Riding in Wet Weather

[Love2Ride]

Hi,

I'm new to the forum. Just discovered this site. Looks like there's a lot of great information and support here.

I'm new to biking, started last Spring. I'm definitely addicted. Don't know what took me so long to discover the joys of riding! Went to the Cape in September and rented a place near the Cape Cod Rail Trail. One of our best vacations ever!

I live in the Central NY area, and harsh weather is surely on its way. In the meantime, I'm trying to get as much riding in as I can.

Any special precautions or tips for riding when the road is wet? I have a hybrid Specialized. I go at a slower speed, but I'm not sure if it's really necessary to change how I'm riding.

Thanks in advance for any advice. I'm looking forward to learning a lot from this forum.

[Zen]

This is really off the wall but...
Very recently a wrench told me that after riding in wet weather you should mark the height of your seatpost (so's you can put your seat back on at the right height), remove your saddle, and turn your bike upside down to let any moisture drain from the bottom bracket.

I'm just the messenger

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Hey welcome to the forums!

I live in central NY too! I was vacationing in Cape Cod in Sept too, in Wellfleet! I rode some of the rail trail there- maybe we passed each other!

As to riding in wet weather....
If it's raining hard, you'll want to go very slow and test your brakes often- if they get too wet you will lose some braking power and you don't want to find that out when you are stopping at a busy intersection.

Usually if it's raining lightly or just wet:
Sure, slow down a bit, do test your brakes every few minutes just to be sure.
Make sure your tires are in good shape- not going bald or cracked and old.
Might want to inflate your tires just a bit less than usual to get more gripping surface on the road.
Obviously, wear clothes for the occasion. Aside from waterproof outer jackets- consider merino wool clothing and wool socks to keep you from feeling too cold and soggy.

Also, invest in some lights for your bike in rainy weather. Either permanent head and tail lights, or else a couple of clip on battery run "blinkies" both front and rear, so that cars can see you from far away.
Remember that puddles can hide some nasty potholes, rocks, or other debris- try to avoid going through puddles when you can. Also avoid riding through piles of wet leaves- they are slippery.
Fenders are great to have if you commute to work and ride through rainy weather regularly.

[Love2Ride]

Thanks Lisa and ZenCentury for the helpful tips. I certainly have noticed with all the fallen leaves on the ground that you never know what lurks beneath.

Lisa, I have been to the Cape many, many times prior to my new addiction. I have to say, that this September trip was the best ever. The CCRT is fantastic! Fall is a great time to go, with fewer tourists around clogging the trails! The road hugging the ocean between Truro and Wellfleet provided breathtaking views.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Lisa, I have been to the Cape many, many times prior to my new addiction. I have to say, that this September trip was the best ever. The CCRT is fantastic! Fall is a great time to go, with fewer tourists around clogging the trails! The road hugging the ocean between Truro and Wellfleet provided breathtaking views.

Yes, we rode right along there, on the road by the dunes- so beautiful.
I can't imagine going in mid-season though- it was crowded enough as it was in late Sept!
I sure had some good LOBSTER though.

[bruiser]

This will be my third (or maybe it's the fourth...) season riding in the Pacific NW rain. One thing I have learned is that you don't always want a hardshell rain jacket. I rode all of last winter with one and found that I ended up being almost as damp on the inside as I was on the out. And this was the kind that is supposed to be "breathable" So this I week I went and bought a softshell from SportHill (a local company, but you can get them from REI and probably some other running/outdoor stores). It's a dream, and it keeps me warm and dry! I do plan on using my rain jacket when it dumps, though, as my new coat is technically only water resistant.

I would caution cars on the road. Besides spitting a bunch of road gunk on you as they pass, it seems they notice you even less when its mucky out. Give them pleeeeenty of room. I've almost been hit (or hit them, as is the case when they cut me off ) too many times. Try to anticipate their moves even more than you would in nicer weather. Use lots of reflective bands and lights, lights, lights! Constantly do brake-checks to keep your pads and rims dry, too.

After a few days, you'll be a pro!
~V

[Aggie_Ama]

Other than the other things said here.... Be mindful of the paint on the road. The stripes/lines are VERY slippery when wet. It can easily make you lose control if you turn wrong on it; similar to turning with gravel in the way. Unfortunately, I saw this happen at an organized ride this year and it was a nasty fall for the rider.

[RoadRaven]

Just reiterating what the opthers have said...

Stay away from paint on the roads, and slow down when cornering

[elk]

what's the difference between a hardshell rain jacket and a soft shell?

[TriMom217]

I think it's very cool that so many women here come to the Cape for vacation and to ride. And since l live here, you should definitely look me up next time!

[KnottedYet]

what's the difference between a hardshell rain jacket and a soft shell?

In the general sense (and I'm sure someone will come along to correct me and give specifics) a hardshell is the good ol' rain jacket, often either a coating or a membrane to keep the wet out. A softshell is a dense weave that is more along the lines of water-resistant.

example of a hardshell: http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=29971

I think this is an example of a softshell: http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=28496 but I could be wrong. The ones I've fondled at REI are a very tight, almost rubbery feeling weave. Reminds me of boiled wool.

I like wearing my dense wool weaves in the rain, with a rain jacket if it's really dumping. Fenders are my friends, and buddy flaps really do help keep the bike cleaner. www.buddyflaps.com (even with full fenders I was still spraying crud onto my bottom bracket)

[Eden]

That sounds like a pretty good description. I love my softshell, even for the hardest rain. Its very good at letting sweat out and I find I stay drier in it, than I would in a fully waterproof rain jacket.

I tend to generate a lot of heat when I ride..... (which is funny because when I am not moving I'm one of those people who is ALWAYS cold), so I boil in a standard waterproof/breathable jacket. I tried it out again the other day - went on an errand ride, which means no team kit, which is what I normally wear. It was probably a little over 50 out, overcast, but not raining any more than a few drops here and there. I wore only a camisol top underneath the rain jacket (started out with a sweater on, but only made it a few blocks before that was way to hot!). Even with the pit zips wide open I was frying.

Other things to love about softshells - no crunchy noises when ever you move. They can fit nice and close - so no flapping. They are not usually clammy when you are not riding. A little more fashionable when you are not on the bike.
The drawback - they are fairly bulky so rolling one up and sticking it in your back pocket can be hard.

One caveat about the buddyflap.com flaps - if you are putting them on because you are riding with other people, unless you have very long fenders, they tend to not be big enough. A bunch of our new gals put those on their bikes and they perfectly direct spray up into my face. I think they are unhappy that I've told them they need bigger/longer flaps, but I tend to be a mouth breather on the bike and I dislike eating road grit....

[elk]

LOve2Ride
Knot and Eden (me too) are Pacific Northwest riders...they KNOW about riding on wet roads!