Are you a fine weather cyclist or any weather cyclist

kakee

Just thought I'd throw this out there. I ask because me and my mate went to ballyhoura mountain biking on thursday night and again last night. On both nights it as bucketing rain but was brilliant craic and the others who cried off really miss out by only going in the dry weather. For me anytime I can get on the bike is a good time hail,rain or shine.

So do you guys go out in any weather or are some of the cyclists here allergic to the rain?

Captain Havoc

Fair weather but once I'm out, I'm out. I won't turn around because of rain. I will go out with the club in most weather though.

Plastik

Same as, fair usually. I do enough running & football during the week in the rain to allow myself the simple luxury of being dry at least while being out on the bike!

AstraMonti

I am all weather as long as I have some company for the longer rides. Being alone on the dreadful irish winter is at least I can say, boring.

mloc123

I don't think it's possible to be a fair weather cyclist in Ireland, the last two months have been the exception tho'

this morning was the first time in a while that I dug out a base layer.

yop

Not an option in this country, training has to be done so can't pick and choose, makes life akward but as I always say if someone asks me if I am going out when its raining, I reply
"I'm not an ice-cream, I won't melt"

jwshooter

i was lucky this week i did not get wet out ,but brought my rain jacket .

the wind is a killer at the moment ,if its lashing il go swimming .i had the turbo out this week done a hour and a half on it .

showers ok but good rain nope .

DirkVoodoo

Fair weather, but quite similar in opinion to captain havoc.

I prefer rain over wind anyway. I won't be going anywhere today.

Ryaner

I've been out in all weather. Rain, Wind, Snow, Ice, even a damn thunder storm with massive hail stones - although that was the first time I've ever considered getting off the bike to look for cover because of the weather. It is surprising just how much hail can hurt while at speed.

On this, is it actually safe to cycle in a thunder storm? Discussed this with some others before and general idea seems to be rubber wheels like in a car so would be fine?

Beasty

I discovered I was allergic to ice over the winter, so try and steer clear of it now. Otherwise I never let the weather stop me cycling

levitronix

Depends on what ive planned for the summer if i have a key race or event that i need training for i ll go out any weather because i regret missing training days due to bad weather, but if nothing special is coming up i ll blank it on wet days

Beached

Just back from a 70K around Molls Gap. Very poor visibility at the top. So i guess im an any weather cyclist, but after nearly 2 glorious months, I know what i prefer.
I also got caught in a snowshower while decending last Feburary, snowflakes are very annoying on the eyes, god knows what hail is like!!!

SubLuminal

Sometimes its nice when it rains, I was out earlier and just getting to the top of a climb was thinking phew i'm feeling a bit hot and then there was a little shower of rain, nice and fine mist coming down, was lovely

Someone up there was looking after me perhaps

bubble_wrap

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Fair weather but once I'm out, I'm out. I won't turn around because of rain. I will go out with the club in most weather though.

ditto, i hate it when its really muddy, only because the bike ends up in a total mess and takes too long to clean it!

smacl

Just back from 60k cruagh rd / sally gap / lough dan / ballinastoe loop and the wind up by kippure was frightening. Met one bloke, blown off with a buckled wheel getting a lift back from lough bray, and most other cyclists taking it vary carefully. It's a workout for sure, and my 13.5 stone and heavy bike kept me stuck to the road, but I'd say you'd want all your wits about you on a lighter bike with no beer belly. Supposed to be taking my sister for a spin up that way on tuesday evening, but if the wind is anything like today I be looking for a lower route.

I dont' mind rain, but tend to wuss out if theres any snow or ice on the ground. Wouldn't fancy hail at all.

Signal_ rabbit

I try to avoid going out in heavy rain too many times as i find that water gets into my hubs and I have to re-grease them regularly. Unfortunately living on the coast we don't get many dry days so i just have to lump it!

NeedMoreGears

I prefer it not to rain when I am starting out and normally won't go out until its stops. Exceptions are if I am behind in training for an event (sportives only for me so no real pressure) or if I am at work - it would want to be pretty bad to prevent me from cycling home. I never go out in the ice - these bones are way too old and break too easily.

What's the worst weather people have been caught out in?

My personal best was coming from Laragh back over Sally Gap via Glenmacnass - a brilliantly scary combination of heavy hail and sleety rain. There was a river of hailstones coming down the steep bit as you go past the top of the waterfall. Was very glad to get back to Enniskerry for coffee and buns

Single Malt

Ryaner wrote: »

On this, is it actually safe to cycle in a thunder storm? Discussed this with some others before and general idea seems to be rubber wheels like in a car so would be fine?

The only reason a car is safe is due to the chassis acting as a Faraday's cage. Rubber will not be an insulator for the million plus volts that lightening strikes at. Cycling is as safe as walking in lightening.

