I'm living car free and I'm wanting to start up my own business, which will require me to be on my bike a good deal of the time. I have always been car free, and I when it would rain (which it dose quite a bit here in the Pacific Northwest) I would always take the bus. If I do pursue this avenue I will have to ride in the rain often, and I will be unable to change cloths:(. So whatever I'm wearing I will have it on for hours as I ride to each customer, provide my services (for a short time), and then on to next costumer, and so on and so forth throughout the day. Any suggestions on what kind of attire would keep me the driest? Do you guys/gals believe this would be possible to undertake?

It is possible, but may depend on what kind of business you have and what kind of clientele you are catering to. I would carry light weight breathable and water repellent clothing for most rainy days and a back up of fully water proof stuff for the real heavy down pours.

How will your customers react to you arriving wet? How will they react to you arriving sweaty? Since you don't say what services you offer, its kind of hard to judge.

You can tell us a little more. Honest, I won't move to Portland and go into competition with you.

You can get the waterproof pants and jackets which work well in cool and rainy weather. If you go this route, keep your speed down when you're wearing them. Otherwise you can be just as wet from sweat as you would be from rain.

the faster you ride in rain, the harder it is to stay dry. bottom line is you have to take it slow if you need to arrive neither soaked in sweat nor rain.

As has been mentioned above, it depends on what your service is and who your clients are. Since you live in the PNW, I suspect that most people you deal with won't be as picky about your appearance as they might be in other areas, as long as you provide competent, timely service; some might even approve of your car-free status. As for clothes and gear: Get GoreTex pants and jacket, and some waterproof shoes. (Don't use sailing-type foul weather gear on the bike ever, they'll turn into a moving sauna.) Waterproof panniers are a very good idea, too. If you have to carry a lot, get a trailer and those waterproof sea bags. Fenders are a must.

Good luck with your business, whatever it is.

You might want to get a rain cape and I'm guessing you already have fenders. CAT has a rain cape here (http://www.catoregon.org/catstore.htm), and they're in Eugene, so pretty close to you.

What kind of business do will you do? I am curious.

In today's world, it is difficult to imagine a business that would not require an automobile sometimes. Surely they exist, so I am interested to hear your business.

Good luck with your business and welcome to the world of self-employment. It is great and it is probably more bicycle friendly than working for someone else.

We all know the downside of "working for The Man".

Now, FishMan, "you are The Man".

....Any suggestions on what kind of attire would keep me the driest? Do you guys/gals believe this would be possible to undertake?
I don't know that the attire is going to make much difference either way.

If you wanted to ride all the time and not get rained on, then I'd say you need a trike, and you'd need to make a BIG awning-type roof for it using fiberglass poles and mounting plastic or fabric stratched over them. I've seen a couple awnings commercially sold for trikes and they were small and only "covered" the rider's head.
~

Definitely agree with some of the other replies that it would depend on what service you provide and who your clients are. If you are going into people's homes or into businesses/offices dripping like a drowned rat, it might be difficult to pull off. If you'll be working on yards/properties, then it's probably do-able. (Also, will you be doing sales in person?)

I work from home and never use the car for work, but then I haven't had to meet a client in over two years (everything is done over the Internet).

Get a velomobile. It will keep you dry no matter what the weather is like, you can write it off as a business expense, and you can advertise your business on the sides!

http://www.go-one.us/artwork/go-oneVelo-Yellow.jpg

I would make sure to ride in a light/wicking fabrics and keep compact rain gear available on your bike. Make sure to wear wool or cycling socks so they don't absorb water as much.

Now I must say, if you go from house to house and it's ok to show up wet and sweaty the only job that comes to mind is prostitution ;-) (I kid, I kid)

Re: post# 11:

Some of those velomobiles are beautiful, aren't they?

Re: post# 11:

Some of those velomobiles are beautiful, aren't they?

I'm sorry to get even more off track, but I have to ask: where on the road does one ride this thing? It's got to be quite a bit wider than a bike, but probably not much faster. I can't imagine that it would be fast enough to keep up with cars, and, again because of its width, might be an unreasonable impediment to traffic. (I'm not attacking, just asking.)

I'm sorry to get even more off track, but I have to ask: where on the road does one ride this thing? It's got to be quite a bit wider than a bike, but probably not much faster. I can't imagine that it would be fast enough to keep up with cars, and, again because of its width, might be an unreasonable impediment to traffic. (I'm not attacking, just asking.)

The two I have seen are only a few inches wider than a tadpole trike like a WizWheel (http://www.wizwheelz.com/) or Greenspeed with an electric assist they are a very viable means of transport in slower city traffic, and quite often can keep up with or exceed average speeds. My biggest issue with the recumbent seating is not being able to see over the traffic to avoid issues. Unfortunately US drivers are nortorious for not "seeing" something and running over it. I got t boned the other day at low speed (I was driving my big red work truck) by someone that didn't see me and made a right turn on red into the side of my truck:rolleyes:

Aaron:)

Riding a bike should be a great way to make more $$ for the business. You can charge your customers less because you have lower operating costs, and if you can write off distance traveled as an expense you should make out like a bandit.

I know salesmen who travel can write of x cents per mile/Km traveled so you may be able to do the same.

