Rain gear

[jrenaut]

Since it appears that the DC Area has entered a new Wet Age, from which we may never emerge, it seems appropriate to talk about rain gear. In the warm months I’m fine getting drenched in my normal shorts and wicking t-shirt, but when it starts getting cold that’s not going to be cool.

What do people recommend? I’d like really lightweight stuff so that I can use it in a lot of weather – I figure I can regulate temperature with layers underneath, I just need something to keep me dry.

And general winter clothing recommendations are good, too – I was CaBi commuting last winter, so I didn’t have to worry about my pants catching. Which means I have no long pants I can wear with my road bike without a lot of taping and whatnot.

Topic

[Dirt]

@OneEighth 9158 wrote:

I just get wet. Wool socks, cycling cap, and coolmax technical shirts from JLRacing take the edge off even in cold weather.

That’s what I call the Granny Weatherwax “Faith” school of rain riding. Ride in whatever and have faith that you’ll be dry someday.

[jrenaut]

Dirt, is this the Pearl Izumi you’re talking about? If it is, sounds like a great bargain if it compares to the other two, at Amazon for less than $70.

[OneEighth]

@Dirt 9161 wrote:

That’s what I call the Granny Weatherwax “Faith” school of rain riding. Ride in whatever and have faith that you’ll be dry someday.

Don’t make Granny come over there with her cane.
Thank God for the cap or my hair would get all mussed up…

[Dirt]

@jrenaut 9162 wrote:

Dirt, is this the Pearl Izumi you’re talking about? If it is, sounds like a great bargain if it compares to the other two, at Amazon for less than $70.

Nope. That is the wind jacket. It is great, but not the rain jacket. They are very different.

It would appear that the deal I got was a spectacular one. This is the jacket that I got for $120. http://www.pearlizumi.com/publish/content/pi_2010/us/en/index/products/men/ride/apparel/6.-productCode-6531.html MSRP is $200.

They make a select version of it that is very similar, and cut with a little more room for $165: http://www.pearlizumi.com/publish/content/pi_2010/us/en/index/products/men/ride/apparel/6.-productCode-11131008.html

[Arlingtonrider]

Love the scuba gloves idea! Have lots of those. Now you have me thinking about my DUI drysuit with the rock boots, lol. Since fenders won’t fit on my bike . . .

[eminva]

Wow, who knew there was so much sewing talent amongst our posters?

It is good to know I am not the only one who had to learn by trial and error. I bought an expensive rain jacket and its waterproof qualities did not stand the test of time. Apparently these products don’t always live up to their advertising.

Excellent tips, Pete. I lost a glove at the end of winter last year and need a new pair and those neoprene gloves sound like they would fit the bill.

Good luck to everyone doing cycling events this weekend.

Liz

[dbb]

I’ll share some of my Army training

Say after me – I’ve been colder before, I’ll be colder again. I’ve been wetter before, I’ll be wetter again.

Makes you want the hot shower at home or at work even more!

@Dirt 9161 wrote:

That’s what I call the Granny Weatherwax “Faith” school of rain riding. Ride in whatever and have faith that you’ll be dry someday.

[Arlingtonrider]

Or maybe . . . even . . . (dare I say it) . . . the bus or metro (just to appreciate the suffering of others, of course! .

(Poking fun only at myself here!)

[jrenaut]

As wet as I was, at least I wasn’t my coworker, stuck on the red line, backed up due to a fire at Union Station, and then a girl in his packed car passed out.

I’ll take wet any day.

[Arlingtonrider]

That sort of thing does seem to be happening more often, and is a good incentive for developing a rainy day kit. This has been a great thread. Thanks to all for the many good ideas.

[dbb]

@Arlingtonrider 9171 wrote:

Or maybe . . . even . . . (dare I say it) . . . the bus or metro. (just so we can appreciate the suffering of others, of course! .

Now that I have been riding for a couple of years, I have learned to dread the one day a month I have to ride the Metro. I’m pretty sure I can still imagine how they are suffering, I don’t need retraining.

I’ll take wet or cold any day. Gives me a chance to leave the backpack with the laptop in the office.

[KS1G]

This is more of a deal with cold than deal with wet solution, but layers, layers, layers. Make sure the top one is windproof. Even a lightweight one will add a noticeable amount of warmth to whatever else you are wearing. For a budget, Target’s Champion line is a lower price knockoff of Underarmour, Nike, and similar. Watch for sales. I keep an extra pair of gloves at work in case the ones I wear in the AM are still wet 8-9 hrs later (I can scrounge only so much newspaper from colleagues). I seem to have had better luck than Dirt does with Sealskinz waterproof socks, and my lightweight/packable endura jacket seems to have reached the end of it’s life after several seasons of use. We’ll see if the heavier one I got last year does better than Dirt’s experience. Like D said – fenders rock.

Once the rain intensity and ride duration get big enough, you are simply going to get wet. But the drivers will give you a wider berth, as you are obviously crazy and might be dangerous.

[FFX_Hinterlands]

Has anyone ever used a rain cape? It seems to make sense because it’s more ventilated and keeps the rain from running down your jacket onto your crotch.
http://www.bicycleclothing.com/Rain-Capes.html

Personally I have an e-Vent running jacket (REI Brand) that works very well. It has breathable stretchy panels under the arms. It’s breathable enough to wear as a windbreaker on cold winter days. I have rain pants and waterproof low hiking boots as well.
I’m riding an upright 3 speed with platform pedals, which is a rare combination in these forums, I think.

[Greenbelt]

@FFX_Hinterlands 9178 wrote:

I’m riding an upright 3 speed with platform pedals, which is a rare combination in these forums, I think.

When it’s really cold, I ditch the road shoes and wear lightweight thermal hiking boots! They have a tread pattern that sort of fits pretty snug in my pedals anyway, and the leg reach is about the same, so no need for sizing adjustments. Easier to put a foot down if it’s slippery too.

[vvill]

I’m still figuring out all the rain gear stuff. I’ve commuted to work 4+ days/week for the last month or so and still haven’t found a great solution. I have learned that I don’t mind getting wet, and that I REALLY need a rear fender. Also discovered my $30 ebay rain jacket works great at being a two-way water barrier… after 10 mins I’m pretty sweaty inside.

I need to remember to bring some spare gloves/shirts/etc to work. Right now I have a set of dirty sweaty bike gear hanging in my cube over the weekend. I just wore my Friday casual clothes for the return trip since it wasn’t raining when I left yesterday.

I’m curious about the deep winter commute here, when there’s snow and/or ice out there. Obviously go with studded tires, but when you put a foot down, doesn’t your shoe slip? I have enough trouble walking on ice, I can’t imagine putting a foot down at a red light/crossing while on my bike…

[Author]

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