How was your wet and windy commute?

Rain rider.
(Photo © J. Maus)

It’s been raining cats and dogs pretty much all day and night here in Portland. Add to that some very gusty winds, impatient road users stuck in traffic and wanting to get home, and the mini-floods and street rivers from drain gutters clogged with leaves and you’ve got the recipe for some pretty intense bike riding.

Judging from various sources, some readers have had a pretty challenging time out there. Here’s how my friend Hau put it:

“Just past Widmer [on N. Interstate, past Russell], the wind picked up and it was raining sideways into my eyes. It was raining so hard that it hurt my head. I didn’t know if that was worse than the sloshing of my thoroughly soaked wool socks. I could have used a paddle to get home on the evening commute, better yet, an ark.”

I thought I’d put up this post to capture your experiences, route tips and alerts (heard of a major flood in the bike lane on SE Hawthorne today), and maybe you can even some methods you use to keep yourself motivated to keep on riding through these wet, dark days.

If you’re looking for tips and tricks, you might want to refer to the comments of a story we published just about this time last year on the same topic.

How’s it going for you out there? Are you still riding or have you packed it in and opted for the car/bus/MAX? If you have been riding, let us know what the conditions are like. Remember, if you see any trouble spots, keep 823-SAFE on auto-dial and let PBOT know about it. (I’ll keep a link to this post over in the sidebar so you can easily refer to it later.)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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Amos
13 years ago

This year I finally got all decked out in all the waterproof trimmings that I had been coveting on other riders for years. That coupled with the my newly-gained knowledge that it is almost impossible to hydroplane on a bike lead me into every giant puddle I could find on my commute home.

Neil C
Neil
13 years ago

Riding in this morning from Beaverton was fine. Leaving the Olympic Mills building around 4:15 for the trip home was fun. Riding through town towards Washington Park wasn’t a problem. A little windy crossing over the Hawthorne bridge, but that’s expected. I was happy to see 3 other riders making their way opposite me through the park, but didn’t see anyone making the climb to the Zoo. Unfortunately this was where my gloves gave out and my hands started getting wet. The rest of my rain gear was fine, but the rest of the ride wasn’t as much fun with wet hands that were slowly getting colder.

It’s always amusing seeing Hwy 26 backed up almost to 217 and today was no different. I always forget just how much big water droplets sting when you go over 25 mph.

BURR
BURR
13 years ago

seems like every second or third corner has a blocked drainage grate, with big puddles in random intersections everywhere…

Roland
13 years ago

Oh man! Getting on the Broadway Bridge westbound, the curb-cut (i.e. the ramp up to the sidewalk) was submerged in a puddle, so I couldn’t tell exactly where it was. So I decided to guess… bad idea!

Chris
13 years ago

I actually had fun riding in the rain today. That said, riding south of Milwaukie on 99E at 5:00 was white knuckle biking!

ayresjk
ayresjk
13 years ago

Please do me a favor…and this is my motorist self talking as well as my bicycling self talking…and make sure you have a really good rear light if you are going to commute anytime after dusk along a stretch of road with no bike lane and little shoulder. I would have hit a guy tonight had it not been for his planet bike superflash!

lovetobikedaily
lovetobikedaily
13 years ago

The ride home tonight was not bad…OK it was very wet and windy, but other than that it was just fine. I just gave my self an extra few minutes. It was fun to see the traffic backed up on 205, poor car people just sitting there.

Anne Hawley
13 years ago

The biggest hazard seems to be massive streetcorner lakes caused by leaf blockage, so that it’s hard to tell what you’re riding into.

That, and the folks out on darker side streets frantically trying to clear the gutters and drains, and flinging wet clumps of leaves willy-nilly into the street and any quiet bike riders who might be going past…

Mostly, it was a fun, wet ride tonight and I enjoyed it.

Pat Franz
13 years ago

I both rode and drove today. I much preferred riding and having my old jacket soak through to sitting in traffic on I5. And MLK. And 39th/Chavez. Then again, I was almost home when the jacket really gave out.

