In our privileged stables of bikes, it ranks towards the bottom of the heap as Bike #2 or lower, but the Rain Bike is no slouch. This is, after all, the bike we rely on in bad weather, trusting it to carry us safely through what typically amounts to the most dangerous conditions we ride in. Provided you ride year-round, you likely ride this machine more often than your Number One – assuming you live in an environment that isn’t a tropical island (I’m looking at you @gianni) or classified as a desert. It follows, then, that this is a machine to be curated with great care and several factors should be kept in mind when selecting the machine for this wet and dirty work.
The first consideration is the material. I hope I’m not spoiling anyone’s fantasy by pointing out that rain isn’t actually made of the sweat falling from Merckx’s guns as he pedals high up on Mount Velomis; it is mostly water, mixed with some acids and other crap. Rain water can cause certain kinds of materials to become compromised in one way or another. Steel, for example, is particularly prone to this through rusting. Calfee’s bamboo frames might be susceptible to becoming soggy – I’m not sure. For a bike which is to be ridden primarily in wet conditions, choose a durable, non-corrosive material like titanium, aluminum or carbon.
The second consideration is the components. Here’s the other news flash about riding in the rain: the roads are less pristine than they are in the dry. Road grit gets in your drivetrain and on on your rims, acting like coarse sandpaper to accelerate wear. Since you’ll be replacing some parts more often than on a bike ridden in the dry, this is a bike for which to get economical about gear selection; you aren’t going to want to replace your full titanium Super-Record cassette and chain after it wears out in 1/3 the time. The shifters, brakes, crankset, and derailleurs don’t have to be greatly affected provided you maintain the bike in the style of a velominatus, but the wheels, bottom bracket, derailleur pulleys, chain, cassette and freehub will certainly feel the strain. Anything that moves, has a bearing, or lets water in is a candidate for accelerated wear.
Third, this has to be a bike you’re going to love riding, not some beater that gets abused and you tolerate throwing your leg over. As much as riding in Rule #9 conditions is badass and an invigorating experience, it does get a bit tiresome when you ride in the rain every day from October to March (or May, for you Pacific-Northwesterners). If your position isn’t right and if the bike isn’t a pleasure to ride, it’s not going to make getting cold and wet any more enjoyable.
Lastly, this bike will be taking abuse, so remember that your safety is entrusted to this machine in conditions when visibility is low, stopping distances increased, and road surfaces slick. Maintain this bike more diligently than any other machine; check the brake pads and rims for dangerous wear, check the metal bits for rust and cracks, and keep a close eye on the chain and cables. Resist the temptation to spray it down with the garden hose as the pressure can lodge the grit deeper into bearings and other nooks and crannies on the bike. After each ride, clean the braking surfaces carefully, wipe the chain down (or, better yet, use a Cyclone with soapy water to get the grit out from in between the links) and always use a wax-based lubricant to keep the dirt from sticking to it more than with traditional oil-based lubes.
But most of all, remember that the best kind of ride is the one you’ll be able to do again; stay safe and ride carefully. Vive la Vie Velominatus.
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/frank@velominati.com/LVV Rain Bike/”/]
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@frank
Ok.I mounted plenty of different 25's on S1 for clients who use them and never had a problem.Different brands of tires also,mostly clinchers.Wolf fork looked to be at the limit but the 25 tire wasn't rubbing at all.Try Vittoria Paves 24mm if you really need a wider tire.
@frank
The main photo shows S1 with Alpha Q fork,your gallery with Wolf.If you swapped forks it looks like Wolf would work better with wider tires.What fork do you use on R3 now?
@Paco
And then sneeuwfiets. You can carry on for ever with this. And then you go back to the "might it rain" bike, the "probably will but not sure" bike, the "probably won't but it could" bike...You can really do a number on Rule 12 this way.
@frank I meant blinky.
@the Engine
Interesting. And you managed all this with an ill-fitting, improperly sized, upturned cycling cap beneath your helmet? That will also cause gangrene.
@the Engine
Yes, they probably call it soap. Dish detergent will work just as well; you just need something with a little bit of degreasing agent to cut through the muckymuck. SimpleGreen is bio-degradable and smells good, so we like it around here.
"For a bike which is to be primarily ridden in wet conditions, choose a durable, non-corrosive material like titanium, aluminium or carbon."
What utter crap: it didn't rain from the late 19th to the late 20th century?
How come those of us who ride distance in Europe for twelve months of the year (as opposed to a couple of weeks, once in a blue moon) ride steel?
#myarse
@TommyTubolare
Sharp eye. The Wolf CL has a steel steerer, so when I replaced the GS40 on the R3 to allow for my 25's, I gladly moved the GS40 over to the Soloist in order to eliminate one more rust-prone bit. (I call it a Soloist because when that was built that's what it was called; Cervelo now calls the same frame the S1.)
One thing I love about the GS40 and which also makes it great for a rain bike is how stiff the crown is; there is noticeably less flex when braking hard (especially on a steep decent, which we have lots of around here).
I put a GS20 in the R3 as it has the clearance and I loves me some Alpha Q forks.
But, even on the R3, I had to zip-tie the front derailleur cable out of the way to make room for the FMB's. If you look carefully, you see it here under the front mech.
@frank
Wait, mudguards are out? I didn't know this!
Also, very interested to see what happens in the Rain Bike Realm, Frank, when you get the cx bike set up. I have a rain bike but still find myself throwing on road wheels & riding my cross bike on the rain most days. On terrible weather days the upright geometry makes life a bit easier, I find. And, I'm not bombing around anyway.
@frank
No worries. In other news, it looks like my Felt had a lifetime warranty on the workmanship so I may be in line for a new frame that-a-way. In which case I think I'll make it a cross bike.
@frank
If only I had opposable thumbs...