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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View Comments
@frank
Dude: you know I love you, but you're none of these guys.
@brett
I appreciate the notion of a rain bike as a means of justifying n + 1 to yourself or (more likely) to your significant other, but beyond that you're absolutely correct. I also don't buy the "preservation of the good bike/components" argument. Bike #1 is also my rain bike, snow bike, winter bike, you name it bike. Lots of Rule #11 irreverence that probably needs justifying there, but I also like to think that I tend to it much more carefully as a result. If it's not happy, I'm not riding. That means the clean after each ride is a pivotal part of the ritual. The bike can get dirty"”that's not what makes it fall apart"”but it can't stay dirty.
@mcsqueak
Stop?? See Rule V. I just bend down and light squeeze on the wheel with thumb and forefinger to remove while still rolling. Front and back. Best not to do this through intersections.
@brett
That's a legendary old trick used during wet cobbled classics. But you're not trying to keep the water out; you're keeping the sand and grit off; its the sand and grit that really cause the wear.
It all comes down to how much more wear the bike undergoes riding through the rain. In the fall, my Ksyriums were in fine order; now the rims have to be replaced. Not all from one winter, but the hard braking on steep hills in the rain certainly took a heavy toll.
Next year, I'll be riding standard wheels with rims that can be more easily replaced...
@mcsqueak
And the Squeaker gets an "A" for reading comprehension! Well done, my son!
In my best Jon Stuart falsetto: *nailed it*
@Xyverz
Frame saver is the biggest thing - lines the inside and keeps the rust from starting. In fact, I'm given to understand it deactivates existing rust, if such a thing is possible.
Then watch the frame's outside for chipping etc to make sure there's no bare metal showing. If it is, nail polish will serve in a pinch to cover it back up. Like has been discussed already, steel is manageable as a wet bike, but it will take more care.
@frank I do believe all those photos are races, in which case - I agree racing in Rule #9 conditions fenders are definitely not appropriate, however I would say that my group training rides in the winter in the PNW without fenders will get me punished - and whilst I'd like to sit on the front and not give a f**k - most of the guys I attempt to ride with are all Cat1& 2 so the chances are slim to none of me staying on the front for long...
@Xyverz
A commuter falls outside the Fender Freedom Movement.
@Chris
Were you able to find the matching skinny jeans that belonged to those?
@Gerard
That lantern next to your name emphasizes that point nicely.
@frank
No. It was bad enough looking at the bikes. Still, not quite as bad as searching for "vintage steel frame" on ebay and seeing classic old road bikes being advertised as a perfect for a fixie conversion.
@Xyverz
Do not worry about rust eating up your bike frame. Steel bikes are designed for riding in the rain. Eddy road his steel in the rain and snow. I want no other than No.1 in the rain. You just need to love your bike enough to work the necessary duties after you come in out of the rain. Wipe it, clean it, grease it. And each year or every so often take the seat post out and reinstall with grease. Check bearings, etc. My point is love the bike, love the rain, and don't deprive No.1 of those incredible days of suffering in the rain. Rain can feel shitty at times. No need to feel like you are riding a shitty bike as well.
@Xyverz @frank Yes! Frame Saver (thanx Frank) and touch up auto paint. Going over the bike after a rain ride keeps things in check -- what's intimately going on with No.1