La Vie Velominatus: The Rain Bike

In our privileged stables of bikes, it ranks towards the bottom of the heap as Bike #2 or lower, but the Rain Bike is no slouch. This is, after all, the bike we rely on in bad weather, trusting it to carry us safely through what typically amounts to the most dangerous conditions we ride in. Provided you ride year-round, you likely ride this machine more often than your Number One – assuming you live in an environment that isn’t a tropical island (I’m looking at you @gianni) or classified as a desert. It follows, then, that this is a machine to be curated with great care and several factors should be kept in mind when selecting the machine for this wet and dirty work.

The first consideration is the material. I hope I’m not spoiling anyone’s fantasy by pointing out that rain isn’t actually made of the sweat falling from Merckx’s guns as he pedals high up on Mount Velomis; it is mostly water, mixed with some acids and other crap. Rain water can cause certain kinds of materials to become compromised in one way or another. Steel, for example, is particularly prone to this through rusting. Calfee’s bamboo frames might be susceptible to becoming soggy – I’m not sure. For a bike which is to be ridden primarily in wet conditions, choose a durable, non-corrosive material like titanium, aluminum or carbon.

The second consideration is the components. Here’s the other news flash about riding in the rain: the roads are less pristine than they are in the dry. Road grit gets in your drivetrain and on on your rims, acting like coarse sandpaper to accelerate wear. Since you’ll be replacing some parts more often than on a bike ridden in the dry, this is a bike for which to get economical about gear selection; you aren’t going to want to replace your full titanium Super-Record cassette and chain after it wears out in 1/3 the time. The shifters, brakes, crankset, and derailleurs don’t have to be greatly affected provided you maintain the bike in the style of a velominatus, but the wheels, bottom bracket, derailleur pulleys, chain, cassette and freehub will certainly feel the strain. Anything that moves, has a bearing, or lets water in is a candidate for accelerated wear.

Third, this has to be a bike you’re going to love riding, not some beater that gets abused and you tolerate throwing your leg over. As much as riding in Rule #9 conditions is badass and an invigorating experience, it does get a bit tiresome when you ride in the rain every day from October to March (or May, for you Pacific-Northwesterners). If your position isn’t right and if the bike isn’t a pleasure to ride, it’s not going to make getting cold and wet any more enjoyable.

Lastly, this bike will be taking abuse, so remember that your safety is entrusted to this machine in conditions when visibility is low, stopping distances increased, and road surfaces slick. Maintain this bike more diligently than any other machine; check the brake pads and rims for dangerous wear, check the metal bits for rust and cracks, and keep a close eye on the chain and cables. Resist the temptation to spray it down with the garden hose as the pressure can lodge the grit deeper into bearings and other nooks and crannies on the bike. After each ride, clean the braking surfaces carefully, wipe the chain down (or, better yet, use a Cyclone with soapy water to get the grit out from in between the links) and always use a wax-based lubricant to keep the dirt from sticking to it more than with traditional oil-based lubes.

But most of all, remember that the best kind of ride is the one you’ll be able to do again; stay safe and ride carefully. Vive la Vie Velominatus.

[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/[email protected]/LVV Rain Bike/”/]

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290 Replies to “La Vie Velominatus: The Rain Bike”

  1. @wiscot

    @Bianchi Denti

    @the Engine@RedRanger@the Engine@RedRanger@the Engine  I just use paper towel and simple green.  Same thing I use on my shoes.I have been asleep for five million years and know not of this “green” of which you speak.Oh – you mean washing up liquid?http://www.simplegreen.com/It's an eco friendly de greaser.Only available to Former Colonials and Dominion residents as far as I can tell – is there a Scottish equivalent?Irn Bru.

    Remember though, Irn Bru’s made from girders.

    All part of the Scottish training diet

  2. @mcsqueak Exactly. It doesn’t matter what material your frame is made of you’ll never be exempt from rain maintenance, and the intervals between such maintenance don’t magically increase just because your frame is made of plastic/aluminium/titanium.