Richard Ludt
Richard Ludt
13 years ago

Riding was gusty challenge. Ortlieb panniers, lights and fenders, showers pass jacket, rain-pants, neck-kerchief, gloves hat, helmet. I just keep on truckin.
Wasn’t too bad.

mtmann
13 years ago

Freakin’ brutal ride home. Mostly avoided traffic coming from Gresham to Montavilla on the Springwater. But crossing Foster with the light in my favor a driver who was stopped for the red light apparently didn’t see my big bright light and reflective yellow jacket and decided to proceed through the red just as I was crossing. What part of red traffic light don’t you get?!? Driving wind and rain the whole way. But paralleling I-205 I was still glad I was me and not them. I’ll take windy and rainy on a bike over windy and rainy on a freeway any day.

Mike Seager
13 years ago

I’ll give ya a tip: Waterpoof your Xtracycle!

Here’s how: http://www.webikeeugene.org/index.php/2010/10/how-to-waterproof-your-xtracycle/

Down here in Eug-town it wasn’t bad at all today. 🙂

Red Five
Red Five
13 years ago

remember people pay those leaf removal fees! ha ha

snolly
snolly
13 years ago

Was having a fun ol’ ride home until some guy decided to cut across my path on NE Knott and I slammed into his rear end…

One bent fork, some minor bruises and two bent up wheels – guy was nice, but it was frustrating to see drivers not practicing more caution out there. Time to find a different route for when conditions turn a little dicey like today.

Todd Boulanger
Todd Boulanger
13 years ago

The only thing worse than riding out there today would be walking around given all the leaf lakes created at clogged inlets.

I am surprised the City (Portland, Vancouver, etc.) has not taken on this issue more head on that a few PSAs and such…fining property owners for raking into the street (and bike lane) and implementing an opposite side of the street parking policy for strategic leaf removal. Its time to get serious. It has got to cost more to wait for the flooding and damage to happen…as it does each year. (Do I hear more overtime?!)

jim
jim
13 years ago

i cleaned my street yesterday and the day before. you cant tell today, it is all clogged up again.
If some of you would take the initiative to clean the grates at your corner it would help a lot. there is no way the city can be on top of this

Hart Noecker
13 years ago

Had to pedal through what I thought was about four inches of standing water. Turned out to be a foot deep and with a car passing me at the same time a two foot wave of water washed up over my knees. Had 7 more miles to ride after that.

Dan Hawk
13 years ago

That was one seriously wet commute. Here is a pic taken on the Hawthorne bridge looking west during the worst of it. http://post.ly/1DHz3

I have to agree, the flooded corners and water barriers (where the gutters cross a street)are Little tricky.

Sean G
13 years ago

I also spent a few hours out this evening cleaning clogged up gutters with an old broom stick. I eliminated four ankle-deep lakes, which felt great, but the number of blocked (ie: can’t be cleaned by a broom stick) drains is discouraging. Hope this helps some Goose Hollow riders, at least… I’ll probably head out tomorrow and try to clear some again before the evening commute.

Steve B
13 years ago
Reply to  Sean G

Nice work, Sean!!

K'Tesh
K'Tesh
13 years ago

Was forced to drive today… Had to pick up my Mom from an appointment. I kept thinking how much I was glad that I wasn’t riding, and wishing that I was (I H8 Driving).

I kept thinking about the old joke about the cyclist who was killed while riding. He hit a pothole and drowned.

was carless in pdx
was carless in pdx
13 years ago

Since I don’t have waterproof booties, I just bussed it today. 😉

mello yello
mello yello
13 years ago

Those bioswales should be working overtime to clear the streets of standing water for bicyclists.

jim
jim
13 years ago
Reply to  mello yello

The bioswales dont work when the inlets are clogged with leaves

resopmok
resopmok
13 years ago

Wool cycling hat: keeps ears and head warm, fits under helmet.
Waterproof jacket: keeps outside water out and body warm.
Waterproof pants: keeps outside water out and legs warm
Shoe covers: helps prevent intrusions of water into shoes and provides some insulation
Wool liner gloves and fingerless bikes gloves: provides sufficient insulation to keep hands warm even while wet
Fenders: crucial equipment
Lights: only thing more important than fenders.

vicky
13 years ago

riding in bad weather could be one hell of a game to play.

