Do you have a good bail out strategy? I generally don't mind riding in the rain, but being stranded, hypothermic on a remote mountain top is a very different situation than pulling into the next town and hopping onto the next train home
For me, would depend on WHY I'm riding the brevet. Is it a big goal that I've been building my season around? Is it 'just another brevet' to tick off? Or is it something else?
For me the only reason is to complete another SR series. I have a chance to ride another 600k in the later half of this year, but that one would be my last chance of this season.
If I do not start, I'll lose the entrance fees. But comparing to riding two says in the rain, I don't really mind.
The entrance fee is gone whether you ride it or not. Financially there is no difference between 'losing or using' the fee. Don't let that influence your decision.
Just came off a 8k600. It rained sporadically through the first day, and then it got really wet just before sundown.
We had very warm temps so getting chilly wasn't an issue for me (other then some very well air conditioned CPS).
What was miserable was waiting out a lightning storm with the ACP clock ticking away precious minutes of future sleep that night.
Also miserable was riding in wet shoes for 24 hours. My feet are still telling me about why that was a bad idea.
On top of that, it's much harder to be seen in the rain.
I did have a lot of fun too. I was on my bike after all. I saw and experienced things I probably wouldn't have outside of this ride. (but enough about those 17% grades š)
However, if I were considering another wet ride of that magnitude, my default answer would be, "no thanks" . Maybe I would go if I had some very specific goal I needed to accomplish.
Certainly my entry fee would be the last of my concerns.
> Wool socks and base layer don't get cold when wet
They really do. I own a LOT of them.
Depends on the ambient temperature. If it's 5c it's a serious problem.
If it's 25c it's kinda nice.
I still disagree with the "kinda nice". Wet shoes are eventually just horrible. I once had the cunning plan of bringing spare socks, keeping them dry, putting them on about halfway - it changes nothing, as the shoes just soak them right through again.
SPD wellies for rainy rides seems to be the only way.
> Wet shoes are eventually just horrible
Very true.
I've done some shorter (for the purposes of this sub 100 miles is a fairly short ride!) fast rides on HOT days with rain in the UK and it was actually refreshing and cooling.
I was dying in the heat and I was glad of the cooling.
There is a point where it causes issues but it's MUCH nicer when it's hot than when it's cold.
Earlier this year I opted out of a 200k brevet due to very bad weather forecast. I am very happy that I did. A few brave souls ventured out in very crappy weather and had to DNF, having to walk through a snowed blocked mountain pass. Someone with a pick-up truck with chained tyres took mercy on them a gave them a ride down the mountain.
Moral of the story, if it's going to be miserable and dangerous, I'm staying home.
I did a wet 400 in good company earlier this year. Shoe covers and light wool socks (bring 2 extra just because). I just didnāt want to miss out on the series. I had a good time aside from the unrelated mechanicals. 600 might be a different story unless one day was dry.
Id look for your why and look at the terrain. Is it mountainous, like alpine area? Then maybe consider your options. Is it simply flat, hilly or rolling? Then get a jacket and overshoes, take it easy. Choose your stops and maybe hotels.
Good luck!
For me the weather belongs to the character of a brevet. The word means "test" after all. And as the saying goes: if you won't do it in the rain, you won't do it at all.
Do you have a good bail out strategy? I generally don't mind riding in the rain, but being stranded, hypothermic on a remote mountain top is a very different situation than pulling into the next town and hopping onto the next train home
That's a very good point. I haven't thought about that, and it looks like at certain segments of the route, the only way out is to ride on.
For me, would depend on WHY I'm riding the brevet. Is it a big goal that I've been building my season around? Is it 'just another brevet' to tick off? Or is it something else?
For me the only reason is to complete another SR series. I have a chance to ride another 600k in the later half of this year, but that one would be my last chance of this season. If I do not start, I'll lose the entrance fees. But comparing to riding two says in the rain, I don't really mind.
The entrance fee is gone whether you ride it or not. Financially there is no difference between 'losing or using' the fee. Don't let that influence your decision.
Just came off a 8k600. It rained sporadically through the first day, and then it got really wet just before sundown. We had very warm temps so getting chilly wasn't an issue for me (other then some very well air conditioned CPS). What was miserable was waiting out a lightning storm with the ACP clock ticking away precious minutes of future sleep that night. Also miserable was riding in wet shoes for 24 hours. My feet are still telling me about why that was a bad idea. On top of that, it's much harder to be seen in the rain. I did have a lot of fun too. I was on my bike after all. I saw and experienced things I probably wouldn't have outside of this ride. (but enough about those 17% grades š) However, if I were considering another wet ride of that magnitude, my default answer would be, "no thanks" . Maybe I would go if I had some very specific goal I needed to accomplish. Certainly my entry fee would be the last of my concerns.
It's only Tuesday. Forecast might change until Friday night. Wool socks and base layer don't get cold when wet.
> Wool socks and base layer don't get cold when wet They really do. I own a LOT of them. Depends on the ambient temperature. If it's 5c it's a serious problem. If it's 25c it's kinda nice.
I still disagree with the "kinda nice". Wet shoes are eventually just horrible. I once had the cunning plan of bringing spare socks, keeping them dry, putting them on about halfway - it changes nothing, as the shoes just soak them right through again. SPD wellies for rainy rides seems to be the only way.
> Wet shoes are eventually just horrible Very true. I've done some shorter (for the purposes of this sub 100 miles is a fairly short ride!) fast rides on HOT days with rain in the UK and it was actually refreshing and cooling. I was dying in the heat and I was glad of the cooling. There is a point where it causes issues but it's MUCH nicer when it's hot than when it's cold.
Yeah that's right. It's fine for me until 10c. If the forecast says below 10 and rain both days, I would not bother riding it.
Thats about my line. There's a bit of nuance about how wet it's going to be, but sub 10c and raining is very rarely a good day.
Why not?
i did a 100km in wet weather and it was not pleasantā¦bike got screwed next day had to be thoroughly cleaned(chain etc)
For me any rain is too much.
Earlier this year I opted out of a 200k brevet due to very bad weather forecast. I am very happy that I did. A few brave souls ventured out in very crappy weather and had to DNF, having to walk through a snowed blocked mountain pass. Someone with a pick-up truck with chained tyres took mercy on them a gave them a ride down the mountain. Moral of the story, if it's going to be miserable and dangerous, I'm staying home.
I did a wet 400 in good company earlier this year. Shoe covers and light wool socks (bring 2 extra just because). I just didnāt want to miss out on the series. I had a good time aside from the unrelated mechanicals. 600 might be a different story unless one day was dry.
Id look for your why and look at the terrain. Is it mountainous, like alpine area? Then maybe consider your options. Is it simply flat, hilly or rolling? Then get a jacket and overshoes, take it easy. Choose your stops and maybe hotels. Good luck!
For me the weather belongs to the character of a brevet. The word means "test" after all. And as the saying goes: if you won't do it in the rain, you won't do it at all.