freckles

i've been a fair weather bicycle commuter for the last several years, which is most of the year considering the record droughts in los angeles for many years.

on the few occasional rains, i either elected to walk or drove(last resort) since my last bike's brakes did NOTHING close to braking on the one occasion i was running errands during a tiny sprinkle.... i think i fred flintstones stopped and jumped off.

plus the one time, a long time ago going to college, downhill in the rain when a car pulled out without looking and i slammed on my brakes while steering away from the car, fell off and skidded further into the road, skinning my whole left side, ptsd/fun times.

but with my oma oh my god, i rode in the rain again after such a long while and it was brilliant sweet cool breeze, light to moderate rain and glorious braking!!!!

don't know about a total downpour now but in the light rain, it was totally sweet!

Skipjacks

Disc brakes. They are a game changer in the rain and mud. They work just as well wet.

I thought they were a novelty when I bought my latest ride. The first rain ride I had....holy smoke. It's not a gimmick. Disc brakes over rim brakes in the rain no contest.

Harhir

I have mid 80s Gazelle of the exact same style with coaster brakes. These brakes always work. No matter on how wet it is. However I need to overhaul the coaster brake on mine since it seems to be all gued up. I think it never got serviced in the past 30 years. These bikes are sturdy. Great for running errands around town.

Stadjer

Drum brakes probably, on an Azor Oma.

caloso

Congrats. Just be aware that with the first rain after a long dry spell: 1) the oil and other liquids that leak from cars seeps up to the surface and can make the road super slick; 2) drivers absolutely lose their minds and forget everything they knew about driving in the rain from last winter.

sweeks

As reliable as coaster brakes are, they are limited to the rear wheel. A front brake is more effective owing to weight transfer to the front during hard braking. It's good to have both!
Steve

Harhir

I know. The bike I have has front rim brakes and rear coaster brakes. I would not want a bike with one set of brakes only.

wernst

Cool-Stop Salmon pads are amazingly good in the rain. Not as great as disks, sure, but a dramatic improvement over anything else. Every wet-weather commuter with rim brakes should have them.

Abe_Froman

Phase 1 is riding

Phase 2) riding in the rain.

Phase 3) Snow

Phase 4) Snow and below zero F temps.

You're moving up

edit: you probably don't get much phase 3 or 4 in Cali. Perhaps we can substitute mudslides or wildfires for you?

banerjek

I've never quite understood the aversion so many people have to riding in the rain. It's not like they're afraid of taking a shower. Well, not the vast majority anyway

Hatchet

Congrats on the fun time riding in the rain. As Alfred Wainwright said: “There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.”

freckles

yup, they're on my old english steel but still ended up not really stopping, could be dirty rims and slick road... was just starting to sprinkle. fellow cyclist recommended to "pump" the brakes to throw off water but by then, i was too skittish to try it again.

its back to being warm dry and sunny again, in january.

but it was such a cool feeling to ride in the rain, passing people trapped in their cars, totally like being a kid again

"baptismal" is how a bike obsessed co worker describes feeling when riding in the rain.

anyways, just wanted to share

Gresp15C

Old enough to have steel rims? There's a marked difference between steel and aluminum rims in wet weather.

52telecaster

steel rims are pretty much impossible when its wet with caliper brakes. good aluminum rims and any decent brake pad are quite effective in the rain. this year i have been humbled a bit by the snow. it seems that deep snow makes my cantis fairly lame. gotta work them really hard once snow builds up. of course i am not going real fast by then either.

btw, any riding anywhere is cool as hell!