My first ride in the rain, and it was awesome!

I loved it. I was nervous being on the wet pavement, but man, it was fun. First, I need to clarify that this was San Diego's version of "rain," which anywhere else is called "drizzle."

I actually did 25 miles pretty easily, and I would have done 30, but I got a flat a quarter-mile into the last lap and it was on my back tire, and I wasn't sure how to fix that one, so I had to walk it out and come on home. D*H is going to show me how to fix it this morning. The chain comes off. Go figure.

Anyway, the ride was a blast. There was hardly anyone at the lake. It was so quiet and really quite beautiful. The wildlife was very active, probably because of the lack of people. I saw a half-dozen different kinds of birds, including a small flock of ducks flying over my head and then landing in the lake - that was pretty cool - and four or five ground squirrel critters. I wish I'd had my camera.

The lake was all misty and I stopped at one point to blow my nose - the rim of my helmet wasn't the only thing dripping like crazy yesterday - and I realized that I'd never been there when it was so quiet.

D*H loaned me his full gloves, and I had my TE arm warmers, and a longsleeved t-shirt, and my rain jacket, but I don't have tights, so I just wore my shorts. I was afraid my legs might be cold, but I think it actually helped. Normally I'm working to finish the last five-mile loop, working hard to get up the smallest inclines, but yesterday, vroom.

I couldn't believe I did 25 miles with almost no pain. I feel good today, too.

I can hardly wait to get back out there today, as soon as I can get D*H into the kitchen to fix my back wheel. I really need to develop this particular skill set.

Woohooo!

Roxy

Woo-hoo!!! I LOVE riding in the rain -- makes any ride a new adventure!! I once made the mistake of getting caught in a summer thunderstorm that included hail. Pretty painful, but still loads of fun.

Glad you enjoyed it and your ride was an empowering one.

Roxy congrats. Sounds like you had alot of clothing on, was it chilly/cold? What kind of jacket do you wear - waterproof/windproof or water resistant?

Empowering, indeed, Hoosiergiant. The whole first mile I kept saying over and over again, "This feels awesome. I am awesome!" I have to say, there aren't a whole lot of things in my life that make me feel as good as I do when I'm taking off on a long ride.

Surgtech, it was chilly for me, being a San Diego Weather Weenie. It was misty, drizzly and in the low 60s, I think, maybe high 50s when I set out. (Nowhere near the very cold commutes some of you ladies do.)

My last lap the drizzle had stopped and it was getting warmer, but the sun never did come out. I wasn't wearing any kind of special bike gear jacket, just a yellow windbreaker from Target. It had a skunk-stripe of mud spatter up the back when I took it off at the end of the ride. I hope it washes out.

I realized this morning, too, that as I was unpacking my bike from the Rav, I felt a headache coming on, so I popped 400mg of Ibuprofen. I'm betting that's what helped me get through the ride with almost no knee pain. That and the cold air.

D*H and I just did a tune up and fixed the flat and he showed me how to adjust my brakes. We found the puncture in the tube - a tiny pinhole - but couldn't find any damage on the tire itself. I hope whatever it was is no longer an issue. I watched him change the back tire, so I could probably do it by myself if I have to in the future. It's a heavy bike to have to carry back to base camp.

Roxy

Brr... sounds cold.. I like to ride in the rain when its in the 80s :D I've ridden in thunderstorms before, all that water pouring down, and its great. except the part where you need to remove tyres and tubes to get water out after.

Trust me Hoosiergiant, u're gonna want to ride in the rain more often after this :D

Cheers,
D

It sounds like a great ride. Changing the back tire isn't that bad. I did it for the first time not long ago.

Yay!

I actually really enjoy riding in the rain... per se. It's the cleanup afterward that I loathe so much that I don't usually ride in the rain on purpose. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

I actually really enjoy riding in the rain... per se. It's the cleanup afterward that I loathe so much...

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...and when the worms are out... EEEWW! YUCK!!!

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Originally Posted by deeaimond

except the part where you need to remove tyres and tubes to get water out after.

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Is this necessary?

Doesn't the tightness of the tube against the tire prevent water from entering inside?

If I had little windshield wipers on my glasses, I would probably ride in the rain. But I don't, so I don't.

I dont mind the riding in the rain so much as cleaning my bike afterward. :(

One thing I've found to make riding in the rain much more tolerable is to put a little cycling cap on under your helmet. Keeping the rain off your face, or at least out of your eyes, makes it much more enjoyable.

Be careful in the rain - painted stripes on the road and any metal things - plates, train tracks, manhole covers are all much slicker when wet. Just be cautious while you're having fun!

The fun ends when the water runs into your shoes and with every revolution, they go "shlosh, shlosh". Brrrr. And it's still 20K until home...

What's that about removing your tires and tubes? ne'er 'eardofit... but make sure to lube your drivetrain after.

channlluv, good for you going out in the rain! I'm glad it was a good experience for you.

Make sure to not only lube your chain, but wipe the whole thing down thoroughly to get all that extra road grime off. Chains + wet roads = Super mess really quickly.

I don't mind riding in the rain, particularly if it's above 70°F or so and you don't need to worry about getting too cold. Even sloshing in the shoes isn't so bad when it's hot and rainy. In the 50s is tough because it's too warm for many layers (for me) so sometimes I go jacketless and get soaked and sometimes I go jacketed and get hot. Colder than 45°F is relatively easy to dress for so I'm OK with that, too. As with any other weather, having the right gear makes or breaks the ride, although I admit that 33°F and raining is bad -- icicles hanging off the helmet is an experience I won't quickly forget!:D

Here the rain is usually a torrential tropical downpour and on certain places on the roads, water can be inches deep. So they do manage to seep in from the sides of the tyres.

It doesn't happen just to me but also my friends so I know it's not coz i'm weird hehhe...:D

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Originally Posted by OnTerryOh

Is this necessary?

Doesn't the tightness of the tube against the tire prevent water from entering inside?

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Thanks for tip on wearing little cap for rain.I had a ebay moment, and bought a vintage US postal cap and was wondering where to wear it!
My BF wears the booties for rain - the ones out of wetsuit fabric.You get wet feet he says but they stay warm.
I rode in two minor showers, what fun!
To escape mud back stripe, cut a shim from a milk bottle( a long flexy strip is a shim , by the way!)and jam it into your seat back. It is a el cheapo way to stop splatters.

I dislike riding in the rain, mostly for the potential of increased flats and stopping/braking issues when it's wet. Plus, one of the worst riding experiences I've had is when I started a ride and it was maybe in the sixties and it started raining. I had a jacket with me, but not a rain jacket; I had to ride about 7 miles back to the car, where I proceeded to strip out of my wet clothes and wrap myself in a beach towel that I had in the car. Pretty sure I had hypothermia, as I didn't stop shivering for a couple of hours, even after sitting by a fire and drinking copious cups of tea.
If it's raining, it's a yoga or run day. I don't mind running in the rain.

What tires are you using for the wet roads? With week after week of mid week rain my cycling season is getting to be depressing to be able ride after work.

I have 700/23 tires and was too nervous to ride the other day on the wet pavement despite the the rain had stopped. I am fighting the trainer, but if this continues next week, that looks to be my only option. I am actually thinking of getting a touring or x-bike, but not sure I will be happy going to such a heavier bike compared to my Ruby. ugh...such problems.

~ JoAnn