braking in the rain

[upside22]

Got my first experience riding in a gully washer today. No problem with slick roads, a little problem keeping face shield clean enough to see well.

The real problem was the first stop sign I came to. I pulled the front brake like usual but hardly any stopping power when first applied. Thank Pete the rear brake was working well or I would have been in the middle of the intersection before I got fully stopped.

The front brake worked fine after a couple of seconds but you can travel a long way in a couple of seconds!

I've had car brakes do this when running through heavy water but never thought about it on the bike.

Is this typical or do I need to see about getting different brake pads on the front? Or do I just need to start braking earlier when running in the wet so the water gets shed from the disk and the pads?

[watchman]

Slow down and brake sooner. If your front brakes works too well and locks up the front wheel you will be on the ground. Take it from someone that knows.

[cactusjack]

You need to exercise extra caution when riding in the rain. Allow more stopping distance. You don't want to lock up the brakes on a wet road.

[dantama]

I've never had the rear brake work better, and the front not work in the wet; so I don't know what that was all about.

There is less traction in the wet, so you can't make the same stop that you usually can make on dry roads. And worse yet, if it hasn't rained in a while, oil will be built up(especially at intersections where there is a stop and cars sit). When it rains, the oil lifts on top of the water and is very slick. The longer it's been between rain storms, the more oil there is.

As you mentioned, visibility sucks. The combination of poor visibility, distraction from feeling water creeping down your neck or whatever, and lack of traction makes riding in the rain a much worse proposition.

Give yourself more time to stop by reducing your speed altogether, and braking sooner. Brake with less force than usual so that you don't lock up. And know that the cars are having visibility problems too.

[ringadingh]

I always leave some extra room and apply the brake sooner than normal so the water can dry off the rotor for a second.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Yes, ride slower to allow for the unexpected. Ever so often you might want to just check the brakes to make sure and to tend to dry them a bit.

[bomadgary]

As others have already said. Slow down and brake sooner. Different riding conditions call for different riding considerations. Poor weather also calls for more attentiveness to the cagers.

[ells]

On wet roads I just assume that there is a better chance that I could go down. That seems to take care of it, haven't yet.