Comments on: Your bike in the rain http://commutebybike.com/2008/11/04/your-bike-in-the-rain/ Tips, Hints, Reviews and Safety for Bike Commuters Sat, 20 Mar 2010 07:35:12 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: LoneRider http://commutebybike.com/2008/11/04/your-bike-in-the-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-107421 LoneRider Fri, 03 Apr 2009 01:54:28 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/?p=2875#comment-107421 I must second that. This winter what I remember most was the people thinking I was daft. I had one person come up to me when I stopped for coffee say "I was behind you on the bridge into town, how do you do that in the snow?" I used to get that one summer when I worked in the post office, and rode in to work on my bike in heavy rain. The mailman in the truck recognized me and thought I was nuts. Lately I must confess I'm lazy and dislike foul weather riding, but I am trying to get back into the all weahter spirit; even built up a second commuter bike, this one with two fenders... I must second that. This winter what I remember most was the people thinking I was daft. I had one person come up to me when I stopped for coffee say “I was behind you on the bridge into town, how do you do that in the snow?”

I used to get that one summer when I worked in the post office, and rode in to work on my bike in heavy rain. The mailman in the truck recognized me and thought I was nuts.

Lately I must confess I’m lazy and dislike foul weather riding, but I am trying to get back into the all weahter spirit; even built up a second commuter bike, this one with two fenders…

]]> By: Quinn http://commutebybike.com/2008/11/04/your-bike-in-the-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-104333 Quinn Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:08:24 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/?p=2875#comment-104333 Gordon, to make sure motoists see you, Turn On your blinky, and headlight, Also in my experience, the worse the weather you ride in, the crazier motorist think you are, the wider the path they drive around you. Gordon,

to make sure motoists see you, Turn On your blinky, and headlight, Also in my experience, the worse the weather you ride in, the crazier motorist think you are, the wider the path they drive around you.

]]> By: Gordon http://commutebybike.com/2008/11/04/your-bike-in-the-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-104328 Gordon Tue, 17 Feb 2009 20:55:12 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/?p=2875#comment-104328 The thing that worries me the most about riding in the rain is reduced visibility to motorists. Especially after dark, motorists are fighting glare from wet surfaces, and foggy windows. So even more so than other times, never assume motorists see you. The worst rain-related bike crash I ever had was in a light drizzle, going around a corner near some construction. There was a layer of dust from the construction, and not enough rain to wash it away. It was so slippery that it didn't really hurt to hit the ground -- I just kept sliding! The thing that worries me the most about riding in the rain is reduced visibility to motorists. Especially after dark, motorists are fighting glare from wet surfaces, and foggy windows. So even more so than other times, never assume motorists see you.

The worst rain-related bike crash I ever had was in a light drizzle, going around a corner near some construction. There was a layer of dust from the construction, and not enough rain to wash it away. It was so slippery that it didn’t really hurt to hit the ground — I just kept sliding!

]]> By: Bob O http://commutebybike.com/2008/11/04/your-bike-in-the-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-97420 Bob O Sat, 08 Nov 2008 22:41:22 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/?p=2875#comment-97420 It helps to keep your rims really clean when trying to stop in the rain, I use mineral spirits on a clean rag, stopping is not so afeected by water if the gunk is gone. It helps to keep your rims really clean when trying to stop in the rain, I use mineral spirits on a clean rag, stopping is not so afeected by water if the gunk is gone.

]]> By: ohio biker http://commutebybike.com/2008/11/04/your-bike-in-the-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-97374 ohio biker Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:09:39 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/?p=2875#comment-97374 Joe supposes that a road bike with little tread may be more susceptible to spills on wet leaves. It depends. If the leaves are few and far between enough, that the knobby MTB tire can still manage to grab non-leafed surface, then the knobby MTB tire may slip less. If the leaves are plentiful enough that no road surface shows at all, there will be little to no advantage to knobby MTB over road bike tire. Although I've ridden both, I must admit that I don't remember any leafy incidents with either, and I've made no objective scientific study to support my claims in this matter. Joe supposes that a road bike with little tread
may be more susceptible to spills on wet leaves.

