The new poll asks, do you ride in the rain?

I do and in most cases enjoy it. Long tours and racing require an open mind to wet roads and rain in your face. I have all this gear to deal with all types of weather so I might as well use it.

Back when I was 16 I rode three weeks from Philadelphia to Nova Scotia and back. There were a number of days in the rain on that trip. That was when I learned my body loved riding in the rain. I later learned it maybe due to the negative ions in the air. I feel my breathing and respiratory system works better when riding in the rain. My body opens up and I can go deeper and recover quickly from hard efforts.

I’ve also crashed once or twice due to wet roads. I remember one case was rounding a corner in Baltimore and having my rear wheel slide-out from under me. The reason was water with oil mixed in lying on a wide painted strip in the road.

So riding in the rain does require a different mindset for safety. Mostly I worry more about being scene. The rain jacket I have is bright orange with reflective strips. I also use a blinking taillight in the rain as well and often a blinking headlight no matter the time of day. Motorists are not expecting cyclists on the road in the rain, make sure you can be seen.

I drop my tire pressure 5 to 10 pounds as wheel and have an old set of training wheels with special tires made for wet conditions.

I wear glasses, which in the rain can be a help and hindrance. It keeps the rain out of my eyes, but once they are covered with raindrops can be difficult to see through.

Group riding requires real dedication in the rain as the rooster tail sprays up when drafting. Your brakes also are slow to react and often double your stopping distance.

But if you plan on racing or doing long tours you should go out and ride, it’s part of your training. Races are rain or shine and if you have a week to cover 700 miles you cannot miss a day. You need to develop wet riding skills just the same as hill climbing.

Plus you might experience a memory that will last a lifetime as I did in the early 1990’s. Thundershowers were called for in the afternoon but the sun was still out. I headed out to get a fast 50 in as I had an important race coming up. The day changed in seconds from warm and sunny to windy, cold and thunderstorms. It happened so fast as I was riding up a hill the heavy rains came as a woman had walked not more then 100 feet from her front door to get her mail. We shared a laugh as we both got socking wet in seconds. I continued on my loop as I was of course at the halfway point as the rain turned to hail the size of large peas. Trust me they stung when they hit. Cars passed me and I could see people laughing at me. And then, I crested a hill in the Bucks County countryside. The sun started to break through the clouds. A beautiful rainbow linked the rolling hills. The rain still poured on me as a second rainbow appeared. Then the spectacular happed as a bolt of lightning shot through the center of the rainbows. The best natural light show I’ve ever seen and a day I’ll never forget. Just glad I wasn’t sitting on my sofa.