Cycling in the rain - some basic tips !

from - http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion

Question - riding on WET PAVEMENT 

and IN THE RAIN

Question : It has been raining here most of the morning and was just curious if others ride on wet pavement after a fresh rain. Probably a stupid question but I haven't riden on a road bike since my Schwinn World Sports back in the 80's and really want to ride outside today. I'm assuming that it's ok to ride and just need to take it easy on the corners. Any opinions\advice?

______________________________

• Since you haven't ridden in so long I would say no. why risk a crash on potentially slick streets? wait for better conditions and get your skill back a bit first.

Just my .02 cents...

______________________________

• I do it frequently, just be careful like you have said.  Another thing to watch out for, depending on your area, is for cinders that may have been relocated due to the rain into an unexpected area causing traction issues.

______________________________

• And watch out for the painted lines.  They can be pretty slick when wet.

ETA that you also never know how deep a puddle really is....

______________________________

• As mentioned above, stay off the white lanes as much as possible and avoid metal surfaces as well, like manhole covers etc. 

I brake well before a turn as well.

______________________________

Avoid painted surfaces

Avoid puddles if you can

feather the brakes

Use caution

Be aware of yoru surroundings

______________________________

Thanks for the advice. It looks like it's stopped raining and hopefully stays that way so it can dry up. I will definitely remember the caution about the lines. Luckily the route I have picked out has no painted lines or manhole covers. I basically have a 4.5 mile route going through the southern portion of our town and out into an unincorporated area making a big loop. As long as I can get on the road tonight my training calls for 2 loops tonight followed by a short run.

______________________________

Also make sure you clean and lube your drive train after the ride. I have a specific bike that I use for winter/wet riding that I use a much heavier lube on. Some of the lighter lubes get washed away and provide minimal protection after just a few miles.

______________________________

I live near Seattle.  If we didn't ride on wet pavement, then we wouldn't ride very much.  We ride in the actual rain as well.

If the pavement is wet, take it easy on corners and watch out for the stripes, especially new shiny ones at crosswalks and the like.  The stripes are slippery when wet.  Metal grates and the like are also slippery.

Be careful putting your foot down at a stop if you have hard plastic cleats.  Your feet can slide; I fell over once doing exactly that.

Some people will say reduce air pressure in your tires.  I say that's unnecessary and I certainly don't do that.

If you're riding in rain often enough, get fenders.  They make it so much easier and more comfortable than getting spray in your face and a skunk stripe of dirt on your back.  There are multiple types of fenders and some are easy to add / remove as desired.

______________________________

Lots of good advice above.  Just some other stuff off the top of my head:

If the road has a crown, dirt, sand, debris, etc., washes to the shoulder (or into the bike line), making it  extra hazardous or slippery.  On roads where there are curbs I occasionally encounter standing water along the edge.

If there is a chance of rain I usually carry a fold-up rain jacket in one of my jersey pockets.  

My cell phone and wallet go into zip-lok bags in my jersey pockets.

Switch to amber or clear lenses on my sunglasses.

I usually don't start out if it's raining hard, of if thunderstorms are forecast.

Mark

______________________________

Some people will say reduce air pressure in your tires.  I say that's unnecessary and I certainly don't do that.

______________________________

Having the tires at a few pounds of pressure less than you might have on a perfectly dry day can be a very good idea if your route has especially slippery surfaces and other places where you might need a little more traction. 

Back to the original post, I ride in the rain often enough with my commute to work (also in Seattle) so I set the tri bike up on the trainer if it is raining to much.

______________________________

Braking emphasis also shifts in wet conditions. Your Rear brake should pick up more work when it's wet, as locking up your front wheel, though almost impossible in dry conditions, is a real (and basically unrecoverable) hazard in wet conditions. Although it's important all the time, it's much more important to have a "plan" and clear view of what's going on around you at all times in the rain/muck.

______________________________

I've ridden in plenty of rain.  It's certainly not my idea of ideal riding conditions, but sometimes you end up getting caught in a shower, or have a ride scheduled just after it has rained and the pavement is wet.  In those circumstances, I adjust my riding accordingly.  I wear a HI-VIZ rain jacket, I make sure that my rear blinky light is working properly, I wear a riding cap under my helmet to keep the rain out of my eyes, I stay clear of lane lines or any street markings or other slippery surfaces, I keep an eye out for oil-slicked puddles, and I give myself plenty of extra time for braking.  I learned a lot of this stuff while riding my motorcycle, and nearly all of it can be applied to cycling as well.  Motorists don't expect to see cyclists (or motorcycles) riding out in the rain, and therefore will often not even LOOK for us to be on the roads.  Not to mention the lower visibility that occurs when it rains...makes it even more important to ride defensively and to constantly "scan" the road for potential hazards. 

______________________________

when it first rains the oil and other fluids cars tend to leak make the road very very slippery. As it rains more the oily residue is partially washed away so it is actually a little better for traction. So you are better off going out when its been raining all day as apposed to going out after a quick shower.

______________________________

You cannot go slow enough to make a turn on Exposed Aggregate.  I learned this by exposing some hamburger on my side.

Michael Bryant-Government hitman of the most hateful kind.