I prefer fair weather, but will drag myself out most weathers

Blowfish

Generally I'll go for one long spin on the weekends and just pick whichever day has the better forecast to do it.

Did 110k today, got soaked plus the wind was a killer as headwind and lethal as crosswind, but I definitely don't regret heading out.

cdaly_

NeedMoreGears wrote: »

What's the worst weather people have been caught out in?

Lemme see. One morning last January when I set out for a rush-hour spin. Just a light rain starting out from the house. I got as far as the Ashbourne road south of Ballyboghill and turned south just as the snow started. 45min of wet, soggy, freezing snow before I nade it into work with sodden, frozen toes...

Ryaner wrote: »

On this, is it actually safe to cycle in a thunder storm? Discussed this with some others before and general idea seems to be rubber wheels like in a car so would be fine?

Probably not though it depends on how exposed you are in the first place. If you're the only thing sticking up out of an otherwise flat plain you should worry. OTOH, if there are other things sticking up you're better off. Don't shelter under the only tree 'cos it'll be a target. If you feel your skin tingling or your hairs standing up, get down in a ball on the ground FAST! That's usually an effect of charge building on your body before a discharge...

Rubber tyres are irrelevant. That's not what protects you in a car. A car is a Faraday cage due to its metal body and it is this which protects you from lightning,not the rubber tyres which are probably wet anyhow.

More info

Ryaner

Thanks for the advise bout the lightening. Next time I think I'll decent quicker :rolleyes:

Worst day out for me was back a few months ago. Started with light drissle. Got heavier as we hit town. By the time we got to Rathfarnham is turned to a snow storm. Heavy enough that we had to go slow because of visibility more than how cold it had become. Another hour from there in the snow to get back to work.
A complete lack of planning for snow meant it was late afternoon by the time feeling returned in my hands. Something I never want to repeat.

There is also one day on 3 Rock which stick in my mind. We had been setting out early so using lights while ascending, but this morning had heavy fog. So heavy that we were pointing the lights nearly straight down and using the colour difference between the grass and tarmac to follow the road. On the third descent it started getting a little bright when we noticed the ice. Most of the road near the top was covered in it. Somehow we had avoided all of on the previous runs.

blorg

Being struck by lightning though is very uncommon. It generally only happens to cows. In a thunderstorm it is generally pissing rain and thus, I take shelter under a tree. If you don't, you may not have been in a proper thunderstorm. You just need to be ready to peg it if the tree is struck and goes on fire.*

*EDIT: You may not want to take this advice, depending on how you balance a sure chance of getting very wet against a smaller chance of being killed. Always wear a helmet which is an effective insulator.

Gers_punto

most definatly all weather..

LOve going up ballycuggaran ang getting disgracfully dirty, then washing everything down and having a hot shower

cdaly_

Insulator schminsulator. There ain't no insulator that will withstand a lightning strike (except maybe those big glass ones you see on the high voltage pylons)...

blorg

RoundTower

I bet you're more likely to be hit by a truck on your way home, or catch a chill from an extra 2 minutes of exposure to rain, than die from a lightning strike if you shelter under the most exposed tree in the worst thunderstorm Ireland has to offer.

dave2pvd

How often do you have lightning in Ireland?? Thunder aplenty, but not much lightning.

I am in the US. Georgia to be exact. Lightning is a big deal here. Even if an event is billed as 'rain or shine', it will be stopped for lightning. It's quite the spectacle to see how fast the neighborhood pool empties itself of people!

As I type this, I hear thunder outside. An occasional flash of light illuminates the sky. The dogs are terrified....

cdaly_

blorg wrote: »

Ah. More of Blorg's holiday photos...

dave2pvd wrote: »

Lightning is a big deal here. ... It's quite the spectacle to see how fast the neighborhood pool empties itself of people!

I remember a holiday in France one year. We were on our way down to the campsite pool as the rain started. Carried on 'cos we were going to get wet anyhow. A spot of thunder in the distance... As we approached the pool, everyone was leaving. Great, more space for us. Just as we stepped inside the (otherwise now deserted) pool gate there was a flash and the loudest crash of thunder I'd ever heard!

So we legged it...

christeb

I'm primarily a commuter, but never shirk the weather in the mornings. This morning being a case in point; I was saturated after 5 mins but I don't mind it too much, especially when the weather is slightly warmer milder

crashoveroid

Based on this from yesterday i like all conditions.

cantalach

crashoveroid wrote: »

Based on this from yesterday i like all conditions.

Fair play to you! I'm guessing the wind was very strong as you rounded that left hand bend just before the summit (just after you stopped recording)? I went over the Vee yesterday from N to S and the head wind on the last km before the top was absolutely savage!