# Rainy morning Ride, cant win!!!, help



## Muaythaibike (Oct 26, 2007)

Well this morning I woke up and looked out the window. Looked like it rained overnight. But no rain was falling. So I decided to bike to the train stop. Lucky me, once I left it started raining. Now I hate to ride in the rain and HATE it even more when I am dressed for work. The worse part for me is the wet stain on my butt from the rear tire. So I decided to position my glove on my seat to protect my back side. It worked but I was afraid of loosing my glove.

No I dont want to install perminant fenders. What else can I do?


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## marc180 (Feb 2, 2006)

*move to the desert*

commuting and bad weather is just a part of life. personally, i'd rather ride my bike than file into the subway with the other ants. i guess it's a choice you have to make for yourself. 

what's so wrong with fenders anyway? they're cheap, easy to install and even make some bikes look better IMO. you can try the removable seatpost clamp fenders, but what will inevitably happen is you'll go to work in dry conditions and leave them at home. then, it will rain during the day and you'll get wet on the way home. 

there are no bad conditions, just inadequate gear. this goes for almost any outdoor activity and just about all weather conditions (minus hurricanes, tornadoes, mt everest, storms of the century, etc).


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## lx93 (Jun 14, 2007)

Plus they make a bike less attractive to thieves, from what I hear.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Race Blade Fenders.

http://www.amazon.com/SKS-Race-Blade-Fender-Set/dp/B0009S6TQ2?tag=dogpile-20


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## Muaythaibike (Oct 26, 2007)

Guys, here is my point! I do not want to spend any more money than I have to on my bike. I am finding that this sport can quickly put a big hole in your pocket. Equiptmen, gear, it never ends... Iam trying to solve a problem the easies way without attaching fenders perm. fenders to my bike. IMO fenders are ugly.... And no I have no intention of commuting in storms... Not my thing...


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## Chain (Dec 28, 2006)

Muaythaibike said:


> Guys, here is my point! I do not want to spend any more money than I have to on my bike. I am finding that this sport can quickly put a big hole in your pocket. Equiptmen, gear, it never ends... Iam trying to solve a problem the easies way without attaching fenders perm. fenders to my bike. IMO fenders are ugly.... And no I have no intention of commuting in storms... Not my thing...


My wife has a couple of these on her commuter MTB. Not permanent and they keep most of the slush off. https://www.ems.com/catalog/product_detail_square.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442589605&emssrcid=GoogleBase Not the best solution for the problem, but it works well enough. She doesn't commute in storms, but occasionally gets caught in the rain. For her 4 mile ride it does okay.









On the front she has one of these: https://www.rei.com/OM/style/697814?cm_mmc=cse_froogle-_-datafeed-_-product-_-na&mr:trackingCode=4B581419-1EB3-DC11-BE2A-001422107090&mr:referralID=NA


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## StageHand (Dec 27, 2002)

Muaythaibike said:


> Guys, here is my point! I do not want to spend any more money than I have to on my bike. I am finding that this sport can quickly put a big hole in your pocket. Equiptmen, gear, it never ends... Iam trying to solve a problem the easies way without attaching fenders perm. fenders to my bike. IMO fenders are ugly.... And no I have no intention of commuting in storms... Not my thing...


It doesn't sound like you want to do anything. If you're willing to put some time and effort into it, you can make a fender out of a plastic sign. Google it. If you don't want to put any effort into it, you'll have to spend some money. Buy a clip-on fender, buy some rain pants, take the bus.

No, the spending never stops when you want the right equipment. Go figure.


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

If you don't want to spend any money on fenders, you've got a couple options. 

First, stop riding in inclement weather.
advantages: costs nothing. 
disadvantages: unless you live in san diego, you'll probably spend a lot of time not riding.

Second, Ah, screw it. I'm goin' riding in the rain anyway.
advantages: Eddy Merckx did it. Costs nothing. 
disadvantages: Wear and tear on your bike and clothes can suck if you ride in the rain a lot. You will look like a skunk. 

Third, Make your own fenders.
advantages: costs you nothing. That feeling of accomplishment when you make something yourself.
disadvantages: Unless you actually know what you're doing, they probably won't work, will likely look really bad. Home-made projects have a bad habit of working less well and costing more than store bought stuff.

