Anyone Riding To Work Rain Or Shine?

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5-7HEAVEN

Well-Known Member
Anyone Riding To Work...Rain Or Shine?

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My new year's resolution is to give up my $81 monthly covered parking stall and sublet my other $47 monthly stall. Then I plan to motorbike to work, rain or shine.

Driving in is an option on the one or two days that I have school after work. Otherwise I'd like to bike in the 12-mile roundtrip.

My old phone company-issued rain suit that I used to work in rain-soaked weather is in good shape. A spare raincoat will be carried on the bike.

Two motorized bikes will be for alternating use. One is "The Iron Dragon", a 7-speed cruiser with twin Mitsubishi engines, front friction and rear chain drive assemblies. The backup will be my Whizzer bike. On wet roads chain drive rules while my friction drive is disengaged. Unsure how Whizzer belt drive works in the rain.

Is anyone else besides the billions of Chinese bicyclists committed to ride in good AND bad weather?.rd.
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Honey, it's just a bicycle. and i REALLY need it to excercise, and to ride it to work.(hehe)
 
$128 a month adds up. For that much you can get a decent full face helmet and a motorcycle rain outfit. If you do plan on riding in the rain, use a full face with a shield. I wear my MX pants with a rain proof shell jacket. I've rode in some harsh raining conditions and never got my inside cloths wet. At least being in Hawaii you don't have to worry about being cold..bt.
 
I already have a 3/4 helmet which should work well. The Verizon rain suit is awesome with rubber boots and suspender pants. we used to stuff our sleeves with paper towels to keep the rain out while working with hands held overhead.

And yes, thankfully it's not cold when it rains here.

I got caught in the rain riding home from work last month, but the water could NOT wipe away my big smile as I rode home..rd.
 
I do it. Its 20 minutes each way. I carry a tool kit and spare tube and pump.

I also use motorcycle grade wet weather gear and clear (night) and tinted (day) safety glasses. Don't trust regular sunglasses to protect from road debris.

I use 3 bikes a shifter bike in fine weather, another single speed for wet weather or night, as it has fenders and lights. The third one is for backup, spares and for friends to ride.

I would consider 2 bikes to be the minimum for getting it done reliably.

I get nervous when I only have one running.
 
wildemere, I have two MB's but I might also commission a THIRD BIKE, "The Dragon Lady", another twin-engined cruiser for commuting. It has dual friction drives; the front drive is cannibalized from "The Iron Dragon" while it's awaiting parts.

I could use my Titan rear drive for wet weather, then bolt the rear friction drive onto the front tire. Of course I'll need two more identical engines.

Wife thinks I have too many bikes.

She just doesn't understand..bld.
 
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The Wet Blanket

Take it from an old, wet, sneezing motorcycle rider ... best to stay out of the rain.

After the first 30 seconds it's no fun. It's dank, dirty, dreary, dismal, damp, depressing, dingy, dispiriting, doleful, downcast, drab, dull and DANGEROUS!

Have FUN in the SUN.

Best wishes from THEWETBLANKET ...
 
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Thank goodness i live in the sunny okanagan--under 10 inches of rain per year--also very temperate for Canada--pic is my friend Andy his self made 8 speed gearbox
.cargo
 

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Too late, MichiganMike. Like robin, it's mostly sunny here.dance1


I rode "The Whizzard" to Home Depot six miles away and bought two sets of rubber gloves and rubber boots.

One compete raingear set will be stowed at work, the other at home.

"The Iron Dragon" is awaiting a suspension fork and a huge downhill racer-type front disc brake for wet weather and extreme performance..bld.

The $$ I save from not commuting by car will easily pay for bike upgrades.
 
good to hear the money is goin bak into the bike.
I knew a guy who was a semi-pro cyclist and a sponcer said they would buy him his bike if he promissed to ride 30km a day wearing their logo. rain hail or shine
 
I have commuted by bicycle every day, rain or shine, although I do not do it anymore. The best gear I found for rainy riding was a rain cape. Rain capes are like ponchos with straps that fit over your hands and the front handlebars. It makes sort of a tent over you and the bike. The problem with rain suits is that you end up getting soaked in sweat, although with a motored bike there is less of a problem with that. The rain cape gives you lots of ventilation while still keeping you dry. I'm not sure it is good for high speeds though. I don't know where to buy one, the one I had I got in Germany and it was ancient, campmor.com used to have one but doesn't seem to be there now.
 
We have four drivers and four cars in our household. Daughter's car is up for sale, has no insurance and sits idle. My van is in the repair shop since Monday. Son goes to visit his dog in quarantine or goes surfing, work and school. Daughter drove to bf's house, won't be back till Monday morning. Wife relies on son for errands.

I have THREE bikes to use and almost my entire life is within a 7-mile radius..rd.

I do not need to share my bikes.

All this is beginning to make sense.dance1
 
5-7HEAVEN said:
I already have a 3/4 helmet which should work well. The Verizon rain suit is awesome with rubber boots and suspender pants. we used to stuff our sleeves with paper towels to keep the rain out while working with hands held overhead.

And yes, thankfully it's not cold when it rains here.

I got caught in the rain riding home from work last month, but the water could NOT wipe away my big smile as I rode home..rd.
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Dude. Not cold? I ride up Central Oahu between Wahiawa and Whitmore. The WCF can bring it down in the 40's on some mornings. Dang! I gotta double up with a jacket and a rain coat I found at Walmart. Of course it doesn't help that I always wear shorts, rain or shine. rotfl

Btw, I use a moped/scooter or my old Fuji mountain/city bike for my short ride to work. Just found out I'll be getting a sizeable tax return and will be using a small portion to build my first motorized bike. I still like the idea of electric, but isn't looking like a practical option right now. I'm going with the biggest 2 stroke I can find and a shift kit. (^)
 
Not cold, dude. I ride in the land of asphalt near Aloha Stadium, which keeps temps between the 70's and 80's.

Choose your engine well, grouchyolfart. You have the longest hill on Oahu, the one from Wahiawa to Haleiwa on the North Shore. Must be several miles uphill.

You should consider disc brakes because vee brakes might not last long on that downhill ride.

I would love to ride my bike from Wahiawa to Haleiwa, past Pipeline, Waimea Bay, then have lunch at the Kahuku shrimp wagons.

Then ride back to Wahiawa..rd.

That's a 35-mile round trip with awesome scenery!
 
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