Spiffy
13 years ago

I’ve been taking the MAX… my cheap Eddie Bauer shell is more a windbreaker than a rain coat and gets soaked within 15 minutes…

clogged drains are definitely an issue though, as well as driver visibility of bikes and peds…

worse is all the poorly designed curb cuts they put in that are lower that the surrounding pavement causing corner lakes that won’t drain until they dry up… I appreciate being able to easily push a stroller onto the sidewalk at the corner when it’s dry, but it’s hell having to push it out into a traffic lane and into the next nearest driveway because there’s 8 inches of water at the corner…

Paulie
Paulie
13 years ago

The rain doesn’t suck, but the wind blows!

With full rain gear, a helmet cover, waterproof booties and gloves, riding in the rain is actually kind of fun.

Really love the hot shower at the end of my ride, though.

VIE
VIE
13 years ago

Sunny and 60 again today in Reno, just like every day this fall. It is a little windy, though.

Dan
Dan
13 years ago

If it’s wet like yesterday, I just expect to get my feet soaked: I’ll take my socks off on the way into work so I have dry socks to put on when I arrive.

As far as rain-gear, I’m getting less and less impressed with so-called “waterproof-breathable” fabrics like Gore-Tex etc. They’re OK if you’re generating a lot of heat over a long time and really need the breathability. If you have a relatively short commute (mine is just 4 miles) you’re not going to build up enough heat/sweat inside the jacket to be a problem. I think the answer is PVC raingear, like construction workers and deep-sea fishermen wear. This kind of thing: http://www.bluecollarworkwear.com/catalog/Safety-Rain-Gear/

I’ve been using PVC rain pants for years now, and would never go back to leaky Gore-Tex. Bonus is that they come in highly visible colors and are much cheaper than the waterproof/breathable fabrics. I have a yellow rain slicker too that may replace my waterproof/breathable jacket this season.

Paul Cone
Paul Cone
13 years ago
Reply to  Dan

Sanderson Safety Supply is good place to get this kind of gear locally (inner eastside), and it’s pretty reasonably priced…

http://www.sandersonsafety.com/

Alex Reed
Alex Reed
13 years ago

After work, I went out to dinner by bike and then home. I took it slow and I was pretty comfortable and actually had fun! I highly recommend the “Rain Capes” that they sell at CityBikes. They’re like ponchos with added little strings so you can hold them over your handlebars. Using one of those and my windbreaker, my upper legs and shirt were dry of both rain and sweat when I got home.

Will
13 years ago

My motivation: the fact that even when riding slowly through pedal-deep puddles I’m going much faster than the cars stuck in traffic next to me!

Jim Labbe
Jim Labbe
13 years ago

brutal

DK
DK
13 years ago

I rode from SE (Clinton and twenty-something) to the airport in the morning and the weather was great. Nice tail wind. But I should have noticed those ominous low clouds blowing in. By mid afternoon it was raining like crazy and noticeably gusty. At that point I realized it was going to be a soggy ride and I was ill prepared. I had good windproof winter bib tights, two layers of wool socks, softshell water resistant gloves and jacket (I’ve come to realize that water resistant is meaningless), and nice mid-weight winter base layer. But, I forgot the toe covers, fully water proof rain jacket, and hat. So, leaving around five thirty, I was soaked before I even made it to 82nd off Airport Way. From there it was all about pedaling hard enough to keep warm and avoid numbness. The rain was running down my face and glasses, making visibility an issue. And the impromptu rivers along the curbs and in the bike lanes forced me to claim a lane from time to time. I amended my normal commute route to avoid a couple larger thoroughfares and opt for more side road bikeways even though they were less well lit. I kept my spirits high by singing songs about rain and coziness and remembering that it still wasn’t as bad as biking crosstown in Chicago, in December, in a blizzard. The drivers I encountered were, for the most part, aware of my predicament and vulnerable-road-user-status and drove accordingly. A few were less aware or accommodating. But that’s life. All in all, it was just another day riding in Portland in autumn/winter. Can’t wait for that rain/sleet and snow-mix forecast for next week!

