wet weather advice?

Ok, so I've largely gotten the coordination and confidence down with my new be-yoooo-ti-fuulll Cannondale WSB...... during the happy dry summer days here in Seattle. What about wet weather? I'm primarily a runner, so wet-weather gear is not an issue- got plenty of that and I just picked up better bike lights and a bike-specific jacket that is blindingly bright and waterproof. My question is, how safe is riding wet pavement? There's a lot of leaves/metal plates/big road paint stripes to contend with as well, and I'm just a hair nervous. I also don't have a whole bunch of time or space to clean my bike after every ride- do I need to do more maintanence during wet weather?

hhmmmm. thanks so much in advance....! :)

Almost 20 of you saw this and no one has any advice? Did I ask a stupid question or am I worrying about riding in wet weather for no reason? I can be a worrywart sometimes.

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Originally Posted by trickytiger

My question is, how safe is riding wet pavement? There's a lot of leaves/metal plates/big road paint stripes to contend with as well, and I'm just a hair nervous. I also don't have a whole bunch of time or space to clean my bike after every ride- do I need to do more maintanence during wet weather?

hhmmmm. thanks so much in advance....! :)

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That depends on your tires and your skills. I ride skinnier tires in the dry months. Once we get wet weather I switch over to a wider tire with better grip.

I avoid leaves and am just careful about the road furniture - paint stripes, plates etc. They will be slippery. Reduce your speed and be more cautious. I don't clean my bike after every ride, but I do wipe it down.

V.

PS Don't be so impatient. :) Sometimes folks look at a post and want to think about an answer before replying. Or they think, someone else with more experience/better advice will answer.

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Originally Posted by Veronica

PS Don't be so impatient. :) Sometimes folks look at a post and want to think about an answer before replying. Or they think, someone else with more experience/better advice will answer.

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Let me chime in and say that I was actually waiting for an answer too. I don't have one as I've always wimped out in rain before, but want to start riding more frequently and thus will be getting wet. So, it's not a bad question, it's *that* good a question :o

I don't have to worry about too much wet weather here, mostly it's too hot or too cold, but during the short rainy spells I mind my speed, watch out for greasy mud across the pavement, especially on turns, and give myself more time to stop. I use plastic bags to cover my seat and whatnot while it's parked during the day and try to remember to wipe it down when I get home. If I don't remember, I give it a little extra maintenence on the weekend and apologize profusely. :p

How is it that a bike can seem to look at you reproachfully?

"I've faithfully served you for years, and you can't even take the time to wipe me down?! Aargh. The abuse I put up with."

Like Veronica, I use my skinny tires in the primarily dry time of year. Once the weather switches to (yuck!) cold and wet, I usually ride one of my touring bikes which has slightly heavier tires.

As for cleaning the bike, that depends on how wet it is and how awful my bike looks when I get home. On days when it isn't too bad I usually wait until the bike dries and brush off the dirt. On bad days my bike gets a bath - and a re-lube - before I get my own shower.

Of course part of my bad weather riding is in the winter when there is both salt and sand on the roads here - and if I'm riding on that kind of stuff my bike always gets cleaned as soon as I get home.

--- Denise

Hey! Give me a chance to wake up and turn on the 'puter already!
When I was bike commuting I did it regardless of weather so have some experience with rain-and snow. You already know what hazzards to look for, the leaves, metal, paint stripes-don't forget drivers that totally do not expect a rider in the rain so make sure you're highly visible. Some tires work better than others so if you're really worried check with your LBS. I'm running Conti all seasons and am so far happy with them. If you have any experience mountain biking you've got an advantage because you're used to having something lively under you and a little slippage won't be a big deal. If not but you've been biking awhile I'm sure you'll get it fast. Check your speed on turns and hard curves at least until you know how your bike/tires will respond. I don't have fenders but if you are going to ride a ton in the wet something like that would be a nice little luxury. I'm not going to tell you it's safe or not safe, especially because of drivers, but I haven't crashed on wet yet (though a few times on dry, hmmm....) and I'm only a little more conservative than on dry and I haven't found the road much of a problem, if you're going straight and watching for hazards you shouldn't just suddenly slide of the road, much like cars it's the take-offs, turning and braking that represent the greatest likelihood of slipping (besides those things you mentioned). Keep that in mind and stay alert but relaxed. AND WATCH OUT FOR DRIVERS WHO CAN'T BELIEVE CYCLIST ARE OUT ON A BEAUTIFUL DAY, MUCH LESS A MISERABLE, LOW VISABILITY, RAINY ONE!!
Remember to maintain your bike and chain too, don't forget a wet-weather lube, which you'll want to clean off and switch to dry-weather stuff on dry days because dust and dirt is attracted to the wet-weather stuff like a heaving-breasted woman to the young muscley pool boy in a romance novel.

