Touring - Riding in the rain - headgear?

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sehsuan
02-19-10, 12:01 AM
Folks, just need a little assistance from you all. I've gotten my rain wear which doesn't have a hood (Endura Gridlock jacket and pants via Chain Reaction Cycles) and I was wondering.... in case of really heavy rain, how do you keep your head dry?
I'm currently only using a shower cap over my helmet but from my one experience so far, it isn't able to prevent rainwater from running in from the back of my neck... not to mention that it was flapping in the wind, and doesn't fit over my EVT Safezone mirror well. I was recently reading about Gore's Universal Hood... but I don't think there are retailers here in Singapore. For nearly 50 USD a piece, that's quite a price to take a leap of faith!
This is the ONLY informative photo that gives me a clue how it is supposed to be worn... (no, that's not me in the photo!) was from Performance Bike (http://performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1019404_-1_400041_400000_400093))'s online shop...
http://performancebike.com/images/performance/products/large/10-9781-BLK-FASHION.JPG
What I'm concerned about is being able to cover either my head and let the rainwater run off the side and back of my rain jacket... but from the photo, I don't get it why the hood is not overlapping the collar! Can anyone help shed some light about rain protection headwear as well as some other solutions or recommendations?
Thanks!
I use an MEC helmet cover.
This:
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442628993&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302885010&bmUID=1266578476279
VT_Speed_TR
02-19-10, 06:00 AM
I just wear my helmet cus' I'm not afraid of no stink'n rain. If my head gets cold, I have a thin wool cap I wear under the helmet to hold in the heat. But to tell you the truth, most times I'm so warm the last think I would want is to have my entire head covered. Your jacket's collar should be able to seal around your neck to stop most rain, but I just figure that I'm going to get wet either from the rain on the outside or from sweat from the inside.
Carbonfiberboy
02-19-10, 07:37 AM
I never wear anything waterproof. Think steambath. If it's raining and above 50°, I just wear my normal headband. Below 50°, I wear a PI poly skullcap. I don't take any outer garment that won't sqeeze down to the size of a grapefruit.
I use a short brimed cycling cap under my helmet. The brim keeps the rain off my glasses.
Speedo
BigBlueToe
02-19-10, 08:28 AM
I use a helmet cover. I don't have a problem with rain running down my neck. I don't know why.
mr geeker
02-19-10, 08:38 AM
wear a shower cap.
clear hotel-freebie shower cap if it's cold AND raining. almost invisible and you can punch holes in it for a little venting
rumrunn6
02-19-10, 09:26 AM
good question about the picture. is that hood attached to that jacket? maybe the water goes into a trench and then runs down and drains out the front and if your bent over it would harmlessly fall between your legs.
if that hood is not attached to that jacket then there could be an issue. I use the shower cap and a high back collor cycling specific rain jacket $100 on sale for $50.
there are some long tailed head sweats that might carry the water over and away from thte back of your neck. do you have a cycling specific rain jacket with a high back collar?
http://www.rei.com/product/718308
http://www.boure.com/8554.html
http://circle-360.blogspot.com/2009/10/rain-jackets_21.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/green-living-blog/2009/nov/27/winter-cycle-jackets
http://www.cogandchain.com/?p=112
http://www.bikedock.com/posit/shop/index.php?category=81&group=87&manf=&format=1
http://www.highsnobiety.com/news/tag/baracuta/
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/410/4432/Motorcycle-Article/Icon-PDX-Rain-Jacket-and-Bibs-Review.aspx
EriktheFish
02-19-10, 10:42 AM
Here's some covers:
http://directbicycleparts.com/page.cfm?PageID=53&action=details&sku=HE2500&utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=na&utm_campaign=froogle&utm_content=HE2500
http://www.bikeman.com/HE2500.html?utm_source=GoogleBase&utm_medium=GoogleBase&utm_campaign=GoogleBase
http://www.rei.com/product/759798?preferredSku=7597980015&cm_mmc=cse_froogle-_-datafeed-_-product-_-7597980015&mr:trackingCode=D6817AF1-E390-DE11-B4D4-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA
http://www.rei.com/product/756396?preferredSku=7563960017&cm_mmc=cse_froogle-_-datafeed-_-product-_-7563960017&mr:trackingCode=BA817AF1-E390-DE11-B4D4-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA
http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/ProductDisplay?storeId=10053&langId=-1&catalogId=10052&productId=172132&cm_mmc=Goog_Prod_Search-_-Fashion-_-Nashbar-_-NA-WHC-BASE&mr:trackingCode=491D1C95-1282-DE11-B7F3-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA
My jacket has a hood which works but it does turn into a steam bath. The last time I rode a whole day in light drizzle I was wetter on the inside than on the outside. It was not good.
@ Machka - I love that MEC cover - will look into that.
sehsuan
02-19-10, 12:33 PM
Rumrunn, this is my rain jacket, I do believe it's high collared... the top edge of the collar just narrowly misses my base of the skull, I would think this is considered high collar?
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=9268
After taking a look... it seems that something like Showers Pass' Rain Hood could do the job too, at only 25 USD!
http://www.rei.com/product/793730
Until I get it, I think I'll stick to the shower cap method... just that the mirror mount makes it a tricky fit...
Thanks folks for your input... keep them coming!
I use a helmet cover for rain, but it also works well when temps dip into the 30's and 40's. My wife and I have the same covers and in Oregon we seldom leave home without them. Unlike shower caps, these do breathe a little. The collars on our jackets seem to keep out most of the water.
http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy112/Doug64_photos/Start-2-1.jpghttp://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy112/Doug64_photos/D_CA_2-1.jpg
@ Machka - I love that MEC cover - will look into that.
It's worked really well for me. I've never experienced the steam bath effect with it. If it is cool enough to wear a rain jacket, it's cool enough to wear the helmet cover. I really like the bill on it too which sends the water dripping down in front of my face rather than all over my face.
The shower cap works better if you tape it on a bit, and it works better with helmets with a sun visor / beak. I use the disposable ones, they work pretty well for me - although I don't have a mirror attached. Rain down the neck dosen't seem to be a particular problem but the jacket I use in the rain has a bit of a collar to it.
I also read on Sheldon Brown's website that you can just tape up the vents in your helmet.
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