Categories: The Rides

Come the Rain


The northwest has just experienced a spell of dry weather over two months long. It’s been enough to make a man sick.

That’s all over now, thank Merckx. Commuting home today, I was caught off guard. No jacket, no gloves– nothing. A few drops hit, heavy and plump like ripe fruit. Then the drops became steady. By my half-way point, I was soaked thru. As I rose out of the saddle for the final climb to my house, I felt the rain accumulate on the tip of my nose and swing off with each pedal stroke.

The roads glistened in the dull light of street lamps, full of rain and empty of riders. They are all gone now– the summer heroes and the chatting groupettos. The roads are mine once more.

The rain hath returned. All hail the rain.

jim

Jim rides a bike a lot and hates people.

View Comments

  • Dumping! Dumping buckets of rain outside... 4c and gusting to 33 km. Couldn't be more aptly timed as today is day one of a three week, high duration, training block. Going out on #1 today, just to remind her who's boss. My washing machine is about to get its ass kicked!

  • That's why I love living on the west coast... and can we all agree that this is not acceptable in the peleton...!

  • @James I like the look of those Lake shoes, much nicer than a lot of other winter shoes.

    I've never had great results with overshoes, the water always gets in eventually. I didn't bother yesterday and my shoes ended up like this:

  • Man, we had quite the run of nice weather here in the Seattle area - damn nice.  However, did a mountain bike ride today - wet ground, damp leaves, overcast with peeks of sun - felt right...

  • The only downer with rain are the douchebags in cars who realise it is more dangerous to drive in the wet so drive faster to get home and out of it. The true beauty of the rain ride is the post ride ritual whose pleasure becomes more intense.
    1. Arrive in bike / manspace placing bike on towel.
    2. Hot shower (legshave) if necessary.
    3. Inform wife of inability to partake of household or child rearing duties
    4. Depending on time of day, grab coffee or a single malt
    5. Return to bike space, commence cleaning / maintenance routine standing back occasionally to admire ones work.

    The older I get the more I prefer rain over headwinds!

  • We went straight from fall to snow.  Looking to convert my old Giant Defy into a rain/winter bike - any suggestions?  I am not sure if I have clearance for studs so anyone that has converted a ride for winter I am all ears.

  • @Tobin

    Last year I just rode on 28s, wasn't really a cold winter though.  I did have to ride through snow sometimes, but it was never a problem.  Depends on location, expected weather, and purpose of riding I suppose.  Could you give a little more information?

  • Commuting - I live in Calgary so the weather is extremely variable.  -20 blowing snow one day - chinooks and +10 the next.  The ride is strictly commuting - usually 20-25km's depending on route each way.  Route is 5km's of city streets, 15km's river valley pathway system/trails.  I won't ride if it drops past-20.  Rollers in the basement will be my penance if that happens...

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