Today’s QoW comes from Premium Member Dave Hersh (with an assist to Tyler Farrar; see today’s News item about his retirement and statement about never again riding in the rain). Dave wanted to know what his fellow roadies thought about rain rides.
(We really need to replenish our stock of Questions! Please submit you own QoW ideas using the Question of the Week Ideas link.)
Tyler picked a bad hometown if he wants to stay out of the rain.
Fortunately, I live in an area that is not 300-days of rain. I won’t start a ride if it’s actively raining. I’ve certainly had my share of getting caught in the rain, so I try to time it if the possibility of rain exists (like riding in the mountains early in the morning to avoid the afternoon thunderstorms). For me, rainy days are a good excuse to do some structured intervals on the trainer.
Good rain gear: jacket (folks can argue about brands and features), neoprene booties, helmet cover, and rain pants. And FENDERS! Fenders help keep a lot of water and dirt off you and your bike.
I save my hood for off-bike activities when I’m not wearing a helmet. A hood worn over a helmet risks the hood interfering with vision and hearing and keeps excess heat and moisture inside. A hood worn under the helmet keeps even more heat and moisture inside. Manufacturers need to either make multiple hood sizes, or make hoods adjustable for both, which unfortunately will probably add to the cost.
From 100 miles north of Seattle….
I avoid it.