Rain gear

[dbb]

Winter is generally pretty straightforward. Absent the infrequent big storms, snow generally isn’t a problem. It is just cold. Most of the days the trails are clear. I rode through the winter last year with regular 28 mm tires on my hybrid and after one snow storm was forced to walk the bike along the MVT to the District (where the paths were clear and dry!) I was forced to metro a couple of days as well.

I bought a beater (old Peugeot with 1.95 tires) from the coop in Alexandria for the handful of days where the hybrid needs to stay in the barn.

Based on my relatively short 5 miles commute along the MVT into DC, I would say studded tires would probably be less value than appropriate clothing.

Plan on finding small patches of ice so your most valuable tools will be common sense (I’m screwed!), appropriate clothing and good lights.

The good news about winter biking is less trail crowding.

[eminva]

Last year’s discussion of studded tires:

http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?317-It-s-too-icy-to-ride….-Or-is-it

Discussion of Socks & Boots:

http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?309-Feet-Part-2-The-wonderful-world-of-socks.&highlight=lake+boots

More on Boots:

http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?308-Hands-warm-How-bout-those-feets&highlight=lake+boots

There’s more; you can do a search through the comments for specifics. But from these threads, it looks like some of those cycling specific boots have a tread pattern that would make it safer to drop your foot in ice/snow/etc.

I have pedals that are SPD on one side and flat on the reverse. I just wear general purpose fleece lined boots when it gets too cold for cycling shoes.

As far as winter wardrobe, I am a big fan of a wool base layer. I have ski sweaters in various weights. Depending on the temperature, I add maybe a vest and a wind blocking layer. Add wind stopper pants and it’s passably cozy.

Am planning to put studded tires on my mountain bike this season so I can increase my winter commuting. Last year, I was fine with the cold, but any ice on the trail sidelined me because I was riding a road bike. It takes a surprising amount of time for all that ice to clear — sometimes two or three weeks post storm.

Liz

[Greenbelt]

I’ve found that CX tires with a little air pressure taken out work OK in an inch of snow or less on the trails. More that than, the old mountain bike comes out. After a while the snow gets packed down into ice by walkers and melt/refreeze cycles, but that’s only in a few particularly shady spots and, while annoyingly bumpy even on the MTB, not intolerable over short stretches. The uneven footprints provide some traction. Would be nice if MNPPC would plow the trails with one of those mini-plows before it becomes a glacier.

[5555624]

As far as shoes go, for snow and ice, I switch to Lake MX 165 MTB shoes. I have a wide foot, so I normally wear Lake MTB shoes anyway, but the tread on the 165 is a bit more pronounced and is fine in snow. I’ve thought about adding Yak Trax for ice, but haven’t done it yet.[ATTACH=CONFIG]421[/ATTACH]

[americancyclo]

@Dirt 9164 wrote:

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. [/url]

Looks like Amazon has the Elite Barrier WxB that Dirt linked to in Black (M, XXL only) for $132
http://www.amazon.com/Pearl-iZUMi-Barrier-Cycling-Jacket/dp/B00280MZQW/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1318857943&sr=8-13

[jrenaut]

@americancyclo 9192 wrote:

Looks like Amazon has the Elite Barrier WxB that Dirt linked to in Black (M, XXL only) for $132
http://www.amazon.com/Pearl-iZUMi-Barrier-Cycling-Jacket/dp/B00280MZQW/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1318857943&sr=8-13

I don’t think I can fit a medium, so I guess I’d better get started on gaining 75 pounds.

I just dropped my bike off to get the fenders put on. The job was just a little bit beyond me. Nothing seemed to quite fit right, so I’m leaving it to the professionals.

And I’m thinking about buying myself a rain jacket as a One Year Bike Commuting Anniversary Present (Next Tuesday will be a year).

[americancyclo]

@Dirt 9152 wrote:

Gloves: Nothing is going to keep your hands dry in a real rain. Moose Mitts and Bar Mitts are good when it is cold. Even they tend to send rain down your arms into your gloves and onto your hands. Do not despair!!!! Our scuba diving brethren and sistren have the answer. Castelli makes a glove called the Diluvio (Google will find them) that are made of neoprene. Your hands still get wet, but they stay warm. The palms are kinda weird, but they grip the bars really well. Trust me, these things rock. Warm and wet is better than Cold and wet any day… especially when Warm and dry isn’t an option.
Pete

Anyone (Pete?) had any experience with Glacier Gloves, specifically the Perfect Curve? I’ve heard some good things, but never seen them up close. I need to figure out if I want to remove them from my Amazon wish list before folks start holiday shopping.

http://www.glacieroutdoor.com/store/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=14

[Dirt]

@americancyclo 9205 wrote:

Anyone (Pete?) had any experience with Glacier Gloves, specifically the Perfect Curve?

