...The rain, that is. You're all a bunch of pervs. :) So I was leaving work today, riding my quarter horse. It's a 20 mile trip, and I was cruising along at about 50 or so under a grey sky when a friggin rain drop hit my helmet. I'm not talking about a little bitty "oh I think it's misting out" droplet. This was a decent sized one, it might had even left a wet mark on my jeans had it hit my leg. When it registered in my brain that what was streaking up my visor consisted of two parts hydrogen, one part oxygen, I promptly evacuated my bowels into my brand new underwear (my wife is going to kill me when she empties the laundry basket). Now, I only have 400 miles of sunny scooting under my worn out belt. How terrifying is it to dodge rain drops? What should I do, other than yank the throttle back and close my eyes, if I find myself in a down pour? Will I die? Does the bike want me to fall off? What happens if I find a curve? Luckily, that one rain drop was the only one I encountered. Is wet weather driving as horrible as I imagine, or is my irrational fear of water getting the best of me? Please, ease my fears. Or validate them.

It could have been bird pee if that makes it any better...

riding in the rain is quite an experience. I rather like it, but the bike will get really dirty.

Just do as you would in your car, slow down a bit and avoid ponding.

I keep an eye on the weather radar to make sure I only ride in dry weather, now. If you like riding in the rain, I highly recommend you purchase some rain gear.

:suspicious: you actually wear jeans when you ride? :nono:

One day I was at work and on that day I got off at 6pm, Of course at 5:59pm it started pouring and I had never rode in the rain. I stuck to the roads I was comfortable with and didn't get too far out of my comfort zone. Im not sure if this is smart or not but I usually alternate from wiping my visor to opening it. Since then i've rode in the rain a couple times if I cant avoid it but as long as you stay in your comfort zone you should be fine, but that's with anything.

but the bike will get really dirty.

Just do as you would in your car, slow down a bit and avoid ponding.





:thumbup:

Well it can be both really, depending on the rain. I shall elaborate for you.

With a light rain, and in the first few minutes of heavier rain as well, the road can get pretty slick. This is because that rain is bringing all the embedded oil in the road up to the surface. This is what really makes the road slick in rain. Now after a few minutes of heavy rain, or just a long day of rain, the road won't be so bad because the rain has washed away all that oil.

In my riding I have had no issues with moderate rain other then just being wet. The only times the rain has given me issues is when the wind is also blowing like mad. The only other thing to watch for is the lines they paint on the roads especially the big ones of crosswalks. For some reason those things get slick as ice almost when wet. I almost lost it one time turning into my apartment complex because of losing grip on a wet crosswalk line.

As long as you stay calm and just FEEL the bike, you will start to get used to rain and not even notice it after awhile. At least I don't notice it much anymore these days.

Some more info up in this thread (http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=11416).

It could have been bird pee if that makes it any better...

I hope not. I touched it with muh finger.

If you like riding in the rain, I highly recommend you purchase some rain gear.

I have an umbrella and a poncho, neither of which I trust to protect me on a bike. Is rain gear costly?

:suspicious: you actually wear jeans when you ride? :nono:

I'm so ashamed. Please don't beat me. :fear: I'm still gathering my gear.

dude, the rain will instantly kill you!!!!!
imagine a raindrop traveling at 9.8m/s plus the speed at which you are going.....
that raindrop will be a missile!!!
it will pierce right through your medulla oblongata rendering you useless for the rest of your natural born life

but if you act now, you can avoid such complications
with five easy payments of $99.99 for this fabulous total gym, made and endorsed by super tough, round-house your face to fitness guru, chuck fcukin norris









all jokes aside, i would avoid riding in the rain
i have been caught in such a situation wearing sneakers, jeans, and a jacket
coupled with a 15 mile ride home in 55* weather.......yup
my whole front side was soaked, back side was dry

dude, the rain will instantly kill you!!!!!

imagine a raindrop traveling at 9.8m/s plus the speed at which you are going.....
that raindrop will be a missile!!!

it will pierce right through your medulla oblongata

This is the post I'll show the wife when she finds my undies.