I'm sorry to get even more off track, but I have to ask: where on the road does one ride this thing? It's got to be quite a bit wider than a bike, but probably not much faster. I can't imagine that it would be fast enough to keep up with cars, and, again because of its width, might be an unreasonable impediment to traffic. (I'm not attacking, just asking.)

It's ridden on the right just like any other bike. Its width means that cars can't squeeze by you to pass, they must signal over into the next lane. This is much safer, in my opinion! As for keeping up with cars, most velos can sustain 40km/h or more on flat ground, which is enough in rush hour traffic, and fast enough in other cases that drivers feel you're at least working hard at keeping up with them. ;)

Also, many velomobiles will place the rider's head at or just under the eye level of most cars, so visibility isn't nearly as much of a problem as you'd think.

Riding a bike should be a great way to make more $$ for the business. You can charge your customers less because you have lower operating costs, and if you can write off distance traveled as an expense you should make out like a bandit.

I know salesmen who travel can write of x cents per mile/Km traveled so you may be able to do the same.

The business related mileage deduction is for automobile travel and is simply a convenience that may be used in lieu of recording actual expenses. A bicycle based business could deduct the cost of transportation, but not using the cost/mile formula.

Riding a bike should be a great way to make more $$ for the business. You can charge your customers less because you have lower operating costs, and if you can write off distance traveled as an expense you should make out like a bandit.

I know salesmen who travel can write of x cents per mile/Km traveled so you may be able to do the same.

If the money he saves from riding a bike is greater than the value of his time, his business will be in trouble quick.

just apply for a municipal job which pay very well! all you need is to beable to spell your name without error.

the faster you ride in rain, the harder it is to stay dry. bottom line is you have to take it slow if you need to arrive neither soaked in sweat nor rain.

beat me to it!

I'd suggest a rain cape (for slow-ish) riding, spats or rainlegs, full fenders with mudflaps, etc. (I really like my rain cape so far...)

A full on rainsuit will work too - but if you get moving you'll turn into a sauna. I've had luck with the O2 (I think) rain pants and the Burley shoe covers. Be sure to look for wicking fabrics and things that dry quickly. I think you'll need to do some experimenting.

Check out RussRoca's blog - hes in sunny Cali - but he makes his living doing photog work on his bike:
http://russroca.blogspot.com/

I think he posts on BF sometimes... and he's currently in the Portland area on a short tour.

Re: post# 11:

Some of those velomobiles are beautiful, aren't they?
And the ones that look the coolest (like that one) typically cost well into the several-thousands of dollars, too.

Plus, that one's probably not such a great idea.
A lot more of these things seem to be used in Europe than in the US or anywhere else, and most of the Euro ones don't have a windshield at all, they leave the rider's head exposed or they use a small windshield that flips up out of the way when you don't want it. The reason is that in rain or high humidity, the windshields tend to fog up and there's no good way to keep them cleared.
~

Ever been to NYC?

Seriously, if you run your own business, you can write off all your transportation expenses- taxis, etc...

What kind of business do will you do? I am curious.

In today's world, it is difficult to imagine a business that would not require an automobile sometimes. Surely they exist, so I am interested to hear your business.

Good luck with your business and welcome to the world of self-employment. It is great and it is probably more bicycle friendly than working for someone else.

We all know the downside of "working for The Man".

Now, FishMan, "you are The Man".

Start with FULL length fenders with full mudflaps that go to the ground. Not only will your feet stay almost dry, your bike stays cleaner as well. Next, consider buying rain chaps (somewhere in this site there is a link). These keep your upper legs and knees dry 9the areas that get the wettest when cycling), but allow you to ride hard without sweating. Now cover your upper area, a poncho or rain jacket, with pit zips. Wear merino wool underneath it does'nt smell when sweaty. maybe add a helmet cover and some booties if its really wet.

...and if you can write off distance traveled as an expense you should make out like a bandit.

I know salesmen who travel can write of x cents per mile/Km traveled so you may be able to do the same.

You can't write off "distance" on a bicycle as an expense when there are no documented mileage expenses involved or IRS allowance as there is for motor vehicles. You would justifiably be considered a bandit if audited by the IRS.

Arriving sweaty is embarrassing and unprofessional which is one of the reasons bicycling just does not work for many people.

But please do tell us what your business will be!

Arriving sweaty is embarrassing and unprofessional which is one of the reasons bicycling just does not work for many people.

But please do tell us what your business will be!

Tommyrot.

I'm living car free and I'm wanting to start up my own business, which will require me to be on my bike a good deal of the time. I have always been car free, and I when it would rain (which it dose quite a bit here in the Pacific Northwest) I would always take the bus. If I do pursue this avenue I will have to ride in the rain often, and I will be unable to change cloths:(. So whatever I'm wearing I will have it on for hours as I ride to each customer, provide my services (for a short time), and then on to next costumer, and so on and so forth throughout the day. Any suggestions on what kind of attire would keep me the driest? Do you guys/gals believe this would be possible to undertake?

I would recommend - a car (or an suv if you don't like cars). You will rapidly find this out if you try otherwise.

SUV:
Suburban
Uhttack
Vehicle