[Red Sox Junkie]

Went out for a ride on Sunday thinking it was going to be a nice day. The forcast was for temperatures to hit 75 degrees with a slight chance of some rain. I went out early so it was bit chilly, maybe mid 50's. I was riding with a buddy who was new to the sport and had just recently bought a mountain bike so I took my 15 year old rigid rockhopper out for the first time in a long time. I decided not to wear arm warmers under my jacket and no knee warmers. Long story short it started to pour and the temps didn't budge. An hour and a half ride turned into a 3 hour epic ride on mostly dirt roads with some big hills. I was freezing cold and soaking wet and the only thought that was going through my head was that I should do this more often! I had a blast. By the end of the ride I looked like I had just ridden Paris-Roubaix, just caked with mud and grime and wet and cold to the core. I don't think I would have liked it as much on the road, but the combination of dirt roads, big hills, and the mud did it for me. Anyone else love riding when it's crappy???

 

[Doctor Who]

It depends.

Like, right now, it's pouring rain outside and I'm about to get off of work. Without a doubt, the team group ride is cancelled, but I have such a yearning to go riding that I'll probably suit up and do a quick blast to freshen up the legs. Other times, I don't even want to bother with it and I pull the rollers and trainer out and zone out to a TdF DVD.

 

[bikeboy389]

I don't like to go out if it's raining while I'm getting dressed to ride, but if I can get my hands on the bike before it starts to come down, I'll still go.

There is definitely something about that "I can't get any wetter, so I might as well stay out," feeling. For me, it reminds me of my bike messenger days. After a day like that, you feel like a superhero because you know that the vast majority of the populace would have given up after 20 minutes of what you did all day long. I'm not man enough to go riding in downtown traffic in freezing rain or mucky snow anymore, but suburban rain on a 50+ degree day? As long as I'm dressed for it, it's kind of fun.

 

[Keeping up with Junior]

*S*N*O*W* = epic

...3 hour epic ride...
...Anyone else love riding when it's crappy???

Usually will not start if it is too bad but once out if I get caught it actually focuses my riding. Winter training is not complete unless I get caught out in the snow at least once. I do like to be properly dressed and warm though.

Two years ago was almost a perfect winter ride. Two hours at just about freezing. Went out into the wind alone, everyone else whimped out because they thought it would snow. I figured I could head out and turn around once it started snowing and beat it home. Well as I made my turn around the big, heavy, wet flakes started to fall. Within 15 minutes I had a nice layer accumulated on my forearms but the roads were still very rideable with just a little bit of wet. A half hour from home the snow was starting to stick to the roads and the last 20 minutes of the ride was through a slushy, soupy mess that covered my tires and gunked up my derailer so I could no longer shift. Looked like Andy at the Giro when I got home. The only thing that spoiled it was my wife ringing my cell phone every 5 minutes to tell me it was snowing. I don't answer my phone when I ride but got a tongue lashing from her when I got home.

This winter I introduced my son to the epic ride. Not quite as good as the prior year but still big, fluffy flakes that made a nice layer on our arms. He whined the whole 30 minutes it snowed but still sat up front and blocked the wind for me. Afterwards he was bragging to anyone who would listen how tough he was and how he was ready for Roubaix. I think he is hooked.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

 

[CC09]

It has rained at each of our collegiate races in the last 3 weekends, at least for part of 1 race. I sort of enjoy crits or road races in the rain, you just feel *hardcore* or whatever. You get super wet and its rather dangerous but its a lot of fun and some cool pictures come out of it where your face is soaked, covered in mucus and saliva, etc...

I do not like the 6 hr car rides post race, when wet, post race bike smells seem to be amplified at least 10X.

 

[sol 518]

some of my best rides have been when I've gotten caught in the rain. Once you're wet it's easy to stay out. However I have a real hard time motivating to go out if it's already raining.

 

[Bocephus Jones II]

Anyone else love riding when it's crappy???

no............

 

[thinkcooper]

Yep. I've got fenders on my cross. I dig riding in the rain, and roads closed with mudslides. Good thing, cause we've had lots of both.

 

[marco louie]

I loved riding in wet cold crappy weather when I lived in New England. Now that I'm in California I have to settle for wet and crappy.

...Go Red Sox!

 

[jeff262]

Sometimes the crazy wet cold rides are better afterwards when sipping that warm coffee, or cold beer.

Last weekend I went into the local mountains here in Southern California as I really wanted to get some climbing in. I had watched the forecast and figured I would be okay. The day was very overcast, but I managed to climb above it all at about 7k'. I hit the summit in sunny but cold 37 degrees. The trouble started on the way down. As I descended I got that pit in my stomach as I saw the clouds getting thicker and before I knew it I was in very thick mountain fog. It was wet and cold, but that was the good part. There I was on twisty mountain roads in terrible visibility dodging traffic. I stayed far over to the side and that resulted in the inevitable flats...TWO...one for each tire! The second flat I had to patch. There I was cold and damp patching a tire with fingers that hardly worked. Of course its this kind of stuff that makes for epic rides. The day's total was 2 flats, 101 miles ,10,300 feet and one good story.

 

[wasfast]

I probably depends on how often this happens to you and where you live. I'm in the pacific Northwest where it's wet and cold for 6 months of the year. I ride 4 days a week, year round. About 3 weeks ago, I was so sick of being cold and wet that I nearly quit riding all together (seriously). A few nice days and getting to ride the dry bike (15.5 lbs) instead of the rain ike (24 lbs with fenders) made a big difference. I truly wish I lived in a sunnier climate but that's never going to happen, at least until I retire.

 

[Blue Sugar]

I love Laughter in the Rain!

Walking hand-in-hand with the one I love!

 

[rule]

The most fun that I have had on a ride this year was last week on an inbound commute during flash flood conditions. Fenders, disc brakes and decent rain gear and it's all good brother.

 

[chuckice]

i've had some of the most fun rides in the rain and been hurt badly several times because of the rain...i don't do it anymore.

 

[jgrantv10]

Yeah, I'm with ya,

Did a 300k brevet a few weeks ago that saw downpours for the first 1.5 hours. Tons of fun riding in a pace line as dawn breaks with rooster tails flying and spitting out mouthfuls of mud. It rained so much here in NorCal this year that you either built up a healthy love of bad weather or spent 4 months on your trainer. That's a lot of DVDs.

 

[gotmilk?]

The crud just makes it interesting...

The rain never keeps me from the commute. There is always rain appropriate gear in my bag so I'm rarely taken by surprise. Sometimes rain is a welcome thing on a hot day.
In the winter the knobbies go on and the snow is fun to play in even if the braking gets a bit dodgey. The temperature is never a deal breaker.
I admit I'm not real comfortable on the road bike when the conditions are greasy.
By the way, do those of you who ride studded tires in the winter like them? Do they grip well? Any brand suggestions?