I figure if you fall from an airplane and smack the lake at terminal velocity, it's like hitting pavement. Logically, a raindrop falling from 25,000ft would have to be the equivalent of getting smacked in the face by a bridge at terminal velocity. No one has ever survived after being hit by a bridge falling at those speeds, thus it is a miracle I'm alive.

I sure hope she believes that...

hmmm... pics of your undies?? er, um... on second thought, never mind. :runaway:

hmmm... pics of your undies?? er, um... on second thought, never mind. :runaway:

wrap a hershey's bar with a pillow case and toss it in the microwave for 20 seconds. you get the idea.

:rotflmao:

wrap a hershey's bar with a pillow case and toss it in the microwave for 20 seconds. you get the idea.

with almonds?

hahahah i like this thread

Lucky you, Raleigh actually got some rain on me today (and some thunder too)! I rode in it for a little, and it wasn't quite so bad. The most irritating thing was the lens fog at stops. Or really, it wasn't even fog, it was just extreme condensation on the inside of the lens.

you mean the shield? If so, did you crack it open a bit to let the humidity out? that always helps a lot for me.

Yes, the shield. I'm used to paintball masks (though similar to MX goggles), so you'll have to excuse my incorrect terminology :o. But yes, I did that after I realized the fogging, so all is well!

with almonds?

Only for the added texture. I had beans and rice for lunch.

Get a Suomy, they won't fog :thumbup:

I totally thought it was rain....

The BEST ride I have ever had (in my admittedly short one year of riding) was a few weeks ago. It was about 70 degrees outside, around 7:30 when I went out, and it started to lightly mist about halfway in to my short 30 or so minute ride.

It was fantastic.

I also rode in some rain on the way home from work today. It had stopped raining by the time I left, but the roads were saturated. I simply avoided the puddles, slowed down a bit, and enjoyed another great almost deja vu like experience.

Both times I was on my wife's TU, so that certainly helped to take off any edge I may have otherwise had about slick roads.

I was unaware that the words "Best," "Ride" and "Rain" could be used in a sentence together without breaking some grammatical law.

Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead...

Oh - you liquidated her, eh?

I'm pretty sure you won't melt.

speaking of rain, it rained here last night and today. I just looked at the 10 day weather forecast and it says thunderstorms every single day, the forecast ends on next Sunday with more thunderstorms....wtf? Next friday might be just slightly cloudy, that's it. :(. I'd imagine you will be getting similar weather down there in nc, so be prepared, lol.

speaking of rain, it rained here last night and today. I just looked at the 10 day weather forecast and it says thunderstorms every single day, the forecast ends on next Sunday with more thunderstorms....wtf? Next friday might be just slightly cloudy, that's it. :(. I'd imagine you will be getting similar weather down there in nc, so be prepared, lol.

It's not looking very promising here...

I'm pretty sure you won't melt.

I'm not convinced...

I just looked at the 10 day weather forecast and it says thunderstorms every single day, the forecast ends on next Sunday with more thunderstorms....wtf?

Yup, I'm on the East Coast and see the same weather pattern bringing storms all week long. <sigh>

Glad I got to ride my bike every day this week. :D

A co-worker of mine asked why I won't ride in the rain. I replied that I'm too chicken.

When I was a kid I had no problem riding my bicycle in the rain. That was fun. Sure, I wiped out a few times. Usually slow speed turns. But, as a kid I was indestructible.

Maybe when I get more miles under my belt I'll be one of those bikers I see on rainy days, decked out in their rain gear, cruising down the road.

I try and watch the weather but sometimes you get caught in a stray shower and just grin and bear it. After the rain is over keep riding and you will soon air dry.

I've only been caught in the rain once and it was just a small shower with maybe a 2-3 minute downpour in the middle. My shift textile jacket kept me completely dry; as for my riding, I just took it nice and slow around turns, on straights I drove roughly 5mph slower than normal (so the speed limit :p) and never felt uneasy.

I've been soaked to the bone while riding, and even in the strongest downpours, it still beats sitting at home wishing you were riding. :)

I live in Vancouver BC where it rains on a daily basis. I rode on the street lots in the rain and raced a tremendous amount as well.

What is is that makes riding in the rain so scary? What do you think are the main things that you need to change in your riding in order to make it through a rain ride safe and sound?

Misti