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Originally Posted by singletrackmind

. I don't have fenders but if you are going to ride a ton in the wet something like that would be a nice little luxury.

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Luxury!!!!! I consider them a neccessity! But I'm commuting and want to stay dry and avoid skunk stripes. :D

V.

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Originally Posted by trickytiger

My question is, how safe is riding wet pavement? There's a lot of leaves/metal plates/big road paint stripes to contend with as well, and I'm just a hair nervous. I also don't have a whole bunch of time or space to clean my bike after every ride- do I need to do more maintanence during wet weather?

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Well, I no longer live in Puget Sound, but I grew up over there in Tacoma, and there is where I got my first few bikes, and really got into cycling. I've also done a very soggy trip in Ireland.

All of the advice that the other ladies have provided is good, including getting yourself a back fender (unless you want a stripe of mud up your back). Remember to pump your brakes to slow down or stop.

If you bought your Cannondale there in/near Seattle, I'd be surprised if they sold you tires that handled poorly in rain. But then, I've never ever raced or otherwise been interested in particularly skinny or bare tires, so perhaps my perspective is flawed in that respect. If your chain gets gooky with grit, wipe it clean with a rag, then apply a little lubricant (but be sure to give the bike a good thorough cleaning every once in awhile).

Have fun! I'm jealous of your balmy winter weather!

I'd get a front fender too, it gets tiring holding a hand up to keep the front tire spray out of my face so's I can see. We aren't a particularly wet state so my a round tuits are slow to draw. One of these days! :)

I do live in a wet, coastal climate, where it tends to rain during the winter (making it very green). I echo all of the above, especially the fenders and watching out for paint stripes, railroad tracks, etc. I also change the chain lube when it gets wet from White Lightening to something like Prolink, as rain can wash off lube. I also need to get a cover for my Brooks saddle. I find that my feet can get really wet, so those cool covers for shoes are a good investment, as well as a rain jacket and pants, and a helmet cover as well. I put on a rack for winter with a small trunk for extra stuff that might come in handy, like the rain pants. Because rain here is often accompanied by fog, I put some extra blinking lights. Once you make a little microclimate, as with running, it can be pretty nice to ride.

Of course, it is essential to stop for a nice steaming latte en route or afterwards!

Don't forget to stash some ziplock bags in your seat bag or Camelback or whatever, for your cell phone/camera/mp3 player so they don't get soaked.

Here in Florida it can be sunny one second and pouring the next. The nice thing is that the rain is warm and usually a welcome change from 95 degrees. The thing I hate the most is wet shoes...

Also, it's nice to have a safe place to put your sunglasses if it starts raining so hard you have to take them off. I luckily have a secure spot on my aerobars where they can wedge in and not touch the lenses on anything, but if I had to actually put them away, I'd hate to scratch the lenses on expensive glasses.

I saw someone riding in rain the other day with one of those flashing clip on red lights, in daylight. I wouldn't have thought of doing that during the day, but the rider was very noticeable.

_And_ a big fluffy towel and dry clothes in your car, if you drove somewhere to ride.

Nanci

Thanks for the advice- sorry if I was a tad impatient- I'm not used to being new at a sport and I just had the thought that maybe I asked something dumb. Plus I was working on a paper last night and eager for a good reason to procrastinate.

After reading through this, I think the main change I might make is getting slightly wider tires- I've got 700x23's and was considering changing to 25's anyhow, to reduce the skittish feeling my bike has (it's pretty stiff). That and the fenders/different chain lube. (thanks singletrackmind for that, um, image that will forever be in my mind when I look at a bike chain :p )

-tt

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Originally Posted by wabisabi

I also need to get a cover for my Brooks saddle.

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Shower caps (the kind you get as freebies in hotel rooms) and medium-sized saran bowl covers work well.