Rain riding for newbs

[mister]

Other slippery things.... man hole covers and bridge joins.

Accepting the road still had adequate traction for normal riding is a biggie for new riders. I suggest finding some MotoGP wet riding footage. Sure they have better tires et al, but they still hammer even in the wet. Makes you realize there is still enough friction for normal riding.

If you ride 10% slower you'll have no issues. As your wet riding experiences increases you'll find most of the time you can ride the same speeds as in the dry.

Be VERY watchful for small puddles where the road has a small indentation. Looking far enough ahead should give you plenty of time to make the necessary lane adjustments.

If you do not have rain gear with you and there is no shelter, accept you will get wet and enjoy it for what it is. That will allow you to focus on riding instead of being focused on how upset you are it is raining and you need to get home etc. I've been caught out heaps and find it quite enjoying getting drenched (on the way home). One time on a weekend ride we hit the twists and the rain came down. We got drenched and by the end where the small general store was where we pulled up we ALL had the same sentiment... that was a blast.

There is something to be said about not caring about getting soaked, like a child playing in the rain.

Michael

Michael

[Huff1371]

If you do not have rain gear with you and there is no shelter, accept you will get wet and enjoy it for what it is. That will allow you to focus on riding instead of being focused on how upset you are it is raining and you need to get home etc. I've been caught out heaps and find it quite enjoying getting drenched (on the way home). One time on a weekend ride we hit the twists and the rain came down. We got drenched and by the end where the small general store was where we pulled up we ALL had the same sentiment... that was a blast.

There is something to be said about not caring about getting soaked, like a child playing in the rain.

Some of the most fun I've had riding has been a "$hit, it's raining " moment. Be a kid and "soak" it up. As long as it's not a commute to work. Pn the way home is fine.

[Adfalchius]

Be mindful of body temperature/hypothermia if you're soaked and it's a cooler day.

From http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypothermia/ds00333/dsection=symptoms:

Shivering is your body's automatic defense against cold temperature — an attempt to warm itself. Constant shivering is a key sign of hypothermia. Signs and symptoms of moderate to severe hypothermia include:

Shivering
Clumsiness or lack of coordination
Slurred speech or mumbling
Stumbling
Confusion or difficulty thinking
Poor decision making, such as trying to remove warm clothes
Drowsiness or very low energy
Apathy or lack of concern about one's condition
Progressive loss of consciousness
Weak pulse
Slow, shallow breathing

A person with hypothermia usually isn't aware of his or her condition, because the symptoms often begin gradually and because the confused thinking associated with hypothermia prevents self-awareness.

[craigs449]

After riding home in the rain last night, I realized I need to buy a decent rain suit........My Teknic rain jacket has a tear under one armpit, my 5.11 rain pants are not very good for riding in the rain, only standing around in it, and my cheap "waterproof" Vega boots are not waterproof after about 15 minutes.........On a good note, my rain/windproof Teknic gloves work just fine.

Can folks post up their suggestions/experiences with rain gear please.....I can't seem to make up my mind......Also, looking to spend under $100

[SS Adrenaline]

Great ideas and great post.  I might just have to be in the rain today going home for the first time so this came up perfectly in time.
Cheers.

[comradeiggy]

I was actually looking last night and REV'IT! sells a rain suit for $99.99 that looks like a good deal.

[shchuka]

One other "slipper" thing (ask me how I know ) is plastic bags on the road - the kind you'd pack your groceries into in a supermarket.  It doesn't even have to be raining to feel it, but in the rain it's a total nightmare.

[dougdoberman]

How do both know what you know?

Tapped the front brake in the wrong spot on a rainy day and ended up supermanning down the road. That sucked. One minute "OK, merge coming up, I'll slow down a bit", next "oh what the f%$k?!" There's a longer story typed out somewhere. I'll try to find it if I can. It was an interesting way to high-side, that's for sure.

Can you expand upon this? 