beelnite
beelnite
13 years ago

It’s wet, dark and chaos of traffic at rush hour. PLEASE be aware of the “Samaritan Death Trap” when riding a bike lane next to stopped lines of traffic. At every intersection expect a well-intentioned driver to wave a vehicle across… into the bike lane… where you are hidden…

It was close… 7th Ave – Heading North almost to Sandy/Burnside intersection. White Jeep – never had a chance to see me. I saw him a split second before it was too late. Got kinda sad when I thought it was too late. Ouch.

Showers Pass
Stephanie
13 years ago

I stayed dry last night thanks to my Showers Pass rain gear: Portland Cap, Elite 2.0 jacket and Club Convertible pants. Plus my tall rain boots survived the huge puddles and sideways rain. It was fun to pass miles and miles of backed up cars, but I can’t believe some people ride around in torrential downpours with no lights! Get some lights!

Dave
13 years ago

Riding from OHSU South Waterfront to NE wasn’t too bad – when it rains that hard, I just have a poncho I throw on over everything, and pretty much all of me but the bottom 6 inches of my pants stays dry.

There were definitely some flooded storm drains along the way to watch out for, but it’s not really a major problem, just slow down, look for traffic and move over to go around them. I didn’t really have any major problems. It was actually worse once I got home and took my boots off, because then the wet part of my pants was touching my legs 🙂

As far as motivation goes, it freaks me out to drive in dumping rain as I can’t see or hear anything, and I’d rather not put someone else at risk just for a little comfort. Riding a bus is not too bad, but they always get stuck in traffic, and it takes so much longer to get home than by bike. I’d rather just get a little wet, get home and have some coffee or tea and cook dinner, you warm up and dry off surprisingly quickly.

mello yello
mello yello
13 years ago

FWIW Wal-Mart sells sweat suits made of plastic/rubber that joggers use to lose water weight. They’re great for heavy rain since you get a long sleeve top and pants with elastic bands that are baggy enough to fit over everything. They’re 6-7 bux and are great for emergencies, cheap and less constricting than full PVC rain gear.

h
h
13 years ago

Kinda brutal. I pedaled from downtown to Milwaukie on Springwater. My regular light did not do any good. I felt my way home. This morning ride was awesome.

gumby
gumby
13 years ago

My secret is motorcycle goggles. They keep the rain out of my eyes and keep my face warmer. They also help when it gets foggy and the fog chills my face.

Tony H
Tony H
13 years ago

It was certainly a wet ride home! Fortunately, I didn’t leave work until 7, so traffic was lighter. Besides the excellent advice posted above, slowing down helps a lot. I didn’t slip, and I like having more ‘reaction time’.

OnTheRoad
OnTheRoad
13 years ago

Alex Reed
I highly recommend the “Rain Capes” that they sell at CityBikes. They’re like ponchos with added little strings so you can hold them over your handlebars.

Don’t those rain capes kind of act like sails in the wind? Wondering especially on the bridges, where with just regular raingear, it’s hard to keep from being buffeted and difficult to hold a straight line path.

Dave
13 years ago
Reply to  OnTheRoad

They definitely do catch some wind, but I don’t find it to be a major problem as long as you’re not in a major hurry. I rode over the Hawthorne with a rain cape/poncho on last night, and while you’re certainly never going to race anybody in one, I was able to ride just fine without feeling like I would blow away or anything.

Alex Reed
Alex Reed
13 years ago
Reply to  OnTheRoad

I’ve used mine a good bit, and haven’t had any problems with being buffeted. I do notice the extra drag, but I just see that as more exercise!

I was buffeted more yesterday morning, sans rain cape, then last night, with rain cape.