  3. Damn, I want a new carbon bike so I can relegate the Merckx to (fucking awesome) rain bike status!

    @Oli

    Agree totally on the wax lube, it’s useless in wet conditions and not much better in the dry. Use a thicker wet lube like Pedros Syn Lube, and if you really wanna keep the water out, smear a thin layer of grease after lubing. An old trick used for Karapoti (a notoriously wet, muddy, drivetrain-grinding mtb race) I believe…

  4. Actually, now I’m thinking about it, is the whole concept of a rain bike a bit naff? I mean, do we have a ‘rain car’? A bit like the concept of ‘training bikes’ too, why even have a nice bike if you’re hardly going to ride it? “Oh, it’s my race bike…” Ok, you’re racing the local club B grade, but fair enough. Bit like buying a new leather lounge then leaving the plastic on it… “Check out that leather, plush eh?” “Feels a bit plasticky actually…”

  5. The real problem with a rain (winter) bike is that it means the components on your “good” bike last for ever, thus making it difficult to justify investment in “upgrades”.

  6. @brett

    My number #1 serves as my rain bike as well, and I see the main benefit to having two bikes would be saving yourself cleaning maintenance on the #1 bike, which would stay much cleaner if it was only used in dry conditions.

    If I had a dedicated rain bike, it would be one I didn’t care about as much, wouldn’t fuss over the paint job staying as nice, and would probably just hose it off and lube it a bit and be done with it.

    With my #1 bike, riding in the rain means some serious cleaning time to keep it in really good condition. Sometimes just a bit of rain won’t get it dirty (like last week), but other times with all the leaves and crap on the ground it gets pretty messed up and needs a good going-over to get really clean and stay in good working condition.

  7. @Oli

    Great article, but I dispute the bias against steel frames, the use of wax chain lube and the non-use of mudguards. Apart from that it’s all good.

    Certainly you can mitigate the risk – frame saver, wax, oil are all good options, but the fact is that steel is more likely to corrode and alu, ti, and carbon are a more worry-free and hassle-free solution.

    Ultimately, you should decide for yourself if the extra hassle/risk is worth the better ride quality of the steel (the Soloist is surprisingly comfy, but there is no subtlety to the ride quality!)

    FYI, I’ve had the dubious pleasure of having to remove bottom brackets from both titanium and aluminium bikes that have corroded so solidly into the frames they need destroying to extricate – it’s a complete myth that steel bikes are any worse for wet riding.

    My early 90’s BB had to be cut out of my TSX for the same reason. If you don’t maintain your shit, it will always go bad!

  8. @brett

    Actually, now I’m thinking about it, is the whole concept of a rain bike a bit naff? I mean, do we have a ‘rain car’? A bit like the concept of ‘training bikes’ too, why even have a nice bike if you’re hardly going to ride it? “Oh, it’s my race bike…” Ok, you’re racing the local club B grade, but fair enough. Bit like buying a new leather lounge then leaving the plastic on it… “Check out that leather, plush eh?” “Feels a bit plasticky actually…”

    Its about limiting wear on the good stuff much more than being a massive gear douche…

  9. Catching up sporadically…

    White Lightening has been working really, really, really well for me. I would wager that I rode kilometers in more shit weather than just about anyone last winter prep’ing for Keepers Tour, and it absolutely worked wonders. The drivetrain has stayed really clean with very little wear.

    That said, I’m applying it for every single ride because it does not last long at all.

    And, all my other bikes get a good oil-based lube…

  10. And for mudguards – then I’m back to work – absolutely agree that’s a bullshit claim. A joke, really. But I never ride with them; I love the spray from the road and full commitment to the deluge. Its a totemistic thing. Like a band manager carrying a cricket bat around on tour.

  11. I’m looking for photos of bikes with mudguards. Here’s one:

    Oh, wait, no…no mudguards.

    Let me try this one…

    Nope. Dangit. How about this?

    Nope.

    This?

    Weird. No again.

    This?

    WTF Leggings, but no fucking mudguards.

    None there, either. That’s sorted. Next topic.

  12. All this talk about steel frames in the wet, etc., makes me wonder if there’s something proactive I should be doing to my Raleigh Super Corse project’s frame before I build it back up again… Is there an easy (or relatively easy) fix I can do to aid in the prevention of rust?

  13. Now that I think of it, Frank, I understand your position.  Get in front, stay in front, and don’t give a shit about mud guards.

    I’m going to have to work on that.

  14. @frank

    That first one is an amazing shot. The last one is a V and VV shot. The rest are all very Rule #9. I’m still putting fenders on my commuter bike.

    Yes, I know … this makes me a pussy.

  15. @Xyverz

    Shoot it full of JP Weigles Frame Saver.  If it gets wet take out the seatpost and hang it upside down to let the stuff drip out.  Don’t keep it in a damp place — water can get in the innards by condensation too.