It depends. If the leaves are few and far
between enough, that the knobby MTB tire
can still manage to grab non-leafed surface,
then the knobby MTB tire may slip less.

If the leaves are plentiful enough that no
road surface shows at all, there will be little to no
advantage to knobby MTB over road bike tire.

Although I’ve ridden both, I must admit that
I don’t remember any leafy incidents with
either, and I’ve made no objective scientific
study to support my claims in this matter.

]]> By: Joseph DeCarlo http://commutebybike.com/2008/11/04/your-bike-in-the-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-97370 Joseph DeCarlo Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:44:47 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/?p=2875#comment-97370 I am riding a road bike with little to no tread on the tires. I would assume this makes me more susceptible to spills due to leaves than if I were riding a knobby-tired mountain bike. I am riding a road bike with little to no tread on the tires. I would assume this makes me more susceptible to spills due to leaves than if I were riding a knobby-tired mountain bike.

]]> By: Quinn http://commutebybike.com/2008/11/04/your-bike-in-the-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-97369 Quinn Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:40:10 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/?p=2875#comment-97369 with all this leaf talk I have to wonder, what kind of tires you guys are riding and about your riding/braking technique I mean I grew up mountain biking in Virginia, and riding every day in Nevada, sure I slipped in the trees and mud in Va. but even with the lack of leaves in NV, therefore the lack of practice riding on/around them, in the past 3 autumns ii have not fallen once. with all this leaf talk I have to wonder, what kind of tires you guys are riding and about your riding/braking technique I mean I grew up mountain biking in Virginia, and riding every day in Nevada, sure I slipped in the trees and mud in Va. but even with the lack of leaves in NV, therefore the lack of practice riding on/around them, in the past 3 autumns ii have not fallen once.

]]> By: Joseph DeCarlo http://commutebybike.com/2008/11/04/your-bike-in-the-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-97366 Joseph DeCarlo Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:44:57 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/?p=2875#comment-97366 Thank you all for your many responses to my request. All of them have been insightful and useful. It is supposed to rain before I head home today, so I will venture on my first raining commute in a few hours and I will take everything said into consideration. - Joe. Thank you all for your many responses to my request. All of them have been insightful and useful. It is supposed to rain before I head home today, so I will venture on my first raining commute in a few hours and I will take everything said into consideration.

- Joe.

]]> By: Michelle http://commutebybike.com/2008/11/04/your-bike-in-the-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-97362 Michelle Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:34:18 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/?p=2875#comment-97362 Wet leaves can be as slippery as ice - even after a rain. My brother has surgery yesterday to repair a fractured wrist after hitting a slippery pile of leaves and 20 years ago one of my students was killed after she skidded on a pile and slid under a car. Wet leaves can be as slippery as ice – even after a rain. My brother has surgery yesterday to repair a fractured wrist after hitting a slippery pile of leaves and 20 years ago one of my students was killed after she skidded on a pile and slid under a car.

]]> By: Greasemonkey http://commutebybike.com/2008/11/04/your-bike-in-the-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-97359 Greasemonkey Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:10:16 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/?p=2875#comment-97359 My only accidents in the rain have come from trying to turn roads covered in wet leaves... these things aren't just slippery, they are downright slimy. Banking for any turns is a bad idea, so I slow it down and do a more upright turn, trying to make sure my wheels are as perpendicular to the ground as possible. I HATE skidding on my side:) My only accidents in the rain have come from trying to turn roads covered in wet leaves… these things aren’t just slippery, they are downright slimy. Banking for any turns is a bad idea, so I slow it down and do a more upright turn, trying to make sure my wheels are as perpendicular to the ground as possible. I HATE skidding on my side:)

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