pain.