Fourth, invest in some cheap fenders.
Advantages: they work. they keep spray off your back (and your feet) like nothing else. They can be had for less than $50 bucks.
Disadvantages: They aren't "cool." They cost around $50 more than you're willing to spend. The ones that are easy to take on and off can be a nightmare to adjust. The ones that are easy to adjust can be a nightmare to take on and off.

Good luck, dude. I fought fenders long and hard, but eventually, they got me. I've got a rivendell with permanently mounted stainless steel fenders. They don't make the bike any slower than it was already and man, do they keep the spray off. 

Let us know what you come up with!


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## bopApocalypse (Aug 30, 2006)

Muaythaibike said:


> Guys, here is my point! I do not want to spend any more money than I have to on my bike. I am finding that this sport can quickly put a big hole in your pocket. Equiptmen, gear, it never ends... Iam trying to solve a problem the easies way without attaching fenders perm. fenders to my bike. IMO fenders are ugly.... And no I have no intention of commuting in storms... Not my thing...


You could...

-Commute in biking clothes, with your work clothes (optionally in a garbage bag or something to make sure they stay dry) in a backpack. Change once you get to work.
-Suck it up and spend the whopping $30 for a set of fenders, temporary or otherwise. (I'm pretty sure that no set of aftermarket fenders is welded on, so they're all temporary to some extent.)


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## ChuckUni (Jan 2, 2003)

I know you don't want them, but I have to point out some more benefits to full fenders:

They aren't just for when it's raining. I find the best time for them is AFTER the rain/snow. Like when the snow is melting and you are riding through a sandy/salty mix of filth. They are very good for this. They also say, "hey look, I'm not a complete noob or fashion slave" to the rest of the regular bike community. And yes they cost money, but a set of fenders like SKS aren't that expensive and are quality so will last a long time. Part of this cost being offset by fenders helping to limit the wear on your drive train, bike, saddle, and clothing.

Plus I think you can make a bike look pretty good with them:


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## 10ae1203 (Jan 14, 2007)

leave extra clothes at work?


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## treebound (Oct 16, 2003)

I've got one of these down in the basement that I throw on a bike from time to time:









But you don't want to spend any more money, so I guess I've got nothing.


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## fleck (Mar 25, 2005)

10ae1203 said:


> leave extra clothes at work?


thats what I do

too much snow these days though 
can't trust the drivers not to kill me

you can rig a fender with a 2L soda bottle


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## nbrennan (Feb 19, 2007)

solving a problem with no effort is difficult. don't ride if it is even slightly overcast. good luck.


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## MTT (Oct 14, 2005)

"What else can I do?" 

1) Stop whinning and take the bus.
2) Get some fenders.
3) Stop whinning and ride, there are people on this forum that commute 40+ miles per day in the rain and snow and don't complain to the rest of us. In fact they like the challenge. 

As for me, I only ride a few days a week in the winter, and I would rather not ride in the rain. Getting fat sucks more, so I bought all the gear! Suck it up boss and ride in the rain!!!

MTT


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## brujenn (Nov 26, 2007)

I love my sks fenders. Where I live, if you don't ride in the rain you are always going to be a newbie.


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

Muaythaibike said:


> Guys, here is my point! I do not want to spend any more money than I have to on my bike. I am finding that this sport can quickly put a big hole in your pocket. Equiptmen, gear, it never ends... Iam trying to solve a problem the easies way without attaching fenders perm. fenders to my bike. IMO fenders are ugly.... And no I have no intention of commuting in storms... Not my thing...


When I commuted in California I had a pretty nice rear fender/butt protector I'd made out of cardboard for the few days it actually rained.


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## nepbug (Jun 6, 2006)

*Topeak Airfender*









I was looking at these a while ago, but I ended up going full fenders instead, I don't trust them when there is ice build-up potential.

https://www.topeak.com/2007/products/fenders/airfender.php
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm5UQWHiKjA


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

*Information sources*



Muaythaibike said:


> Well this morning I woke up and looked out the window. Looked like it rained overnight. But no rain was falling. So I decided to bike to the train stop. Lucky me, once I left it started raining.