  16. @frank jeez, we get a fair bit of rain round here, makes @morten okbo‘s 140 days seem quite arid but the roads manage to stay fairly clean. Bit of shit where the tractors come in out of fields but you’d have to go off road or down the river to get that much crap on your bike.  Still, it doesn’t seem to matter how much debris there is it still takes a while to get it all pristine again.

    As for fenders, you’ve clearly been looking in the wrong place. How about this fine looking thing:

    or this one:

    not quite so neat but it’ll still keep your skinny jeans dry:

    Bit of epms porn:

    and something for the velominatus budgetatus:

  17. @itburns

    @Jamie

    What group do you ride with in the PNW in the winter that lets you go without?

    This is one of those groups

    +1. Most most of the Greats, I train alone in winter.

    @mcsqueak

    The most annoying thing is when your brake calipers get all leaf-jizzed up, and you’re subjected to an endless ssssssSSSssssssSSSSssssSSSS noise as you pedal, until it finally drives you crazy enough that you stop, clean them out, only to have them clog again a few k’s down the road.

    Like this year, when every leaf in Seattle decided to simultaneously fall from their tree. Here’s a tip for next time that happens to you. Lay down more V and it will clean itself out.

  18. @frank

    Dude: you know I love you, but you’re none of these guys.

    @brett

    I appreciate the notion of a rain bike as a means of justifying n + 1 to yourself or (more likely) to your significant other, but beyond that you’re absolutely correct. I also don’t buy the “preservation of the good bike/components” argument. Bike #1 is also my rain bike, snow bike, winter bike, you name it bike. Lots of Rule #11 irreverence that probably needs justifying there, but I also like to think that I tend to it much more carefully as a result. If it’s not happy, I’m not riding. That means the clean after each ride is a pivotal part of the ritual. The bike can get dirty””that’s not what makes it fall apart””but it can’t stay dirty.

    @mcsqueak

    Stop?? See Rule V. I just bend down and light squeeze on the wheel with thumb and forefinger to remove while still rolling. Front and back. Best not to do this through intersections.

  19. @brett

    Agree totally on the wax lube, it’s useless in wet conditions and not much better in the dry. Use a thicker wet lube like Pedros Syn Lube, and if you really wanna keep the water out, smear a thin layer of grease after lubing. An old trick used for Karapoti (a notoriously wet, muddy, drivetrain-grinding mtb race) I believe…

    That’s a legendary old trick used during wet cobbled classics. But you’re not trying to keep the water out; you’re keeping the sand and grit off; its the sand and grit that really cause the wear.

    It all comes down to how much more wear the bike undergoes riding through the rain. In the fall, my Ksyriums were in fine order; now the rims have to be replaced. Not all from one winter, but the hard braking on steep hills in the rain certainly took a heavy toll.

    Next year, I’ll be riding standard wheels with rims that can be more easily replaced…

  20. @mcsqueak

    @brett

    My number #1 serves as my rain bike as well, and I see the main benefit to having two bikes would be saving yourself cleaning maintenance on the #1 bike, which would stay much cleaner if it was only used in dry conditions.

    If I had a dedicated rain bike, it would be one I didn’t care about as much, wouldn’t fuss over the paint job staying as nice, and would probably just hose it off and lube it a bit and be done with it.

    With my #1 bike, riding in the rain means some serious cleaning time to keep it in really good condition. Sometimes just a bit of rain won’t get it dirty (like last week), but other times with all the leaves and crap on the ground it gets pretty messed up and needs a good going-over to get really clean and stay in good working condition.

    And the Squeaker gets an “A” for reading comprehension! Well done, my son!

    In my best Jon Stuart falsetto: *nailed it*

  21. @Xyverz

    All this talk about steel frames in the wet, etc., makes me wonder if there’s something proactive I should be doing to my Raleigh Super Corse project’s frame before I build it back up again… Is there an easy (or relatively easy) fix I can do to aid in the prevention of rust?

    Frame saver is the biggest thing – lines the inside and keeps the rust from starting. In fact, I’m given to understand it deactivates existing rust, if such a thing is possible.

    Then watch the frame’s outside for chipping etc to make sure there’s no bare metal showing. If it is, nail polish will serve in a pinch to cover it back up. Like has been discussed already, steel is manageable as a wet bike, but it will take more care.

  22. @frank I do believe all those photos are races, in which case – I agree racing in Rule #9 conditions fenders are definitely not appropriate, however I would say that my group training rides in the winter in the PNW without fenders will get me punished – and whilst I’d like to sit on the front and not give a f**k – most of the guys I attempt to ride with are all Cat1& 2 so the chances are slim to none of me staying on the front for long…

  23. @Chris

    Were you able to find the matching skinny jeans that belonged to those?

