Riding in the rain is fine, you just have to be careful and know a few things. Can you swim?

the rain won't hurt your bike.
This is only partially true. Your bike will be just fine in the rain, unless it is made of carbon. Carbon is a type of fabric, and what happens when fabric gets wet? It gets really, really heavy. This is a scientific fact, and you could end up with an 80 lb. bicycle at the end of the day. Otherwise, though, you should be fine.

Oh, unless your bike is made of steel. Everyone knows that steel rusts, and bicycle steel rusts extra fast. If you are riding a bike made out of steel, it might rust right out from under you, and you would look quite silly sitting in the middle of the street on just a saddle. I have heard that aluminum and titanium bicycles have similar problems, but that could just be an urban legend.

So, the rain won't hurt your bike, unless, of course, it is made of carbon, steel, aluminum or titanium.

I'm another Arizonan who thinks I might melt if I ride in the rain.
I saw this and thought it was just a metaphor. However, I did a little research and found out that if you live in Arizona or Southern California (like me), there is some danger of actual melting. Well, just a little, and only if the rain gets on your skin.

It's called rainburn, and if the drops of horrible liquid falling from the sky (ugh) come in contact with bare skin, they will first create a rash. After time, if enough rain falls on you, the affected area will gain a liquidlike consistency. At that point, you will need to treat the skin immediately with a blowdryer for at least 45 minutes. If you neglect this, you may find yourself actually melting away.

Luckily, you can prevent rainburn with a healthy application of plastic-wrap and miracle whip (not mayonaise!). You can also try riding with an umbrella, which has the double benefit of making you extra aerodynamic. This is also a scientific fact.

Probably the biggest problem I have is when the rain gets in my eyes.
This may not be as bad as you think. Last time rain got in my eyes while I was riding, I had X-ray vision for three hours. I was riding at this Phish concert, and it started raining. I kinda felt sick for a little bit, but then I threw up the mushrooms and bam! X-ray vision. I could see through everything, it was epic. I also could feel lots and lots of love for everyone, and I didn't even mind when Honeybear tattooed a Phish fish riding a bicycle on my...well, never mind that. I haven't been able to duplicate this rain-induced transparency, but next time it rains, I will be sure to grab my bamboo bike and saran wrap and head out and see if I can make it happen again.


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Written because I, too, live in a low rain climate and am rather sketchy about that horrible liquid falling from the sky.