The Joy of Rain

Raleigh M-200
Originally uploaded by Snak Shak

I finally got a decent rain-ride in this morning. I left the house to face a steady, warm rain that continued to the edge of downtown.

It was fabulous. I really like riding in rain - at least warm rain.

Earlier this summer I scored a low-end, aluminum Raleigh mountain bike that had been single-speeded for a very favorable price. I tricked it out with some Freddy fenders and lights, but other than that, this bike is un-modified (by me). This is now my go-to mount for "bad weather"; it comes out when it's wet, snowy or dark (yes - I count darkness as "bad weather").

I find that having a bike like this makes riding in poor weather a lot less of a big deal because I am not worrying about the equipment, which I find liberating. I am also comfortable locking this one up in sketchy neighborhoods, too, which is a nice bonus.

Singled out, I am not going to set any speed records, but I do think that I ride a more consistent pace on a single speed. That's borne-out by the fact that I am not that much slower on the single as opposed to my multi-geared bikes. What's more, the single speed gives more feedback, conveying minor changes in topography and wind conditions, and the lack of shifting makes the ride a pure and simple exploration of cycling.