> And no I have no intention of commuting in storms... Not my thing...


If you're really so opposed to riding in the rain, just don't do it. As for getting cought like you did that morning, have you ever heard of the internet? I suspect you have. It has these cool weather sites (weather.com, weatherunderground, accuweather, etc.) where you can look at a radar map to see where it's raining, and you can see how the weather has moved in the last hour, so you can get a pretty good idea whether any is coming your way in the next few minutes. For a short commute, there's no reason to get caught in the rain if you want to avoid it.

But basically I agree with others here: if you want to be a bike commuter, put some damn fenders on your bike. And maybe get a simple cheap rain jacket to put over your work clothes if you get caught.


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## Muaythaibike (Oct 26, 2007)

Ok I installed a rear fender and I solved my problem... Now I have another problem. I rode in the rain this morning and my back side stayed dry. But my pants were soaked. Is there a product that I can slip on over dress pants. It OK if it is UGLY, I actually prefer it. I just want it to be waterproof and EASY on EASY off.. Snaps zippers, etc.

Also, guys dont take my comments so personally. It is my choice how much money I choose to spend and what I consider important. Comments like "have you heard of the internet" are not necessary.


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## Chain (Dec 28, 2006)

Muaythaibike said:


> Ok I installed a rear fender and I solved my problem... Now I have another problem. I rode in the rain this morning and my back side stayed dry. But my pants were soaked. Is there a product that I can slip on over dress pants. It OK if it is UGLY, I actually prefer it. I just want it to be waterproof and EASY on EASY off.. Snaps zippers, etc.
> 
> Also, guys dont take my comments so personally. It is my choice how much money I choose to spend and what I consider important. Comments like "have you heard of the internet" are not necessary.


Rainpants or get a bigger fender..


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

It's been my experience that nothing will keep you dry if it's really raining. Fenders will help in light rain and will keep your bike cleaner, but you will still get wet. The trouble with rain gear is that if it's waterproof enough to keep the rain out, you will sweat so much that you'll get wet from the inside. Nothing will keep your feet dry. So, if you commute in rain, just make sure you have some nice dry, clean clothes to change into at work.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

fenders suck! they are expensive and ugly


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## fleck (Mar 25, 2005)

tarwheel2 said:


> It's been my experience that nothing will keep you dry if it's really raining. Fenders will help in light rain and will keep your bike cleaner, but you will still get wet. The trouble with rain gear is that if it's waterproof enough to keep the rain out, you will sweat so much that you'll get wet from the inside. Nothing will keep your feet dry. So, if you commute in rain, just make sure you have some nice dry, clean clothes to change into at work.


YUP

I leave my dress shoes at work, change of pants and have my shirts laundered downtown.

I dont' bother with fenders. whats a little spray? Also use rain pants but those don't always keep me dry. Keeps the muck off though.
Booties are great to seal the pants at the ankle

pretty much the same setup for rain as i do for snow but perhaps more layers.

I'm also a bit spoiled with a shower at my office so i can do a real workout and get good and cleaned off and presentable.


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## Guest (Jan 11, 2008)

The way I see it, one is crazy to commute in work clothes...cycling gear is essential, and if one rides in cycling gear, what difference does it make if one gets a bit more wet from having no fenders?

Also I have track drop outs, and I think fenders will make side-winds worse.


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

Cheap waterproof rainpants are pretty easy to find, especially if you aren't concerned with style. Just remember that waterproof=sweat, so you may find yourself avoiding the rain but soaking through anyway... you can avoid this for a while by riding slower.

My experience is that there is no waterproof-breathable material that can keep up with hard cycling in the rain- you're gonna either get wet (from rain) because it's too breathable or wet (from sweat) because it's not breathable enough. YMMV.

If you can, wear cycling clothes and change at work. If that's not an option, ride slow and try not to sweat. 

Or, try one of these...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Bike-Cape-Rain-...02713510QQihZ005QQcategoryZ7295QQcmdZViewItem

Some ibobs swear by these things, and when you're wearing that much tweed, you gotta worry about rain...


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## JohnnyTooBad (Apr 5, 2004)

My issue is that I want my riding clothes to dry before it's time to put them on for the ride home.

