Descending in the Rain with Rim Brakes: 7 Things to Consider

I’m barreling down the mountain, rain slashing my face like an ex-lover’s angry fingernails.

The road below me shines like a drunk’s forehead under a neon sign. My fingers are locked around the brake levers, whispering sweet nothings to them—please, just this once, don’t let me die.

Rim brakes in the rain. Some people call it a challenge. Others call it an art. I call it a controlled flirtation with disaster. You and the road. You and the laws of physics. You and the growing suspicion that your bike, despite all your affection, would gladly betray you for a pothole and a slick patch of oil.

Let’s talk survival.

1. Your Rims Matter (Steel is the Devil’s Work)

Aluminum rims? You’ll be fine. Steel rims? Well, you may as well be trying to stop on a bar of soap. If you don’t know what you have, now is not the time for surprises. Check. Double-check. Pray.

2. Brake Early, Brake Often

You don’t wait until you need to stop. You brake before you think you need to stop. In the rain, the time between “this is fine” and “I am airborne” is about one-and-a-half seconds. Squeeze the brakes early, keep a steady hand, and for God’s sake, don’t panic.

3. Wipe Your Rims with Your Brakes

Rim brakes don’t just stop your bike; they also whisk water off your rims like a waiter clearing a table. Lightly feathering the brakes before a descent gives you dry(ish) rims and a better chance of not meeting the asphalt face-first.

4. Back Brake Over Front Brake (Unless You Like Surprises)

Heavy rain stirs up oil and grime, turning the road into a death rink. Your back brake is your best friend here. Skidding on the rear? Embarrassing, but survivable. Skidding on the front? Well, do you have a will?

5. Tires and Pressure Matter

Slicks might make you feel like a Tour de France pro, but in the wet, they’re a one-way ticket to regret. Lowering your tire pressure slightly improves grip. More grip equals more control. More control equals not skidding under a delivery truck named “Destiny.”

6. Corner Like Your Life Depends on It (Because It Does)

Stay upright in corners. Lean too much, and your tires will ghost you like an old flame. The trick is to slow before the turn, then hold your line. Smooth. Steady. No sudden moves. No heroics.

7. Rain-Specific Brake Pads Are a Thing (And You Probably Don’t Have Them)

Swissstop BXPs, Kool Stop Salmons—these names mean something to people who don’t want their brakes to feel like wet bread. If you haven’t swapped out your pads for rain-friendly ones, well, welcome to the adrenaline-fueled world of bad decisions.

---

Summary Table

Consideration	Why It Matters
Aluminum > Steel	Steel rims are slippery death traps.
Brake Early	Wet rims mean delayed stopping power.
Feather the Brakes	Removes water, improves grip.
Favor the Rear Brake	Front skids = bad. Rear skids = slightly less bad.
Lower Tire Pressure	More traction = less road rash.
Corner Upright	Leaning too much will end in tears.
Better Brake Pads Exist	You should have bought them before the rain started.

---

Final Thoughts

The rain keeps coming. My fingers are stiff from the cold, my heart drumming a funeral march in my chest. I ease off the brakes, let the bike run. Trust it. Trust myself.

The road is slick, but I hold the line. Another bend. Another descent. The city lights are waiting below, glowing like a promise or a lie.

And just as I start to think maybe, just maybe, I have this under control—

A car pulls out of a side street, right in my path.

The bike skids. My heart stops.

And I remember, with sharp, ridiculous clarity—

I never did check what kind of rims I have.