not lookin forward to this

[bluefaze]

got 400 mile ride from Bath to home, Paisley, on Friday, weather supposed to be crap 

[Kosmic Kartman]

Be OK if you take sacrifices to the Rain Gods. Not good if you have to do it at night time and it's Cats and Big Dogs.

Must remember though we are bikers and we do this mad pooh sometimes.

[Captain Haddock]

Good luck,
[smug mode] if it's any help I have a 3-4 minute walk home from work on friday lunchtime, no sorry I didn't think that would help... [/smug mode]

[2old2boogie]

 
Hope the heated grips are working! Don't be a hero, it gets too cold/wet pull over and take a break. Take spare (dry) gloves.

[ghostbiker]

I find if im kitted up right and i settle in to a rythem i can actualy realy enjoy a ride in the rain.

[rustyrider]

I delivered a Harley Fat Boy from Peterborough to Paris a few weeks ago.  Apart from it being the most horrible thing I have ever ridden in my life, it pissed it down solid from just outside Calais all the way to Paris.  I thought my gear was waterproof but with rain that hard it came through everywhere.  It's never felt as nice to put dry clothes on ready to get on a plane to fly back home again.....

But in a perverse sort of way, I still enjoyed it.........

[b3tarev3]

Pity you're not heading that way today as the weather was simply gorgeous all the way up there today!!! 

[Gordo]

Some of my best rides have been in the rain - clear, freshly washed roads, warm waterproof kit... lovely.

I did a similar ride in reverse in February and did it non-stop but for petrol and a short meal-break at the border.

[fazerboy1969]

We got caught in a biblical downpour on the 28 aug over the bristol chanel to portsmouth.soaked wet thru,two bikes died to electrical problems,20 mph on motorway,missed 11pm sailing by two mins....happy days 

[oldmotherfoccer]

however good you think your gloves are, pop into the petrol station and put a pair of the diesel plastic gloves on UNDER your leather gloves, lovely and toastie hands on the way home

[Skippernick]

What are you talking about the long range is showing good dry weather.

[rustyrider]

however good you think your gloves are, pop into the petrol station and put a pair of the diesel plastic gloves on UNDER your leather gloves, lovely and toastie hands on the way home

I'll second that although I used the Nitrile ones that mechanics use to keep their hands clean.  I think I saw it mentioned on here so put a couple of pairs in my jacket pocket.  Stopped and put them on under my leather gloves as soon as the first spots of rain appeared.  It doesn't matter how wet your gloves get, your hands will stay dry and warm.

[GringoRojo]

if you can, put another pair over the top too.

and if you have a thin neoprene neck tube/balaclava, wear that and have the bottom edge over/outside your jacket collar to shed the water from your lid away from your neck.

[pitternator]

dont think any ride will rival switzerland this year. Rain, fog , ice, driving blizzard snow..yes , July!...my kit was sodden, my hands frozen,especially my up till now waterproof boots which were full of water. 7 hours , 300 miles ( across country, no motorways) was an epic , but one I dont want to repeat.The route de cretes was as bad....just a total foggy downpour.
My advice is stick to motorway, and stop at every service station to warm up. The inner gloves is a good idea, as is too putting yer feet in bin bags inside the boots. A bin bag taped over the boot  works too. At some point any leather leaks.
I know for future summer tours, my wet weather gear will be upgraded. and heated grips fitted !   lol

[maddog04]

done 350 ish miles from Redruth in Cornwall back to Liverpool when I got the new bike, was layered up in civvy clothing (couldn't manage real bike kit.... long story) and had every type of weather bar fog. as soon as I hit Bodmin moor my legs were cold and it worked its way upwards all the way to my eyes!!
after many stops and cups of tea later, I managed to get home with the onset of hypothermia.....no joke!
if it wasn't for the heated grips I'd have been in the mire big time, wish I'd know about plastic/nitrile gloves then coz I'd have done a Blue Peter job and stuck them all together and made a T shirt outta them lol
in a perverse way I'm glad I did it but I learned that you need the right kit at all times otherwise you'll get caught out, best gear I bought was a windproof balaclava and an Aldi windproof shirt, I can't recommend windproof kit enough and have applied this to my cycling kit and civvy kit

[Skippernick]

And after all that you'll do 2/3 of your journey in sunshine and some showers further north you go   not to bad

[fazed600]

I've got a ride home from Bath on Friday as well - all 13 miles of it! Weather looks ok though, at least at the Bath end....

[DryRob]

I got caught out when it was hammering it down before I set off from work in summer gear, thankfully I had some waterproof trousers under my seat but had to make a poncho out of a bin bag, cling film my arm (ran out after one arm) and put nitrile gloves over my leather ones. Now have a set of emergency waterproofs and nitriles under my seat just in case.

[Robbie8666]

done 350 ish miles from Redruth in Cornwall back to Liverpool when I got the new bike, was layered up in civvy clothing (couldn't manage real bike kit.... long story) and had every type of weather bar fog. as soon as I hit Bodmin moor my legs were cold and it worked its way upwards all the way to my eyes!!

Bodmins always the same!!

[Farjo]

I wonder if he made it?

[bluefaze]

hi guys, and galls omf. well made it home ok. was lovely an sunny till i hit birmingham, small shower so thought i'd put waterproofs on, just in case. Good decision it pished down all the way home. As for wind, bloody hell never stopped blowin. As some of you guys said, kind of weird but i did enjoy the run. Only stopped for petrol an a cup of tea. seven hours in all, but glad to be home

[BIG MAC]

Memorable run back from the gathering in Glencoe a few years ago...Biblical rain and myself and Dennis (Wits) ploughing through the gloom just passing Motherwell...out of the spray appears a white plastic bucket blowing across the lane...Not sure but I think Dennis kicked it! By the time we had errr made progress through the borders the rain had eased up and it was almost dry when he peeled off at Bolton???...last time I saw him and maybe a strange portent the kicking the bucket thing. Great fun ride down to Portsmouth I think it was about 8hrs