Riding in the rain

[macp]

Really uncomfortable all stiff cant explain it. Whats happened Im freaked out by riding in the rain and worried

 

[vickster]

I get really cold personally. Maybe that's the issue.

 

[steve50]

Sounds like the cold has got to you, have a hot bath and try and relax. Riding in the rain has drawbacks if you don't wear the right clothes (I'm making an assumption) the cold and wet can penetrate your outer layer of clothing chilling you "to the bone" so to speak, this can have a knock on effect of the stiffness you are experiencing. A hot bath and a stiff drink should see you right

 

[kiriyama]

Had a bad cold all last week, thought I was over it so went for a ride on Sunday with a friend I'd not seen for a while. very windy and wet. I spent most of today laying on the floor shivering, sweating and wanting to die!

 

[mjr]

Yeah, I got caught out today by the showers and only having my small bike kit with me, so I had only a rain jacket: no cagoul and rainlegs, no cape and not even a rain cover for the luggage. I stuffed the bag into a collapsing silicone backpack that it seems was nearly waterproof, but my legs were soaked within about 200 metres of setting off homewards and it was a plodding ride, trying to keep moving so that my legs didn't have chance to get cold... then once home, dry off, warm up and change of clothes!

 

[macp]

Thanks all but it seemed as if I was worried about falling off because of the wet roads ??

 

[vickster]

Always a possibility, stay away from kerb, avoid drains and metalwork and also the white lines. Have good lights on

 

[cosmicbike]

Always a possibility, stay away from kerb, avoid drains and metalwork and also the white lines. Have good lights on

^^^ This, and avoid puddles as you never really know how deep they are.

You are quite unlikely to fall off on wet roads providing you ride accordingly. Attempts to corner like the pro's should be avoided, and keep your eyes peeled for diesel spills. The roads are often at their worst when we have a long dry spell, followed by a heavy rain shower as all the small oily spills come to the surface.

Oh, wear a peaked cap, keeps the rain off your cycling glasses. I find a baseball cap better than a cycling cap in the wet for this.

 

[macp]

Thanks all dont know what came over me I was fine this morning

 

[rideswithmoobs]

The great Ron haslam once said on his race school days that you only loose 10% of your riding ability in the wet

Riding the roads in the wet, winter months, being drenched by cars, pearing through squinted eyes looking for next crazy car to pull In front of you, wind blowing, dark had begun to loose its appeal so I'm turning to riding MTB I love the rain and my favourite time of year is Autumn/winter but just the busy roads and crazy drivers on country lanes that spoil it. I'm looking forward to sitting atop a hill with snow falling looking across the Lake District
At least the scenerys nice when you fall off

 

[mjr]

Thanks all but it seemed as if I was worried about falling off because of the wet roads ??

Won't happen on wet roads. It's almost impossible to make bike tyres aquaplane on set tarmac, so as long as you don't tip too far in corners, it should hold together. Slippery wet metalwork or thermoplastic are much more likely problems and there's always the risk of potholes hiding in puddles.

Learn how your tyres feel when losing grip if you can do it fairly safely and if you feel that during a ride, back off a little.

 

[Onthedrops]

At speed, riding in the rain is pretty hairy.
On a recent ride we were caught in a bad downpour. Sure, we got wet, but having good kit does make a difference. Unfortunately for me my shoes are not the best and stopping at lights etc brought on the uncomfortable feeling of wet feet.
However, a steady cadence with a few hills warms you up. The only daunting prospect is descending in the rain. Obviously the roads are wet, grip is compromised and wet wheels = reduced braking efficiency.
If you descend in the wet as quickly as in the dry you are asking for trouble. I find steep descents the most daunting, especially those with twists and turns.
Go careful on the brakes, keep them covered at all times and descend with real care.
On the flat there is no real difference to dry rides save for the reduced vision, spray and of course loss of traction and braking efficiency.

In short. Don't be afraid of the rain, ride confidently but be a lot more careful and hold off with the Strava segment chasing. Save those for dry rides.

 

[Johnno260]

Sounds like what I used to get last autumn, get some decent thermals that breathe and you will feel much better.

Ones I used are Canterbury AW15 gear it keeps me warm and managed moisture well.

 

[adamangler]

Winter and rain is a mix I tend to avoid.

I enjoy winter rides when it's sunny and I don't mind rain in the summer but both together with a bit of wind thrown in is utterly depressing.

Will reach for the cx ot mtb or turbo when it's bad weather in winter

 

[Adam4868]

Don't really mind it,in fact I quite enjoy rain.Once I get over the initial "getting wet" I tend to enjoy it.Give me anything over the wind !!