Erik
Erik
13 years ago

In Spokane there was a 1/2″ of slush on the neighborhood roads and sidewalks. The slush should be gone by noon. Riding was still better than driving even though I don’t get to pass miles of slow/stopped traffic. 😉
Oh, had to avoid a couple puddles where trucks launch head high splashes from big puddles.

kenny
13 years ago

I drove on Wednesday night. Since I have not drove in a while, let alone in rain… it did provide some info of concern.
I could not see half of the lines in the road on the commute home. It was very hard to see the lines on 92nd and Foster all the way through past 72nd and Woodstock.
I kept thinking about me and my bike on the right of a driver.
Wish we had some type of recessed reflectors on the edge of bike lanes.

jim
jim
13 years ago
Reply to  kenny

I noticed with my car headlights it is sometimes hard to tell where the painted lines are

Frizzle
Frizzle
13 years ago

I admit, I made some dumb moves on my ride home on NE Knott because the water was so deep- by 10.pm when I ride home. I had to swerve into traffic… not safe, I know. Will pay better attention next time.
I got a brain freeze because the rain was so cold. and found out that my expensive “waterproof” gloves aren’t so waterproof. thank god you can return anything at REI.

Paul Cone
Paul Cone
13 years ago

Also, any conditions that need immediate attention (traffic signals not working right, stop signs down, etc.) can be called into Maintenance Operations dispatch at 823-1700 (always a live person answering).

Jack
Jack
13 years ago

I confronted a driver who passed way too close on Knott. She kept telling me she was a cyclist too (as if that isn’t hurting her case). Then she told me that instead of riding on Knott, I should be riding on the neighborhood streets because they’re safer for me. I explained how its faster on Knott and typically very safe (except for people like her) and how I have every right to be there. She explained to me that neighborhood streets are just as fast if you don’t stop at all the stop signs and that cycling on Knott causes congestion for drivers.

In a year of riding Knott at rush houer every day, I’ve never seen congestion on it. This woman wanted to excuse her bad driving based on the fact that I rather ride in accordance with the law rather than in accordance with her preferences. Of course, she drove off before I could inform her of all this.

My wet and windy commute sucked, but it had nothing to do with the weather.

John Lascurettes
13 years ago
Reply to  Jack

Good for you on calling her on it, Jack. I’ve never seen bikes cause congestion on Knott either. I commute both ways on it everyday between 21st and Vancouver. It’s a very wide, easily-sharable road (except for the piles of leaves and corner lakes during last night’s commute).

Alex Reed
Alex Reed
13 years ago

And is congestion the end of the world? It’s a residential street. If people want to drive fast they have plenty of other options.

david
david
13 years ago

I ride home from 118th and cornell so I have to descend down fairview. I was on my cross bike and the brakes were not adjusted well enough to stop me. No matter how hard I clenched on the brakes I just glided because of the water on my rim. On top of that my waterlogged light kept cutting out so I had to take the max from washington park through downtown. I figured the 2.00 fee was worth not sliding into a busy intersection or having someone turn into me because my light wasnt working.

Joe
Joe
13 years ago

becareful out there, cars still going fast and we cant stop on a dime, my fav is all the leaves in the bike lane cleared from the gutter but resting in the bike lane.. ahh the fun.. lights,fenders,set GO.. 🙂

John Lascurettes
13 years ago

I’m taking more of the lane on tree-lined roads (even when they have bike lanes) because homeowners are raking leaves from their planting strips and into the shoulder and bike lanes of the roadway.

Even after PBOT came and scooped up some of these leaves on Knott, they still left plenty of slick-as-snot leaf debris all over the the outside 6′ of the road.

Jim F
Jim F
13 years ago

I have a strained back and haven’t been able to get on the bike the past two days. Commuting by car for the first time in years, I was really shocked at how incredibly difficult it is to see cyclists in the rain. We’re damn near invisible. So, that car on your left? Assume it can’t see you because it probably can’t!!!

KWW
KWW
13 years ago

This cartoon says it all for me:
http://www.yehudamoon.com/images/strips/2010-08-13.gif
Get yourself a rain cover for your helmet, Carradice rain cape and spats and laugh at the rain while you ride home. You won’t need waterproof gloves, booties, socks or anything else.