I’m not familiar with them at all. Sorry.

[PrintError]

For warm (above 60) conditions, including Thursday’s ubermonsoon (hopefully I was the only one out riding in that!!!), I just wear my usual short sleeves and shorts. I’m waterproof. I packed my gloves so they stayed dry and rode in bare feet (which kinda sucks on SPDs) because wet shoes… yeah hell no. HATE THAT!!!

Might be because I’ve been surfing my whole life, but I couldn’t care less about getting really wet. That said, I do rock a MTB trail fender on the back of my roadie on wet days.

As for winter, my Specialized jacket got me home in February’s snowstorm with a dry shirt (damp from sweat) after 18+ miles and snow ranging from 4″ (work) to 10″ (home) and a total whiteout for most of the ride. As for winter boots, it’s Lake all the way!

Oh, and for snow/ice, I park the commuter and drag out my specially built MTB/ice bike. Innova Tundrawolf studded tires all the way!

[Greenbelt]

@jrenaut 9195 wrote:

I just dropped my bike off to get the fenders put on. The job was just a little bit beyond me. Nothing seemed to quite fit right, so I’m leaving it to the professionals.

Same here — commuter bike’s in the shop this week getting a new bottom bracket and fenders installed.

[jrenaut]

Unfortunately, my fenders didn’t fit, so the bike shop is ordering another set. They should be here Thursday, but probably not in time to show them off at Happy Hour.

[Dirt]

I thought I’d dig up this thread again. It has some great information in it. Spending 8 or 9 hours riding in the rain over the last 2 days also brought up the topic in some of my rides.

KayakCyndi’s new Endura Luminite jacket is AWESOME! The Luminite II is also pretty impressive. Endura really does things right. The visibility is great. So is the price. They can be had for under $150. I love that they do women’s and men’s sizing!!!

For those of us who sweat a lot and need more venting, we need to go up in the price range a bit. The Endura Stealth II adds pit zipps. The Flyte has ventilation panels that work pretty dang well, while still keeping the rain out. The Endura Venturi II jacket has been my favorite!

I wish all of the Endura jackets came in HiVis colors. Their reflective panels and piping on jackets work great, but the HiVis is nice in Daytime low light when people may not have their lights on.

The Endura Venturi 3/4 (knickers) are still the most amazing pants I’ve ever used. Amazing that they are between $140 and 200 depending on where you get them and size availability.

I’ll have a report on the Giro New Road rain jacket in the next week or so.

Have fun out there. Be safe.

[eminva]

Yesterday’s commute exposed a few shortcomings in my rainy weather wardrobe. Does anyone have a recommendation for women’s rain pants? Endura doesn’t seem to feature women’s pants. Showers Pass has several models; any recommendations there?

Also, what can I do to keep rain from seeping into my Northwave Arctic boots? Even allowing a lot of water in, they did keep my feet warm, but they didn’t dry out by the end of the day. A google search suggested cutting the cuffs off of rubber kitchen gloves and sealing that around the top. I was dubious; anyone try that?

Thanks!

Liz

[TwoWheelsDC]

@eminva 74478 wrote:

Yesterday’s commute exposed a few shortcomings in my rainy weather wardrobe. Does anyone have a recommendation for women’s rain pants? Endura doesn’t seem to feature women’s pants. Showers Pass has several models; any recommendations there?

Also, what can I do to keep rain from seeping into my Northwave Arctic boots? Even allowing a lot of water in, they did keep my feet warm, but they didn’t dry out by the end of the day. A google search suggested cutting the cuffs off of rubber kitchen gloves and sealing that around the top. I was dubious; anyone try that?

Thanks!

Liz

My Showers Pass pants velcro down at the bottom and fit tight over the tops of my shoes (Sidi Diablos), so no water seeps in the top. They don’t breathe well (they are rain pants, after all), but they are comfortable otherwise and are indeed waterproof.

[Arlingtonrider]

I have Novara Stratos rainpants (REI) that work well. They’re loose fitting and meant to be worn over something (long johns, tights?). My legs stayed stayed dry and comfortable even in pouring rain this morning.

I was disappointed, though, to come home with wet feet (toe area), despite wearing rain covers over my shoes. I don’t think that had anything to do with the rain pants. It probably came in from the shoe covers. It was pretty wet out there.

[Author]

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