The Art of Racing in the Rain
Last Post 06/20/2013 12:42 PM by Cosmic Kid. 8 Replies.
Author Messages
Dale

Posts:1767

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06/18/2013 10:49 PM
Tuesday night training race and the rain started when the whistle blew. Bunch of semi-strong guys but most of them frustrated tri dudes and the corners... yeowzer! I did my best to stay near the front especially when we hit the chicanes and downhill sweepers. No one went down but holy cow, was it ugly! In the turns there were more guys left of the yellow line than on the right. Before the race a couple of the guys were talking tire pressure and said they were at 115+ I tried to keep a wide berth from those guys in the corners.
79pmooney

Posts:3178

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06/18/2013 11:40 PM
Did you talk to any of those guys after? Might have been a good place to speak some wisdom. THey might have been willing to hear!

Cotton tires, ribbed tread,102, 105 front, rear. (1977. Can't get those anymore?)

Ben
Ride On

Posts:537

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06/19/2013 06:19 AM
It is really hard to get people to change something they believe in. Tire pressure is just one of those things. It is like the world is flat, it just is.
Spud

Posts:525

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06/19/2013 06:45 AM
When I read this thread, I thought it was going to be about the book. If you love dogs, it's a must read.
Dale

Posts:1767

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06/19/2013 07:59 AM
The only thing I said after the race was to a guy that went so wide on a blind right hand turn he was next to the white line on the left side of the road. I told him I feared for his life if a car came around the corner. He admitted he was in over his head on a wet course.
Oldfart

Posts:511

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06/19/2013 10:33 AM
Posted By Ride On on 06/19/2013 06:19 AM
It is really hard to get people to change something they believe in. Tire pressure is just one of those things. It is like the world is flat, it just is.


Slick tread Ben. Tread patterns on bike tires for pavement does absolutely nothing.
79pmooney

Posts:3178

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06/19/2013 11:24 AM
It's really more about the rubber compound than the tread. Many of those old cotton tires worked well in the wet. Exception: the orange ribbed treaded Vittoria Competizione tires. Scary!

Ben
zootracer

Posts:833

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06/19/2013 11:58 AM
Off topic-there is a book "The Art Of Racing in the Rain". Good read. Story is told from a dogs perspective. Owner is a race car driver and it takes a couple of weird turns. It's going to made into a movie next year staring Patrick Dempsey. Who is apparently an avid cyclist.
Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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06/20/2013 12:42 PM
115+ psi....in the rain?!?!? Fook, I wouldn't do that when it is dry!!

Best tip for cornering in the rain is to steer the bike more than lean the bike. Shift your weight inside and turn the wheel while staying more upright than usual. Keeps the weight better centered over the bike and helps prevent sliding out.

Learned that trick 20+ years ago at a Wolverine Training Camp in FL.....this was the club that Frankie came out of. Great tip and I never forgot it. As a result, I always enjoyed racing in the rain 'cuz I was much more comfortable in the turns than most other people.


Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!


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