Riding in the rain

[xwhatsit]

I too love to ride in the rain! I love the rain anyway, bike or no bike, there's something I really enjoy about a big rain shower, everything feels cleaner and fresher.

I also like riding in another condition that many seem to hate; at night. I work late, so often I come back and not only is it dark, but being Auckland it's raining too. With the wonderful gear that Quasimoto has given me, I'm completely warm and dry; but you can still feel the edge of the weather on your neck and face, which wakes you up and makes you feel more alert. From riding in the rain (through necessity), I've become more confident with low traction, well at low speeds anyway. I've learned how to control when the rear wheel steps out, and how to brake carefully enough that nothing locks up. These things still terrify me in the dry, but in the wet I'm expecting it and even enjoy the occasional hairy moment. Perhaps I should get a dirt bike one day?

I don't know how many people here are familiar with Mangere Bridge, but there's an interesting little road where I first learned how to change gears called Kiwi Esplanade, along the waterfront. It's quite short, and the first few corners are very tight (25kph signs), but it opens up and every night I take a detour along here to see how fast I can go, what's the best line to take. It is fantastic late at night in the rain; streetlights reflecting off the streams of water crossing the road, the sea whipped up by the wind and rain, and the shifts in camber and a rise in the road (and then dip back down again) make it interesting to try different lines.

Why is rain supposed to be so horrible?

[terbang]

In the winter time, in areas of the road that are dominated by trees you often get a green moss that grows on the road. That stuff is also real bad in the wet.

[lukelin250]

big fuck off pine needles too!!!

[rogson]

Use tyres with plenty of tread.

A lot of the high dollar/high performance sport tyres don't have enough tread for wet road riding IMO - particularly fastish wet road riding. I have had tyres aquaplane at 100km/hr on a wet, but by no means flooded road.
Most riders don't use the grip capabilities (in the dry) of sport tyres anyway.

I don't mind riding in the rain. But I am fortunate to have more than one bike, and I prefer to not use the one with the sport tyres if I know it is going to be a wet ride.

If you only have one bike and do a lot of riding in the wet, use tyres that have more rather than less tread - which are usually the ones at the touring end of the spectrum. They will be safer in the wet, and last longer too.

[gijoe1313]

Ahh the joys of riding in the rain! I love riding in all weathers, anytime - nothing is better than riding through a sheer downpour and "chasing" the good weather you can see ahead, suddenly emerging into the new scented sunlight just makes my grin go wider! And the feel of the wind evaporating the rain off your gear is sooooo good

I just love riding so much that its pure pleasure no matter what the conditions are! So, yeah - I'm mad, but then we all ride bikes so we all know what its like eh?

Just got to have the good gears for it (mine are currently sitting in the hot water cupboard from Saturdays drenching heeheehee!

Reminds me, need to buy some 100% waterproofs for touring later on!

[lukelin250]

i agree,,anywhere anytime. id even ride through hell and back,,,,duh duhhhh......