For the Iron Chicas: Riding in the Rain

It was 40, not 70, but someone
out there had this image!

During last weekend's four-hour ride, I was hit with rain. At hour two.

Yep, nearly 40 miles of wet wetness was in front of me (to the side of me, on top of me, you get the idea). Occasional wind gusts greeted me too. I liked when they were behind me, but that didn't happen too often.

I know, it's not about me...it's about you!

I realized that we never talked about riding in the rain. It's different from riding in the dry.

Silly, that, but true.

Think about it, if it rains, you get wet. It's not like it will much effect your swim. And it won't much effect your run. But it will effect your ride.

Here are a few things for you to think about and remember.

Double Your Braking Distance

So, I Google image search for
"double distance". This appears.
It made me laugh.

When you first touch your brakes it will feel like nothing is happening. This is scary, if you are approaching a Stop sign or coming down a hill (or better still, approaching a Stop sign at the bottom of a descent).

The reason for this behavior is that the brake pads act as "windshield wipers" first, before they can apply the friction you need to slow or stop. When your brakes first come into contact with the smooth aluminum of your rim's braking surface, they sweep away the water. That's why it doesn't feel like they are doing anything!

Then, when they engage, you still won't have the "normal" braking sensations. The water acts as a lubricant, so you need to make sure that you give yourself some extra room to slow.

A final factor is that the pavement is also slick. You don't want to lock up your wheels and skid. If you do, remember the next rule: Keep the Rubber Side Down.

Keep the Rubber Side Down

This would be bad...I repeat BAD...
in the rain.

It's not just a good idea for bed pads and mental health facilities. Look at your tires. Remember that you are riding on a half-inch of width, with less than two square inches total contact with the road.

That's not a lot of forgiveness on a good day. Add rain, and it's something else altogether.

Remember to stay upright. Keep the bike from leaning into turns (as much as possible). you will not be able to completely "not lean", but be cautious. Once the weight shifts, if you slip, you're down. Faster than you can think.

The good news is that if it is wet, skidding on your hip doesn't hurt half as much as it does when it is dry (not that I would know...)

Get Your Behind Behind the Behind

This is NOT proper uphill form.
His behind is in front of the behind

Rain = wet = slick.

Going uphill, those rules still apply.

When you get out of the saddle on a climb, your tendency is to shift your weight forward, mashing down on the pedals. If you do this in the rain, you will spin your wheel...literally.

The result could be...nothing. Nothing but wasted effort. Or, the results could be you falling on your behind.

You need to keep the weight over the rear wheel, so you need to get your behind (your buttocks) behind the centerpoint of your bike. Think of getting behind your bike's behind. Thus you are getting behind the behind.

If your weight is back, you can grind up the steepest hills (if you need to) without spinning out. That is a good thing.

A Final Thought

Remember that most people will be uncomfortable riding in the rain. Be aware of your surroundings and the people around you. Communicate LOUDLY, because any surprises could cause someone to twitch the wrong way, with painful results.

And finally, remember that the beginning of the rainstorm is the slickest time on the roads. The oil and other fluids that drip from the cars will film up first, before washing away. If you are on the ride and it starts raining, be mindful!

You all will do great! Hopefully it won't rain. But if it does, you'll be prepared! And you won't look like this yahoo:

This will NOT happen to you!
(This image has no real place here. Except that I thought this
post needed to end with a little humor and, well...)