In response to Muaythaibike, I wear the cheap Performance rain pants. I think they are about $25. Yes, they are pretty much air tight, so my legs sweat when it's 15 degrees and all I have on under them is my UA ColdGear tights. BUT, they do the job. Last night, on the ride home, it was raining pretty good. It was about 50 degrees, so I left the rain pants off, and just let the tights get wet so that I wouldn't overheat. Much better that way.

I didn't ride today because of the morning rain (that dry clothes for the ride home thing again), and the fact that they are calling for 35mph headwinds on my ride home and I have to take my computer home (I have a backpack for it, but adding 20lbs into the headwind with wet clothes = JTB wimping out)


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## JohnnyTooBad (Apr 5, 2004)

buck-50 said:


> Cheap waterproof rainpants are pretty easy to find, especially if you aren't concerned with style. Just remember that waterproof=sweat, so you may find yourself avoiding the rain but soaking through anyway... you can avoid this for a while by riding slower.
> 
> My experience is that there is no waterproof-breathable material that can keep up with hard cycling in the rain- you're gonna either get wet (from rain) because it's too breathable or wet (from sweat) because it's not breathable enough. YMMV.
> 
> ...


I live this every morning in the winter. I'm considering trying some of my 3-layer Goretex shell ski pants, but they are kind of baggy for bike riding. What I'd really like, is the waterproof/non-breathable pants that I have, but with zippers/vents behind the calf and at the hamstrings (behind the upper leg). You don't really get wet there. I've seen some of those for sale. Don't know whether it's just tights or shell pants or both, but they exist. Just more $$ than I want to spend.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

*no offense intended or taken*



Muaythaibike said:


> Also, guys dont take my comments so personally. It is my choice how much money I choose to spend and what I consider important. Comments like "have you heard of the internet" are not necessary.


I don't think anybody here took anything "personally," and obviously your choices are your business. But you asked for opinions on a matter on which people have strong opinions, based on considerable experience. My internet remark was intended to be funny (I'll add a smiley next time) but also serious. Your first post said you 'hate" riding in the rain, and you complained about going out for a short commute ride when it wasn't raining, and getting caught. My completely serious point is that that scenario need never happen, if you just use resources that are there at your fingertips. 

I don't mind riding in the rain much at all, but I took the bus today after I looked at the radar and heard the thunder. Rain is one thing, gusty winds and lightning are something else.

Happy riding, man.

BTW, concerning the wet leg issue, no doubt somebody here will suggest some clothing product that would help. These look pretty good, actually. http://www.rei.com/product/718787
But a full front fender would make a bigger difference. The water that hits your feet and legs comes much more from the front wheel than the back. 

Just curious, how long is your typical commute ride? You spoke of riding to a transit stop. If the ride is short the points made by various posters about sweating inside rain gear are probably irrelevant.


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## Muaythaibike (Oct 26, 2007)

I do have a very short ride. Approximately 2 miles each way. Rain paint would work because of the distance. No sweating...

On my way home I do not care if I get soaked because I can change. For my feet I have waterproof shoes that look and work great.

Can somebody post some rain gear that I can place over my pants.

Changing at work is not possible or practical for me... People already think I am crazy to ride to work.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

Muaythaibike said:


> Can somebody post some rain gear that I can place over my pants.
> 
> Changing at work is not possible or practical for me... People already think I am crazy to ride to work.


http://www.rei.com/Search.do?query=Pants&cat=4500008_Outerwear+and+Rainwear&vcat=REI_SSHP_MENS_CLOTHING_TOC&storeId=8000&origin=men&sortby=Price%3A+Low+-+High&page=LIST&hist=query%2CPants%5Ecat%2C4500008%5Eorigin%2Cmen%5Estart%5Ecat%2C4500008_Outerwear+and+Rainwear%3AOuterwear+and+Rainwear
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=14599&subcategory_ID=1130
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=6000137&subcategory=60001215&brand=&sku=20322&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=Shop%20by%20Subcat%3A%20Outerwear
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=40000000226&storeId=226&categoryId=33331517&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=61294

They're right, you know -- you are crazy. We all are 

I'm glad I took the bus this morning, though. We've got thunderboomers this afternoon. Pretty pictures on the weather radar.


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