Commuting - Rain Poncho

I thought REI had a rain poncho, with loops for your hands, for $29. I can't find it on their website.

Am I losing it? Am I thinking of another outfitter? I thought I had seen it mentioned a long time ago here or in the commute-logistics list. I searched but no joy.

Any help would be appreciated.

Jonathan

My internet search of potential bicycle ponchos also turned nothing but disappointments.

So, I figured that if anybody has a kick-booty rain poncho, it has to be the Brits.

I wrote to a friend of mine in England and he is on the search for a good trad British rain poncho.

When he gets it, I will post ALL about it.

Last week I used a $10.00 vinyl poncho. Naturally, it sucked. Every time the wind blew, it flew up over my head like Marilyn Monroe's dress. That made for a dramatic ride.

Plus, in the warmer regions of the world, those plastic rain ponchos, jackets, pants, etc. make you almost as wet, or wetter (and hotter) than if you just soaked in the rain. Any cyclists' rain gear would have to "breathe", so plastic is out.

The ones made for cycling have loops to put your hands in to hold them down. Unlike vinyl pants and jackets, they do breathe, from underneath. That's why they are preferred to jackets, air enters from underneath.

Jonathan

Jon,
Campmor.com has something called a cycling rain cape that sounds like what you are talking about. Same price.
Raymond

Try this link:
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/commerce/command/CategoryDisplay?cgrfnbr=48966&cgmenbr=226

Originally posted by RainmanP
Jon,
Campmor.com has something called a cycling rain cape that sounds like what you are talking about. Same price.
Raymond

That's it!

I was remembering the wrong outdoor place. I haven't looked yet, but that's it.

Jonathan

Carradice (co.uk) make a lovely waxed-cotton poncho with reflective bits.

They also make these natty over the knee spats which i can genuinely vouch for.

Just a shame they dont sell the false beard and dark glasses needed to travel familiar routes in such clobber!

I'm glad Grover mentioned Carradice. I had been trying to think of that since this thread started. I believe Rivendell Cycles at one time offered Carradice ponchos in the catalog but not, it appears, anymore, at least online. I'd heard the name recommended before that, too. If I had any money, I'd look into one myself.

(It's raining today and seemingly for the next week!)

Hey Grover,

been to Bristol a couple of years ago and loved it. Gone to Glastonbury festival and all that. Nice bridge you've got up there!

claude

Thanks for your help.

I would like to find a Carradice someday. They sound very effective. I did order the Campmor last week. Now that the rains have stopped for a day or so, it will probably arrive.

Last week, Kansas City was forecast to have rain almost every day. That's why I started thinking I should finally order a cape, and put on some fenders. I only rode the bus one day, and on the way, realized I probably could have ridden my bike. The streets were wet, but with no standing water, serious moisture, or crud to soil me.

Last night, I started making a pair of fenders. I was going to buy a pair, but this sounded fun - not to mention, cheap. Instead of 2-liter bottles, though, I cut up a plastic bucket from our flower shop. It's thick and relatively stiff. Once I get them tested, I'll paint them black.

Jonathan

Originally posted by jramsey
Last night, I started making a pair of fenders. I was going to buy a pair, but this sounded fun - not to mention, cheap. Instead of 2-liter bottles, though, I cut up a plastic bucket from our flower shop. It's thick and relatively stiff. Once I get them tested, I'll paint them black.
Jonathan,

It does sound fun. That's one thing that really turns me on about cycling--the economy of it. The first new bike I bought in 1979 is still on the road, but I have had several cars come and go in the meantime. I just love not being a slave to car mechanics and gas prices. I love being able to do a small bike repair by myself and if I need a "real" bike mechanic, the low, low prices repairs cost me compared to repairing cars.

I hope I never go back to driving everywhere! I'm a happy customer. It just makes sense!

Same here.

My wife and I own a flower shop, so we own a minivan. I hate it. First, it gets about 20 mpg. Plus, it's not that old, but it needs the stupidest maintenance. It runs rich, but the computer doesn't seem to know it, so two dealers and one independent shop have told me there's not much they can do.

I was going to change the plugs a couple weeks ago. I had to pay someone $80 to do it, because it's a V6, transverse mount. Three of the plugs are necessarily pointing at the rear of the engine compartment, and you can't just reach them without a crazy, long, articulated wrench. I don't know how they know how much torque they are applying.

Anyway, nothing is hidden, cramped, or transverse on my bike. I work on it at will.

Jonathan

Originally posted by jramsey
I was going to change the plugs a couple weeks ago. I had to pay someone $80 to do it, because it's a V6, transverse mount. Three of the plugs are necessarily pointing at the rear of the engine compartment, and you can't just reach them without a crazy, long, articulated wrench. I don't know how they know how much torque they are applying.

Anyway, nothing is hidden, cramped, or transverse on my bike. I work on it at will.

Technogirl said that, the way cars are built today, you can hardly get dental floss into any place under the hood.

Bike solutions, like rain ponchos, fenders, etc., all turn out to be such simple solutions. I believe genius is the ability to simplify a complicated problem, not the other way around. I hope the bike builders never get as crafty as car makers, who purposely build things to fail.

Drug addiction, we say, is evil because it creates an unnatural need in the user that leads to their destruction. By that definition, an automobile is a drug.

But my bike is not, even though I'm addicted, because it does not lead to my destruction; quite the reverse!
:)

Sorry for the diversion from your "Rain Poncho" thread!

Originally posted by jramsey
Three of the plugs are necessarily pointing at the rear of the engine compartment, and you can't just reach them without a crazy, long, articulated wrench. I don't know how they know how much torque they are applying.

I suspect that implicit question contains its own implicit answer!