I should add that I recommend cycling with clear lens glasses- I use safety goggles myself- for cycling in the rain (and for gnats and bees as well as rocks and debris). You don’t need anything expensive. I get 10 pairs for <$50 and usually go through a pair or two per year. Being cheap you can reach up and wipe them if too many drops accumulate without worrying about scratches.
Another bike commuter here who rides in the rain. I won’t ride in the rain in the winter when the daylight hours are short, because my visibility to others is an issue (although with all the reflective crap I have on, I’m pretty hard to miss. On the other hand, drivers don’t seem to expect to see bikers in the winter.)
I don’t like riding in thunderstorms, but sometimes it happens.
I’m fortunate to have access to a dryer at work, so if I arrive truly soaked, I don’t have to deal with donning cold, wet gear for the ride home.
I got caught in the rain just yesterday. Weather.Com said a 10% chance of rain during that hour. Lucky me. It was a cold rain also and I wasn’t dressed for it.
The things I worry about while riding in the rain.
- My bike and chain are getting dirty.
- Regular rim brakes don’t work as well. Sure be nice when disc brakes make it to road bikes.
- Oils coming up off the road can make things slippery.
- Rain can wash debris into the road and water seems to make things stick to the tire until embedded into it. Thus more flat tires. I drove a SAG wagon on an organized ride last Saturday. It was raining and we had a lot of flat tires.
- Of course the visibility of motor vehicle drivers also out on the road. I have a bright rear blinky light plus pull off if visibility is significantly reduced.
My daughter loves to ride in the rain. During her racing days she did pretty well when it was raining. Many of the other racers wouldn’t train in the rain and didn’t corner as well.
Not on purpose.
I keep my bike really clean and avoid rain and / or mud whenever possible. Still happens once in a while.
Actually, the #1 thing that ends up getting all over my bike is goose poop!
I don’t mind it much except the streak of mud it makes on my back and once you’re soaked you can’t really stop anywhere and go in.
But I avoid wet weather because I don’t want my bike to get rusty.
I was hit by cars twice in one day, both times in the rain. I forgot that they’re too busy squinting through a rainy windshield to watch out for bikes.
I don’t go out riding in the rain, but if it starts raining while I’m riding I normally won’t cut it short. I tend to get more punctures in the rain, I’m not as visible, and the descents become particularly treacherous. I had my only semi-serious cycling accident last year trying to negotiate a long winding downhill road in the wet. I haven’t commuted for a long time but I’m more likely to stick out the rain for a cycling commute, if it’s a training ride I just put the bike on the indoor trainer and get my heart rate up with Coach Troy.
The third Dutch person checking in to say that I always cycle, no matter what the weather. Always baffles people in the UK when I rock up on my bike in the rain. But busses when it’s raining are far worse, they get all steamy and stinky, yuck! And driving just makes me grumpy and sleepy, and you still need to walk from where you parked.
For visibility my rain coat really helps. The hood is really good, it sticks out a little to keep the rain out of your eyes. And the sleeves close very well, so no water running down my sleeves. I’ve had it for about 10 years now and it’s as good as the day I bought it. It’s Henry Lloyd, if anyone is interested.
Braking stinks, lane lines are slippery, potholes are hidden by standing water, you’re less visible. Luckily, there’s a good, long trail right near my house. OTOH, I’ve gotten a bit soft in my old age & don’t like it as much as it means I’ll need to clean the bike later, but yeah, I’ll still do it.
A sometime bike commuter here who rides in the rain sometimes but prefers not to. But in the thread to mention that I regretted not riding in the rain the other week. I live and work just West of Chicago and the bad rains flooded out and closed many streets to cars. Some that were open had a bit of water to drive through at low spots and I’ve killed a car in the past in such circumstances. My normal 20 minute drive to work took close to 2 1/2 hours circling a long way round to find the isthmus that connected my office to the rest of the mainland. If I had ridden I could have just gotten off my bike and forded the flooded low spots. It would have been longer than my typical half hour bike ride, sure, but not as long as driving took. But I was wimpy and it was a bit cold for me to get that wet (baby that I am).