    @Gerard

    @frank I do believe all those photos are races, in which case – I agree racing in Rule #9 conditions fenders are definitely not appropriate, however I would say that my group training rides in the winter in the PNW without fenders will get me punished – and whilst I’d like to sit on the front and not give a f**k – most of the guys I attempt to ride with are all Cat1& 2 so the chances are slim to none of me staying on the front for long…

    That lantern next to your name emphasizes that point nicely.

  24. @frank

    @Chris

    Were you able to find the matching skinny jeans that belonged to those?

    No. It was bad enough looking at the bikes. Still, not quite as bad as searching for “vintage steel frame” on ebay and seeing classic old road bikes being advertised as a perfect for a fixie conversion.

  25. @Xyverz

    All this talk about steel frames in the wet, etc., makes me wonder if there’s something proactive I should be doing to my Raleigh Super Corse project’s frame before I build it back up again… Is there an easy (or relatively easy) fix I can do to aid in the prevention of rust?

    Do not worry about rust eating up your bike frame. Steel bikes are designed for riding in the rain. Eddy road his steel in the rain and snow. I want no other than No.1 in the rain. You just need to love your bike enough to work the necessary duties after you come in out of the rain. Wipe it, clean it, grease it. And each year or every so often take the seat post out and reinstall with grease. Check bearings, etc. My point is love the bike, love the rain, and don’t deprive No.1 of those incredible days of suffering in the rain. Rain can feel shitty at times. No need to feel like you are riding a shitty bike as well.

  26. @Xyverz @frank Yes! Frame Saver (thanx Frank) and touch up auto paint. Going over the bike after a rain ride keeps things in check — what’s intimately going on with No.1

  27. @Chris aaaaarrrrrrgghhhh no!

    Fenders. Never. Our small town club has a rule of no fenders on group rides. it is all about the spray. Mud, water, grit, snow, ice, rocks, glass, metel shavings from the snow plows….all the mask of a Hard Man.

  28. @Steampunk Amen! Hell Yeaauh! No.1 goes out in all weather. Imagine a wry smile also on No.1 when bad weather tries to push the “two of you” back indoors. No.1 just emits “Fuck…”

  29. @frank Agreed. Know how to limit the wear and get every “kilometer” from the component. Then replace, and repeat.

  30. @frank Glad (really) to see you are putting the 5-arm cranks to good service. And always Reverence to 102mm square taper spindle BBs — just to hold that part…

  31. I didn’t used to think fenders were worth it, but one day I was given a pair of race blades so just decided to start using them. To be honest I didn’t fully appreciate their utility until one day I went on a ride without them and noticed how wet, cold, and generally disgusting my butt felt. Since then my I’ve been a convert, at least on wet winter rides. Also, both the bike and your shorts stay a lot cleaner.

  32. @brett

    You’ve done your fair share of plus one enabling over the years, don’t start getting all high and mighty now. You don’t really NEED a mountain bike do you, or a tricross, or a coffee bike,  G’Phant doesn’t need his helmet mirror, and as for that shitty light you told me to buy… 

  33. I built up a rain bike a few years ago – kitted out a steel frame with some shiny gadgets and gizmos. How much do I ride her? NEVER. For while I tried to sell her to a deserving home, no one wanted her – nobody understood the concept of a steel frame with carbon cranks. I couldn’t bring myself to part with that part of me that went into building her up. And then it hit me, my #1 is just like my VMH – bike #1 so fulfils me I can’t ride another. I just can’t. In the same way my wife fulfils all of my needs in a partner, so does bike 1 in my needs for a ride (no pun intended). Bike #2 is like Angelina Jolie to me a piece of art to admire and covet, but that’s it.

    So I ride bike 1 in rain, hail, sun, wind and I would in snow but it doesn’t exist in Western Australia. Bike #2 adorns the garage wall at home, people admire it and some actually appreciate it, but she just can’t hack it in the real cycling world, well not to me anyway.

    I’l try to upload a picture of the rain bike – excuse the rule  breaches, it pre-dates my Velominati awakening.

    Oh and mudguards/fenders? Over my dead body will they EVER go on my bike, one or two. I’d rather ride alone than in a group that enforce them.

