Iride01 

Overcast day today, but nice and warm 81°F. Got a rain shower for five maybe ten minutes midway on a 90 minute ride. It felt wonderful to have the cool rain falling on me. Hopefully cold days will be few or gone altogether for a while here.

Then I thought about my son and others near Denver where it was 6°F today. Oh well, I guess I won't be in a hurry to go visit and ride out there.

Troul 

was mid 50's yesterday with heavy rain & wind. Today is 19°F with some strong winds & random flakes from the sky.

At least a few more weeks of indoor riding is in the forecast before gearing up for going outside.

808HIcycler

I loved riding in the rain when I was stationed in Guam. I would ride once the sun went down in the evenings and the random showers were such a refreshment.

eduskator

Luck you! Our January average here was -5F to -10F and February hasn't been much warmer I miss my bike really much.

Seattle Forrest

If you think riding your bike outside in the rain is some kind of flex, you need to raise your standards in life.

Carbonfiberboy 

I think it's wonderful to promote rain riding. More people should do it. I remember the first time I was caught out in a brief hard rain, totally unprepared. I didn't know what else to do, so I just rode right into it. I was shocked to discover it was no big deal. Yeah, you get wet. Wet is not a bad thing. Cold would be a bad think if you didn't know how to dress for it. But riding along in the rain at any temperature above 40°, I'm encapsulated in my gear and having a great time. I still get wet, a warm wet, and I very much enjoy it. It's more fun that soaking my kit in sweat on a hot day.

Seattle Forrest

Sort of like brushing one's teeth, everybody should ride in the rain but it isn't anything to brag about.

indyfabz

Try riding with cold rain blowing at you all day for three straight days.

Just don’t use the circulars to line your leg warmers.

Iride01 

I'll stick to an enjoyable somewhat warm rain shower. I have ridden century rides that were virtually all rain. Slogging away with my shoes full of water. Luckily not cold temps to require newspaper as insulation. Does newspaper work well at all when wet?

I shy away from riding when it's really cold. The fact I was able to enjoy the shower yesterday reflects my joy that the weather is finally warming up more than it's getting cold. Though today, the brief showers are very cold and the temps have dropped about 30° from yesterday to currently 52°F. I'm not riding today.

Tomorrow is supposed to be back up there in the 76°F area. So hopefully any rain I encounter will be somewhat warmer rain again.

Psimet2001 

I don't enjoy the process of going from being dry to being soaked but once that process is done I have no problems riding in the rain. Especially if it's hot out but around here that doesn't happen often it's usually in the 50's or 60's which will strip your will to live unless you have the gear on.

...and yeah with our current weather I can only wish I was riding in rain in the 80's

rsbob 

Exactly. Like the time I rode the Seattle to Portland 200 miler in one day and got rained on for the last 150 miles. It was such a pure joy. Not bragging about how joyous it was having the backsplash running down my back into my totally sogged out shorts and squishing shoes. It was so special. Now when it’s raining, I just run out to ride because it’s so much fun cleaning the bike too. So many upsides - at least I never get too hot.

indyfabz

It did not under those conditions, but I had to try something. I drove to Warren, OH for a tour home to Philly. When I left home in the morning the forecast was for possible showers the next day and then pretty decent after that. That changed drastically over the next several hours. The next morning it was already raining when I dropped off the rental car at the airport. The night before I realized that I had forgotten to pack my rain pants. Not long into riding I realized that my rain jacket had lost its waterproofness. It literally rained on me to one degree or another every minute I was riding. A guy at the restaurant where I stopped for lunch on the first day told me some areas could get 20" of rain over 3 days.

The photo was taken in a Motel 6 at the end of the second day. When I pulled down my leg warmers I first thought my legs were bruised. The next morning I nearly crashed and fell in front of a car after riding through a puddle that turned out to be a huge pothole. I bounced so hard my butt lifted off the seat and one had came off the brake hood. I still don't know how I managed to right myself. Later that morning there was about two inches of water running down the side of the road as I was riding up and down the non-stop hills. When I got to the next big town I got another motel room and called a friend. The next day he drove 5 hrs. to pick me up and another 4.5 hrs. back to his country house. It rained much of the drive back. The morning after that we drove back to Philly. Now THAT is a friend.

I did use newspaper successfully while descending Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park. A ranger invited me into the break room at the pass to get warmed up by the fire and offered me some newspaper. I lined the inside of my jersey and leg warmers, but it was not raining super hard, and my jacket worked that time.

SoSmellyAir

In 5 years of road cycling, I have only been caught out in light rain once, the kind where there is still sunshine in nearby zip codes. The misting effect was nice and I did not get soaked.

My bike may be too optimized for dry weather, with a waxed chain and (soon to be installed) carbon wheels under rim brakes.

Kabuki12

I live in Southern California so I really don’t worry about riding in the rain but I have been caught a few times. In the late seventies and early eighties my wife and I did not drive cars. We lived on a sailboat and rode bikes for transportation. If it was raining too hard then friends would give us a ride but that rarely happened. We had good foul weather gear and rode through most weather.

Litespud

I love riding in the rain (warm rain!) - the only downside is that the drivers tend to get a little squirrely - I think some of them low-grade panic in anything but perfect driving conditions

rumrunn6

ah summer rain, what a distant memory

David in Maine

I rode a 300k Brevet here in Maine last spring. The forecast called for 50 degrees F and light rain so I dressed accordingly. (Stupid) Actual temperature was 42 degrees and heavy rain for the last 80 miles. That was NOT fun! Especially after the sun set and I was constantly blinded by headlights on my wet glasses. I shivered for and hour and a half after the ride was completed.

David

jpx313

Any day riding is a good day!

Nachoman

Rule #9: If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.