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 Thanks buddy. I need brain bleach for that image now. Sascha Baron Cohen should NOT be allowed to put out movies...
@frank
Domestique being black, I assume? But I would think the black cufflinks would look fantastic in combination with white tape. But then you'd have leader's tape with domestique cufflinks... will the paradox make my bars asplode? What guidance is there in the rules for matching handlebar plugs?
@frank
I/we would have if the original picture (pic #1) had been the size of pic #2. Jeez, what kind of superman-like vision do you think we have? We're not all young bucks with 20/20 you know . . .
@The Oracle
What's worse is when your wife starts reading this shit and pointing out the oh so many ways in which you're non-compliant.
Much worse.
@the Engine
And commenting for you when you get up to go use the restroom.
@Xyverz
It violates the ideal of riding on feel, yes, but the Rule is that it should be simple and stem mounted - nothing more simple than a GPS-based computer with no magnets and no fuss. The Garmin reference is for the map version of Garmins, which was the only model when the Rule was written. We should update that.
That said, the map version would have been handy as hell when I lead the Cogal on 20km of extra climbing by missing turns routinely.
It does spoil the purity of the ride a bit, though, having numbers on the bars. I got it to log the Keepers Tour and Cogal rides on Strava for public scrutiny, but have found it's very interesting to watch your training and objectively track your progress/habits. STRAVA is an exceptionally good service.
I am trying to figure a secure location to mount it where I can't see it, but it still reliably tracks the data for post-ride study. Best of both worlds - ride on feel and have the benefit of studying the data.
@morten okbo
Bugger...if you use the upload button instead of dragging, the picture will work. Its the little camera dealibob (when you're logged in)
@the Engine
And then commandeers your account to do some posting.
@wiscot
Ha! With the way you fuckers rip me to shreds whenever I post a picture of myself/my bikes, I figured you all had 90/1022 vision. (Is that better than 20/20, I don't know how those numbers work, which may influence the quality of my joke.)
I want to comment about the seized BB on Alu and Ti bike made by @Cyclops but can find the comment to quote...
The reason this happens on these types of metals and not steel is because of what is called electrolysis. When two dissimilar metals are bolted together they literally attack each other and corrode each other fusing or welding them together, all it takes is a little water to get it all started. BB have steel threads and of course the BB shell is made out of the frame material. If you've ever taken a steel bolt out a part that is aluminum and you see a white powder that is electrolysis at work. This is why it's always a good idea to use an anti-seize compound on the threads of the bolt before you put the parts together. I deal with this pain all of the time working on cars.
fasthair
@frank
That is so weak. Painfully so. The V-meter shouldn't even offer up GPS (Rule 74 actually says this). A big part of the ride experience is studying the route before you depart (or embracing the ensuing adventure). Becoming one with the roads requires that kind of preparation"”this is a pivotal part of the ride experience: planning, visualizing the route. You wouldn't go off on a ride without checking the bike, inflating the tires, etc. Why would you go off without a good command of where you're going? If you're training properly, you're marking distance/climbing/time ahead of leaving. You're not being casually deliberate if you're constantly referring to a thingamajig glued to the stem of your bike (even when centred, it's still unsightly).
Rule 74 (revised): Be one with the bike, the body, and the road. Do not put your faith in numbers, data, and maps.
@fasthair
Beautiful.
The threads on lots of BB's are alu though, so steel frames aren't immune; when I got my TSX, the alu-threaded Campa BB was seized in there nice and tight.
Moral of the story: no matter what frame/BB you ride, grease it and maintain it often enough that it doesn't do this. And every thread on your bike should be greased. (I loves me some white lithium grease.)