La Vie Velominatus: The Rain Bike
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/”/]
nice.
my rain bike currently my main bike… hopefully not for too too much longer
Remember… use specially formulated Motorex Wet Lube on that Ti Super-Record cassette (and Record chain)!
Timely article Frank – it has been so wet here for June that I am sprouting gills!! Worst part for me is forgetting to wipe the underside of the downtube and having to chisel off dried worms the next day.
Those photos make me glad I live in Southern California, where rain is something that happens infrequently from October to March.
This is helpful food for thought as I embark on replacing my #2 — thanks frank.
Hey, hey, I’m just waking up hea’.
For Hawaiian rain bikes people chuck on the carbone fenders on bike #1 for the wet ride, mostly to keep their asses slightly drier. I don’t even bother with that. More bike washing of Ti bike, the supreme rain bike which is also bike #1. Since getting wet here doesn’t produce hypothermia (unless descending) we can be pretty careless about getting soaked on a ride.
Frank, your rain bike is a bitch.
Making a statement and tweak the nostril hairs of the weather gods? White bar tape on a rain bike…optimistic…or asking for them to empty the bowels from the clouds on you ;) …. (or ofc you may not live in the UK!)
My rain/snow bike was getting along in years and miles. This winter a stay broke and Redline replaced the frame with a shiny new one. It was like Christmas.
@Deakus
That white Fizik tape is so so easy to clean its not even an issue.
Working on a number 2 here in a couple of weeks, just in time for monsoon season to start. Had a sample of it on Saturday. It was the first rain in months(since December I think) but Merckx did it feel great.
Rain bikes usually also have black bartapes and larger tires (around 25mm). Small light signals and fenders are ok for rough conditions!
@doubleR
I though rain happened infrequently in So Cal from January to December?
@RedRanger I will have to get some fi’zi:k tape then, as she is decked out in white to match her saddle.
She is a Stevens Super Prestige CX with an Apex group and simple 550s. She will be making the trip to the new town (the packers are here today) in the SUV!
great post!
we have an average of 140 days of rain in denmark. read the statistics. i want a cervelo. on friday we had 22 mm in 16 hours. i don’t want a cervelo. i want a cervelo. i’m not saying we have a rain season as such, just a lot rain a lot of the time. i have a fondriest but i want a cervelo. the statistics says i’m not likely to get a cervelo anytime soon and why doesn’t anyone invent rain cover for the shoes that cover for rain.
@RedRanger
Remind me – how do you clean white tape?
@metalface
Nice job on the cross-over and barrel adjusters. Looks gorgeous.
@the Engine I just use paper towel and simple green. Same thing I use on my shoes.
@Nate
Been planning this article for ages, but your quest re-sparked my enthusiasm for the subject. Thanks.
@Gianni
Yeah, all y’all with your Ti frames can just kiss my ass with your indestructible in all weather frames. I’ll add Ti to the list of recommended materials.
@Deakus
Have a look at the pictures, mate; that fizik microtex is nearly undirtiable. Check out how dirty the bike is and how clean the bars are! And, should it need a cleaning, @RedRanger says, it wipes up with zero hassle.
@Gabriel Vargas
Never! Indulge in the glory of Rule #9 and remember: Velominati don’t let Velominati ride with mudguards. Though a set of 25’s is not a bad idea for better traction. The tolerances on my Soloist are too tight for the, but…
@Gianni
Just wait until the DA9 goes to the CX rig later this year, and this one gets Record (with Veloce cassette and ConneX chain).
@morten okbo
Ah, I am so angry about shoe covers. I’ve resorted to only using my DeFeet slipstreams because its the only thing that stays warm when its wet and they do OK at keeping the grime out of my shoes. Every other covers seem to go useless when wet and then fall apart after a few weeks of slipping over my gigantic peds.
Stupid shoe covers.
@RedRanger
I have been asleep for five million years and know not of this “green” of which you speak.
Oh – you mean washing up liquid?
@frank
I was looking for that vid you posted of your blindly setup. No luck on my end.
@frank
25mm tire fits on a Cervelo S1 without problems.
@the Engine
http://www.simplegreen.com/
It’s an eco friendly de greaser.
@TommyTubolare
Depends on the tire; my FMB Paris-Roubaix 25’s won’t fit at all, but the main problem is the Alpha Q GS40 fork which won’t take anything bigger than a 23mm. (Though I suppose you’re right that the fork is not the Soloist’s fault.)
@RedRanger
Blindly?
And after the rainbike comes the “pekelfiets”
@frank
I’ve got some neoprene Pro’s and with a Gore Tex sock combo they at least prevent trench foot.
However – in my rapidly growing list of stupid things to do with bikes I managed to squeeze an extra one out of my overshoes.
I have huge wide feet which leads to close tolerances betwixt crank and chainstay even without an overshoe, so unless I put them on just so, I have to stop somewhere in the sleet and adjust them with frozen fingers – the classic “shoe faff” as Lay Brother Simon calls it.
