In an heavy raining day

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)

During a multi stage cycling trip, in a heavy raining day, what do you do?

continue riding
32
91%
go to the closest station to take first train
3
9%
 
Total votes: 35

cyclingovereurope
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In an heavy raining day

Post by cyclingovereurope »

Often, during a long cycling trip we are forced to take a tough decision, that fights with our spirit of adventure...
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Mick F
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Re: In an heavy raining day

Post by Mick F »

Continue riding.
That's what you are there for.

Travel hopefully.
The weather will clear up!
Mick F. Cornwall
pwa
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Re: In an heavy raining day

Post by pwa »

Riding in the rain is usually okay while you are doing it. It can actually be good. So long as your kit is dry.
tyreon
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Re: In an heavy raining day

Post by tyreon »

Heavy rain all morning: shelter. Ride in afto.

Heavy rain all day: shelter. Seek accommodation

Heavy rain for x3 days or more: seek train or bus to skip a bit. Forecaste for longer: sorry,return home(depending upon howfar you are from home or got where you are)

To carry on cycling in heavy rain = depression,anger,divorce...wet feet,no matter what you wear+++(excepting full waterproof trousers etc)

I salute and endorse VC's to those who continue to cycle thru the deluge: not sure of your reasoning!
eileithyia
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Re: In an heavy raining day

Post by eileithyia »

Can depend, there may not be a train, we had rain from 4pm one evening to a similar time the following evening, with no option but to ride one year in Italy. We had 2 days of riding to do to get to Verona and only 2 days to do it in.. so no choice... though we did not camp either evening..... and my son was promised (and got) several hot chocolate stops to ease the pain....
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TrevA
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Re: In an heavy raining day

Post by TrevA »

On our tour of the Inner Hebrides in May it rained almost every day, sometimes all day. Our accommodation was pre-booked and we had no choice but to carry on riding - no trains ( though some of the buses carried bikes). You get used to it. It's not too bad if you've got a decent waterproof. I don't mind the wet, so long as I stay reasonably warm. Wet and cold is miserable.
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robing
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Re: In an heavy raining day

Post by robing »

Third option - stay put and have a rest day.
robing
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Re: In an heavy raining day

Post by robing »

TrevA wrote:On our tour of the Inner Hebrides in May it rained almost every day, sometimes all day. Our accommodation was pre-booked and we had no choice but to carry on riding - no trains ( though some of the buses carried bikes). You get used to it. It's not too bad if you've got a decent waterproof. I don't mind the wet, so long as I stay reasonably warm. Wet and cold is miserable.

When I did Lejog in 2012 we had several really wet days, but as in your case had prebooked accommodation. It's not too bad when you can get in to a warm, dry Bnb. Camping in the wet though is no fun.
ossie
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Re: In an heavy raining day

Post by ossie »

Can kind of see where the OP is coming from . Ive just done nearly a month around Europe and it rained on all but a couple of days.

It didnt just rain it hammered it down big time on numerous occasions and I was camping, so wet kit, tent, wearing wet clothes first thing and last. On several occasions I had no choice but to seek out hotels as often the ground was water logged and things were quite frankly getting ridiculous - I slept in a shed, in a marquee - no way of drying clothes etc.

I didnt stop cycling, a weather system tends to move so even on the wettest days you would see a touch of sun or drier conditions so remaining in the tent was never going to happen (for my sanity)

However I did hop on a train to get to my ferry towards the end and yes the decision was made by an impending low front that subsequently battered Northern France. I could have cycled it over 2 days but had probably reached the end of the my tether....

Its meant to be fun isnt it ?
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foxyrider
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Re: In an heavy raining day

Post by foxyrider »

Although I do sometimes hop a train i've never done so due to the weather. There have certainly been days when I wonder why on earth i'm riding through torrential rain but an hour later when the sun's out and i'm in 'the zone' all bad thoughts are gone!

What I hate is putting up a wet tent knowing it won't dry but thankfully that's quite rare. I have considered wimping out with a hotel/B+B once or twice but i've always ended up in the tent! I try to incorporate a couple of bricks and mortar night's on my trips so even with some wet I get a chance to regroup, ideally a ratio of 6:1 but it can be more or less depending on where I am.
To give up because of a bit of damp - nah!
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Vorpal
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Re: In an heavy raining day

Post by Vorpal »

Ride from one pub to the the next.... :oops:
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beardy
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Re: In an heavy raining day

Post by beardy »

I will shelter for the half hour or so when it is really hammering it down.
whoof
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Re: In an heavy raining day

Post by whoof »

On this years summer tour I rode 60 miles besides the river Doubs towards Bescancon and it rained all day. It was lovely as I saw more water voles (2) than people (1). I had a water proof jacket and over-trousers so was warm, dry and comfortable.
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Tigerbiten
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Re: In an heavy raining day

Post by Tigerbiten »

whoof wrote:On this years summer tour I rode 60 miles besides the river Doubs towards Bescancon and it rained all day.

If that was in late April/early May then I was probably riding in the same storm .... :D
I had 4 days rain in that area, the longest stretch of bad weather on my whole tour.

As long as I've around an hour when the rain stops/eases off a bit so I can get the tent down and thing packed way without getting to wet and the same in the evening so I can get set up again, I don't mind the rain to much.
If it's lashing it down early on then I may stay put.
One disadvantage of my trike/trailer combo is it doesn't go on trains/buses, so no chance to bail out due to bad weather. After 3 weeks of wet weather in 2111, I've got a bit more philosophical about it.
Another disadvantage is that I'm down in the spray a lot more. So not only do I get wet from the top but I also get wet from the bottom and the sides is well. I don't like main roads in the wet because of this.
psmiffy
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Re: In an heavy raining day

Post by psmiffy »

Cycling in the wet is no different than cycling in the very hot, very cold or into a big head wind – you just have to adapt – it is all part of touring and you cannot do anything to control the weather – for rain decent all over waterproofs is a start – including a decent rain resistant hat

For any of the above “very” weather conditions I tend to spend more time taking little breaks in bus shelters or cafes

And sometimes just riding in wild weather fully togged up and immune to the elements can be exhilarating in itself

As for camping in bad weather that is just a matter of being prepared and organised both materially and mentally – carrying those extra grams that mean you can ignore the elements when you become stationary, having the means to cook a satisfying hot meal, being able to keep the wet stuff separate from the dry, not fixating on wet tents et.al.
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