  34. I love all this banter of the pros and cons of #1 vs #2 bike… For those lucky enough to have a #2 bike they want to ride as much as #1 I say maybe there should be a #3 for hot days or wednesdays or whatever day is deemed not rIght for #1. I prefer to ride my  #1 (the only road bike in my garage) in all weather. I keep it clean and maintained and if something wears out its a good reason to upgrade. I will say that being from Texas riding in the rain usually means that you are  caught out in a storm  that produces  high winds, several inches of rain per hour and proba le hail that would strip the paint off your trusty steed. Keep bring the reasons for N+1… Its all about the bike!

  35. @frank

    I’m looking for photos of bikes with mudguards. Here’s one:

    Oh, wait, no…no mudguards.

    Let me try this one…

    Nope. Dangit. How about this?

    Nope.

    This?

    Weird. No again.

    This?

    WTF Leggings, but no fucking mudguards.

    None there, either. That’s sorted. Next topic.

    this made me pi$$ myself laughing at work …..damn i hate when ppl look at u awkwardly (well…more than usual) ….

  36. @brett

    @minion

    Do I know you?

    FIX MY LIGHT YOU CUNZOR

    Nah kidding it’s not broken. It is fucked, but not broken.  But you’re the biggest bike fashion victim here – and you’re against the idea of a rain bike? How long do you hold onto MTBs before you shift em on? 

    I have a rain bike that weights a good 3kg more than my #1. To me it feels wrong to ride #1 between April and August, mostly cos #2 has lights, EPMS, spares all ready to go, and if I’m riding round in the dark (which I am) the heavier wheels don’t care if I hit stuff as much. When the winter clothing starts to be left at home, #1 comes back out. That and I like screwing around with bikes, so having 2 means I’m having twice as much fun. 

  37. @minion

    Have we met?

    My current mtb is going on 2 years old now.

    Not against the idea of rain bikes at all, but would rather not mollycoddle a No.1, especially if it’s carbon or alloy. I guess this is my rain bike, although I only really ride it twice a week for about 15 minutes each time. I’d rather enjoy a longer ride on a bike that works well and isn’t a compromise. If the rain bike is not a compromise, then you’ve spent too much money on getting it close to No.1, which kinda defeats the purpose.

  38. Yeah, given the choice – an aluminum, titanium, or hell – even carbon – might be the choice for the rain bike.  Even so, steel bikes hold up fine.  My rain rig is a 1997 Ibis Hakkalugi ‘cross bike and after 15 years, still rolling strong.  Steel frame and fork – as nature and Grant Petersen intended…

    Training rides may be semi-entertaining without fenders.  Commuting without ’em gets old really fast – bike, ass, and messenger bag coated with wet, nasty, road grit – upon arrival at work.  Much joy and suffering to the horror of co-workers, who already think you’re insane.

    No thanks kids.  I’ll break a few rules and run fenders in the rain.  Be the Fred,  Embrace the Fred…

  39. Timely, Frank.  My S1 went from #2/Rain Bike status to #1 with the death of the Look 595.  I got the S1 for the same reasons you describe:  bombproof, weatherproof, and cheap.  Mine’s got Shimano 105-5700.  Black.  Easton Vista SL wheels.  Conti UltraRace tires (23’s), and some weird-as-shit bar made by Control Tech that screams, “Fuck if you will get in the drops on these bars.”  Totally V-shaped.  Got the bike on e-Bay for $1100 US.  Spent about $300 to change out 175 compact for 172.5 53×39, cables and housing, Fizik bar tape (black), chain, and cassette.  FYI, I’ve got a part-time gig at my big box LBS, so I ain’t payin’ full retail.  Gives me the opportunity to buy more with less. 

    I like the bike.  We’re still dating.  Not in love, but quite comfortable.  However, I will relegate her as soon as the next bike pornstar arrives and gives me wicked carbone.

  40. @brett

    @minion

    Have we met?

    My current mtb is going on 2 years old now.

    Not against the idea of rain bikes at all, but would rather not mollycoddle a No.1, especially if it’s carbon or alloy. I guess this is my rain bike, although I only really ride it twice a week for about 15 minutes each time. I’d rather enjoy a longer ride on a bike that works well and isn’t a compromise. If the rain bike is not a compromise, then you’ve spent too much money on getting it close to No.1, which kinda defeats the purpose.

    Oh that’s right you’re Australian you don’t ride in the rain or you’ll melt. 

    I like having a back up bike or 3, and get my money’s worth out of all of them. If I had 2 identical #1 bikes, I’d be a bigger idiot than I appear to be. 

     

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