I have ridden a bike, of various forms and terrains since 1976. Not until recently, maybe the past 5 years, have I seen a large and very scary form of terrorism against cyclists on the road, and sidewalks by drivers and pedestrians. The pedestrians on sidewalks, and various paths, less frequent, but motor vehicle drivers, have gotten downright dangerous, seemingly forgetting they are operating a metal cage weighing over a ton, sometimes a few tons. The reaction, especially by males aged 18 to baby boomer age, is hostility and a common inclination to stepping on the gas as they approach. Never heeding a cyclist with common road rules, such as respecting the right of way, the driver of usually a truck, or heavy duty suv, will make an effort to come as close as possible, and as fast, instead of slowing down and edging away from me, or other cyclists, when passing, or even astoundingly, approaching, with a dramatic swerve towards me, from the opposite side! It's downright terrifying. I have many stories to post in future articles, about this type of danger cyclists encounter. 

This recent news story, spurred me to post this. I am sickened, and to top it off, it is a known government entity here in Ontario. This clown, is a representative of the Canadian constitution, and I am ashamed. Stop playing this game with this politicians people, fire them all, as we see time and time again, they do not deserve to be elected.

Here is a recent news-piece from www.ottawacitizen.com : TORONTO — Former Ontario attorney general Michael Bryant was in police custody Tuesday morning following a fatal crash between a car and a cyclist in Toronto Monday evening that left a 33-year-old man dead.
Bryant was detained after the crash Monday evening and was under investigation in connection with the crash, a police source told Canwest News Service.
The cyclist, a 33-year-old Toronto man, died in hospital from injuries sustained after hanging on to the side of a convertible for about 100 metres before falling to the street, according to police. Police said the car and the cyclist had initially collided.
Bryant resigned from his Toronto MPP seat in June while serving as minister for economic development.

Eaton's TRULINE GLIDER 1972 ?

A couple weeks ago, on my way back from the town of Strathroy Ontario, to the city of London, (30 minute drive) on the side of road I spotted this bike with a bunch of other stuff, with a sign that said : FREE TO TAKE.

I grabbed up the bike, as it was perfect size for me and seemed to be excellent build.
This has been said it is a rebrand of the Raleigh Superbe, and this was made in England and sold
as the Eaton TRULINE GLIDER at Eaton's department stores here in Canada.

I'm crazy about the colour and the Logo with the bird is deluxe, and really represents the feeling of riding this bike.

Some steps have been taken to put this bike up to speed for the roads here in London. I upped the wheel/tire size to 700C
so that meant I had to remove the beautiful metal fenders. That's ok though, im saving a wack of weight for this being my main
commuter bike.

Added new pedals, changed the stem/headset. Had a 80's Norco "montery" that had a bent rear triangle, that I also found, where i took the headset from, and the brakes (the brakes are not on it yet in those pics..I will update these photos with a higher quality cam with the finished project)

In the pics is also the original Shifter for the rear 6 speed, but now i have installed a Grip Shift on the right side for it.

The handlebars and brake Levers are from a generic mountain bike which i also found ( a JEEP rear suspension piece of dog doo doo) ..and I also took the like new cabling from it and put on the Glider.

Now, this thing rides fast and smooth and I'm very happy with the way it turned out, for my daily riding around the city. This is very utilitarian and dependable. The frame is Steel i'm pretty sure. i guess you could categorize it as a Hybrid due to my handlebar configuration, it does make this a wholly different bike without those original handlebars, but those weren't practical for my needs. ( i find the stock handlebars too narrow)

The rear derailleur is a Shimano EAGLE..and it has a great Shock guard with machined holes in it for lightness and strength. pretty unique and tough looking. Does shift very well and is easy to tune.

Not in the picture is the bicycle rear rack i have also installed recently (not stock)

This was my first ever bike build, and so far it's been a blast and a huge learning experience.

P.T.S.D. post traumatic stress disorder

Sweeping news coverage these days on the CBC of soldiers comin' home with crazy psychological issues, named neatly
as PTSD. Canadian soliders, US soldiers, IRAQy soldiers...any soldier man , is a candidate. What the fuck do these people think
they are signing up for when they go to war. I'm pretty sure the propaganda that draws these humans in, glaze over some very
important issues to get them to pony up and sell their souls for the machine of Oil extraction and god of commerce.

Please people, really think about what all this war is about. IT does not spell freedom for anyone. Whoever believes in war,
has been duped in my mind. Please take a deep breath, and center on a flower for once. See the petals expand. Grow with
nature, not with some faceless government which will use your young spirit and then spit it out the meat grinder. Merry christmas.





is this worth it??

Introduction

I am going to compile here all the stuff I can about ecosocialisms. Here is a picture of my bicycle in contrast with the road. I use it predominantly to get around London Ontario Canada. Every city I have lived I have biked in (Oakville, Misissauga, Toronto, Vancouver) Currently the situation on the roads, sharing the roads with Cars is downright scary. People in cars generally do not take into consideration there is a weight ratio factor that makes it dangerous for us bicyclistas to be defensive while sharing the roadways. In London there is only 10% of all roadways that are bicycle friendly. The people's attitudes and miseducation towards cyclists is very poor. I'm sure we all have some interesting stories. I hope for others to contribute experiencs on your bike that have really made you think.