Is Riding Tomorrow Crazy?

[kfergos]

Our forecast is for thunderstorms and 100% chance of precipitation all day; Tropical Storm Kyle is supposed to sweep in on Sunday.

But I *really* wanted to get in a 60 or 70 mile ride to "stay" in training (if a person cay stay in training after slacking off for two months) for the century I'm doing on Columbus Day.



Edit to add: By slacking off I mean not going on any additional long rides, above and beyond the 130 mi/week I do commuting.

[indysteel]

I will ride in light to moderate rain if I have to, but I will not ride in a thunderstorm and/or in dangerous winds. The risk is just not worth it to me.

[sundial]

If you don't mind being a lightning rod, I say go for it.

[Zen]

If you don't mind being a lightning rod, I say go for it.

Another reason not to wear an underwire bra

[bmccasland]

Mornings are generally less likely to have thunderstorms - so can you get up early and go for a ride?

I don't recommend trying to ride in tropical storm force winds. Unless you are either a glutton for punishment or can manage to always have the wind at your back!

[andtckrtoo]

There's always Coach Troy... I know a trainer for 60/70 miles is not fun, but, it's better than being a lightning rod.

[Crankin]

I wouldn't do it. There is supposed to be significant street flooding and with that comes stuff in the road that you can't see, which could cause an accident. Of course, I may be more cautious than you, but you're a regular rider, even if you haven't been training for the century. It probably is going to be OK Sunday afternoon. Monday and Tuesday look nice, too.
I did a century with no training, just lots of riding, lots of hills and nothing over 60 miles. Sure, it was flat, but there were horrible headwinds, torrential rain and thunder. I imagine that storm was a little like what tomorrow's weather is going to be.
Be safe!

[Biciclista]

please try to keep this in proper perspective. You want another 60 miles to stay in training. But you haven't ridden for a bit anyway. Ride shorter rides when the weather is better.
Remember, in that kind of weather, drivers CAN NOT SEE WELL

[NoNo]

If it's going to be anything like it is in New Haven right now, I wouldn't do it. I got drenched walking over from the train station, and water was just flowing down the street. And we're supposed to get this for another day and a half. Plus, with as much trouble as I had figuring out which way to point my umbrella this morning, the real winds aren't here yet. Stay safe, stay warm, stay indoors.

[Grog]

I don't ride in thunderstorms, or anywhere near them...

[TahoeDirtGirl]

I would of said get out today and ride but then the way it is raining down here, your window of opportunity has slammed shut.

I rode once in the rain on the road and not that far, and not that much rain. Way too much debris and water spray from cars and it wasn't even a busy road. I turned around and went home. It wasn't worth getting clobbered by a car or getting pitched over the handle bars while getting half way submerged in a giant, unavoidable, puddle.

Go to the gym and crank out some miles or just cross train (jog, elliptical) for an hour or so.

Better yet, do some flexibility to keep injuries away...

[smilingcat]

nope. I wouldn't ride in a tropical storm. Like mimi says, "drivers can't see you"

You can't see either. Its just plain miserable. With slick road, high wind, chance of you taking a tumble goes way up.

Ride a trainer and zone out.

Smilingcat

[withm]

Our forecast is for thunderstorms and 100% chance of precipitation all day; Tropical Storm Kyle is supposed to sweep in on Sunday.

But I *really* wanted to get in a 60 or 70 mile ride to "stay" in training (if a person cay stay in training after slacking off for two months) for the century I'm doing on Columbus Day.



Edit to add: By slacking off I mean not going on any additional long rides, above and beyond the 130 mi/week I do commuting.

I'm in the same boat. We've been battered wtih 40kt winds and rain the last 3-4 days (my neighborhood was totally flooded this morning...) and I have a metric century scheduled next weekend. Wanted to do at least 50 miles either Sat or Sun....

BUT, many people make this mistake, and bear with me since I have not seen your particular forecast: 100% chance of rain does NOT mean rain 100% of the day. It means that on 100% of the days with the similar meteorlogical (that is prob not spelled right) conditions it will probably rain for some PART of the day. So all may not be lost YET.

Watch the radar for your area, and if you get a break, go for it. Stay close to home - do short (15-20 mile) loops so that if the weather turns on you it won't be so far to get home. And by all means be smart about this.

Starting a ride in the rain just is not worth the risk. Don't ride through big puddles that may have no bottom. Allow plenty of stopping room. And duh. watch out for idiot drivers with cell phones permanently attached to their heads.

Good luck.

[martinkap]

Don't forget that a cross training is a crucial part of staying in shape! Use that day and go for a run. Or if you don't run (ie. don't have running shoes), go to gym in the morning, do some elliptical and weights and then again in the evening.

I generally ride in rain but only if it is light and without traffic. My opinion is that it is always better to have one day less training than broken collar bone.

That said, I am in the same boat. I am doing the MS bike ride 100 miles next weekend on my FIXED gear bike and this weekend suppose to be my last big ride. And it is pouring and pouring and pouring. I will wait and see how the weather looks tomorrow.

If you decide that you ride tomorrow, slightly underinflate your tires - you get better traction on the wet surface and be easy on brakes on downhills. Generally, in wet conditions you should ride a bit slower and very careful in high speeds.

Good luck and let us know how the weekend unraveled for you,

Martina

[martinkap]

BUT, many people make this mistake, and bear with me since I have not seen your particular forecast: 100% chance of rain does NOT mean rain 100% of the day. It means that on 100% of the days with the similar meteorlogical (that is prob not spelled right) conditions it will probably rain for some PART of the day. So all may not be lost YET.
Good luck.

This is sooo very true!!! It took me several years into PhD in statistics to unravel the mistery of statements "30% of rain tomorrow". It actually means exactly as withm said:
In the past, when there were similar weather conditions (notice the word similar; what is exactly similar weather condition? right here is where the problem starts), on 30% of those days was some rain (some rain = only part of a day, could be only 10 min) somewhere in the area the percentage is referring to (in my case that would be somewhere in NYC).

That immediately puts into a perspective the weather forecast, doesn't it? 100% of the rain in NYC pretty much means that almost certainly there will be at least one drop somewhere in NYC. But that could be it. Or not... and that is why 50% of nailed weather forecast is considered a huge success in their business