Locking up the front and sliding it doesn't cause you to high side.  It's the rear that does this.

Possibly you endoed the bike, but that's fairly difficult to do in the wet, particularly if you just "tapped" the brake as you said.

[KnuckleBallz]

How do both know what you know?

Tapped the front brake in the wrong spot on a rainy day and ended up supermanning down the road. That sucked. One minute "OK, merge coming up, I'll slow down a bit", next "oh what the f%$k?!" There's a longer story typed out somewhere. I'll try to find it if I can. It was an interesting way to high-side, that's for sure.

Can you expand upon this? 

Locking up the front and sliding it doesn't cause you to high side.  It's the rear that does this.

Possibly you endoed the bike, but that's fairly difficult to do in the wet, particularly if you just "tapped" the brake as you said.

You know those big metal teeth that some bridges have on either end? There's one on my commute & a merge that happens right on top of them. The metal area is a good foot and a half, 2 feet wide. So when I slowed for the merge, I guess my front tire was right over this. One second I was up, the next I was down. Maybe high side is the wrong term? I left the bike behind me though. My rear had gotten a bit squirrelly about 200 feet or so back, but as far as I can tell that was unrelated to the accident. I don't think it would snap back in line and toss me @ like 15 mph, especially since I don't think it was very far off-line to begin with. Just an overall shitty morning, but I learned a lot.

[slipperymongoose]

Happened so fast it was over before you realized what happened.

[dougdoberman]

How do both know what you know?

Tapped the front brake in the wrong spot on a rainy day and ended up supermanning down the road. That sucked. One minute "OK, merge coming up, I'll slow down a bit", next "oh what the f%$k?!" There's a longer story typed out somewhere. I'll try to find it if I can. It was an interesting way to high-side, that's for sure.

Can you expand upon this? 

Locking up the front and sliding it doesn't cause you to high side.  It's the rear that does this.

Possibly you endoed the bike, but that's fairly difficult to do in the wet, particularly if you just "tapped" the brake as you said.

You know those big metal teeth that some bridges have on either end? There's one on my commute & a merge that happens right on top of them. The metal area is a good foot and a half, 2 feet wide. So when I slowed for the merge, I guess my front tire was right over this. One second I was up, the next I was down. Maybe high side is the wrong term? I left the bike behind me though. My rear had gotten a bit squirrelly about 200 feet or so back, but as far as I can tell that was unrelated to the accident. I don't think it would snap back in line and toss me @ like 15 mph, especially since I don't think it was very far off-line to begin with. Just an overall shitty morning, but I learned a lot.

Ah, yeah, I see now. 

Likely your front end started to tuck and ejected you.

I donno what to call that other than a high side since you're going over the top in a pretty similar way, I just typically consider a high side to be a rear sliding & gripping situation. 

[BaltimoreGS]

I have a Jafrum rain suit that I use the most.  It doesn't "breathe" as well as the Frogg Toggs but I like the bright orange color for safety.

-Jessie

[craigs449]

Just purchased a Frogg Toggs rain suit off E-bay.  $69 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/360406512926?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619

I will let you guys know how it is once I get it.

[HaydenH]

I was actually looking last night and REV'IT! sells a rain suit for $99.99 that looks like a good deal.

It works too

two other points:
1)no-matter what the manufacturer says about waterproof normal riding gear, at some point it stops keeping the water out.
After an hour of stop-start in the pouring rain a while back waterproof overpants, waterproof lined jacket and also waterproof boots all leaked. Hence i can now +1 the Rev'It suit in all rain since this event.

2)It will stop raining the instant you buy an actual rain suit 

[Huff1371]

I know it's probably the worst for visibility, but I have my military issued gore-tex . Usually wear a bright yellow reflective vest over it so people can see me. I have never had it leak and the oants cinch down at the waist and ankles keeping most of the water from coming up the legs. Pretty sure they can be found for under $200 for the set. And probably under $100 at a surplus store.