On their last outing in the monsoon at the Etape Caledonia I got the Velcro at the bottom super tight for the flush fit pro look. This was wonderful no sound of neoprene on Campagnolo was heard – however after about four hours my feet were somewhat uncomfortable and at the end I had to prop the bike up against a marshal and take off my shoes as if my feet were on fire as the were in the kind of agony that 18th century gout sufferers must have suffered following a month’s bender on the old ruby port.
Because (as I’m rapidly learning) I’m not that bright I blamed my blameless Shimano shoes but in a “duh” moment the next day I realised that yanking down rubber compression bandages on each foot does probably cause gangrene.
Yet another lesson learned and passed on.
You’re welcome
@RedRanger
Only available to Former Colonials and Dominion residents as far as I can tell – is there a Scottish equivalent?
@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…
@Ron
Well, I am bombing around on the rain bike – I use it for training and that means more than half the time its the rain bike that is called to duty. Its the primary reason I went with the Soloist because its the same geometry as the R3 and much, much cheaper used on eBay than a carbon frame.
@Scilly Suffolk
It did rain, and bikes rusted. Yours will too. Which is OK if you replace it when it does. If you prefer the ride of steel over anything else, you’re not alone. And if you like it so much more that you’re willing to replace it when it rusts, that fine too.
If you’re looking for a durable, long-lasting frame that you don’t have to paint and framesave every time it gets scratched, then avoid steel.
One last point: this is not twitter. If you have something to say, take the time to say it; don’t use a hashtag. For instance, in the case of your example, it would be better for you to say something along the lines of, “You can kiss my white ass, you stupid Dutch fuck.”
@Ron
My winter bike is an old Trek 1200 from 1990. Seven-speed, single 40 tooth chainring up front. Old school aluminum with carbon fork. A true workhorse and I figure its Jan/Feb/March/April here i WI, what do I need a 53 tooth chainring for anyway?
And yes, I have the wee racer-type fenders on there. If I’m out riding in snow or on snow melt covered roads here in Wisconsin, I want a bit of protection from icy water. If I could upload them I would, but I have pix of the bike after a March 2011 ride where the spokes were almost as thick as pencils with frozen slush. The drive train was covered in frozen slush as were my legs from the knees down and feet. The roads weren’t icy, they were just wet. It was the air temp in the low 30s and the wind chill that caused the icing. One of the more memorable rides of last year to be honest!
Also, from my old racing days in Scotland, group winter rides on what were designated “winter bikes”, fenders (or mudguards) were de rigeur. Woe to the rider who was rude and inconsiderate enough to show up without fender protection and sprayed the rest of the group with spray from the wheels. If you ride a lot solo in the rain, no problem; if you ride in company, be polite and fender up.
@wiscot
Frank,
With all due respect, I too will call BS on the mud guard issue. If you are to ride alone and have the fender on to protect your own ass, well then i can see the need for the application of a little Rule #9 followed by a big dollop of Rule #5.
On the other hand, it is a sign of respect to your team mates / fellow group riders to have fenders and flaps. No good purpose is served by subjecting your bunchmates to hours of inundation from the filthy fire hose that is your rear tire.
What group do you ride with in the PNW in the winter that lets you go without?
@Jamie
Being another PNW’r that rides in the rain (’cause you have to or you’ll never ride), i have this argument with teammates all the time. I do use race blades when riding with them, just so I don’t have to hear 4-5 hours of bitching, but here’s the thing; Fenders do fuck all to keep you dry around here. All they do is stave off the inevitable for about 20 min, and act as catchalls for all the pine needles, leaves and other grime. This leads to the constant sound of tire rubbing said grime in the fender and is an added fucking pain in the ass if you flat, trying to get a wheel out of the chain stays, with a fender in the way, with frozen wet fingers. Fuck ’em I say. That is all………….
@the Engine@RedRanger@the Engine@RedRanger@the Engine I just use paper towel and simple green. Same thing I use on my shoes.I have been asleep for five million years and know not of this “green” of which you speak.Oh – you mean washing up liquid?http://www.simplegreen.com/It's an eco friendly de greaser.Only available to Former Colonials and Dominion residents as far as I can tell – is there a Scottish equivalent?Irn Bru.
@Bianchi Denti
Remember though, Irn Bru’s made from girders.
@Jamie
This is one of those groups
Great article, but I dispute the bias against steel frames, the use of wax chain lube and the non-use of mudguards. Apart from that it’s all good.
FYI, I’ve had the dubious pleasure of having to remove bottom brackets from both titanium and aluminium bikes that have corroded so solidly into the frames they need destroying to extricate – it’s a complete myth that steel bikes are any worse for wet riding.
Also, I was a bit confused by the fact that you had a Campag chainset and DA left crank until I realised your photos are of three different rigs! It wasn’t until my second coffee of the morning I worked that one out…
The most annoying thing is when your brake calipers get all leaf-jizzed up, and you’re subjected to an endless ssssssSSSssssssSSSSssssSSSS noise as you pedal, until it finally drives you crazy enough that you stop, clean them out, only to have them clog again a few k’s down the road.
@Oli
Intact paint/clear coat on a frame and an interior treatment will keep a steel frame going for quite some time, yeah? That is unless you really abuse it, but any bike will eventually fall apart if you just don’t care for it.