John_1961

[/B] Hi Group,
Dose anyone know where I can get wet weather rideing gear I sometimes ride 26 miles to work and it takes about 2 hours to get there. I Looked around my local bike shop but can't find anything.
I'm just not looking hard enough or they just don't have it in stock. HELP ANYONE??
Thanks in advance
JOHN in SULLIVAN WIS.

uke

Just go to your local box store and pick up waterproof jackets, pants, etc.

JoeyBike

Backpacking/hiking/canoe/kayak stores generally have nice rain gear. Sometimes, especially when it is cold and rainy, I really like a jacket with a hood attached. Cycling jackets don't always have a hood, or they are detachable which always creates extra seams and Velcro around the neck.

Bike specific rain pant are nice. I usually buy cheap ones and cut off the legs near or slightly above my knee. Don't wear cotton socks or anything cotton for a long ride like yours if you expect rain. Synthetics and wool work much better depending on temp because they don't hold water. Any fabric that bath towels (absorbent cotton) are made from are also bad for rainy cycling.

mikewille

I use a "field and stream" brand rainsuit from dicks sporting goods.
Pros: mostly waterproof, relatively wicking and breathable.
Cons: it's camoflage and requires the addition of a florescent/neon vest.

With just this rainsuit, I am comfortable in rain from 70F down to 20F. Any colder and I
add wicking long underwear tops and bottoms. Any warmer and I'd be saturated with sweat anyhow.
Now that I think about it, I sweat heavily no matter what, I guess I use the rainsuit to keep from
being cold in addition to being wet.

PaulRivers

A lot of people here like stuff from Showers Pass. They make cycling specific rain gear.

Heard a lot of good things about their Elite jacket and I own one:
https://showerspass.com/products.asp?...duct=Elite+2.0

My complaints are that I have a long torso and it's to short for me so I had to order the extra large. And that they didn't make the cuffs waterproof (why? no idea). However, it's has a ton of venting options (pit zips, open cuffs so you get airflow up the arm, back vent so get better airflow through the jacket, and adjustable neck and waist straps so you can seal off when it's pouring or open up when it's not. You can buy a cycling specific hood for it, to. It's been pretty good, and I don't know of anything better. It's also made out of the most breathable fabric I've been able to find (eVent).

They make some less expensive but less breathable rain jackets to if you browse around their site. They also make bike rain pants out of the same material. You can order it from their site and they'll ship it to you.


I don't know why I'm the first one to say this, but you can find lots of threads on this subject if you search around - basically it's very difficult to stay dry at higher temperatures on your bike. If you get cheap regular rain gear it doesn't breath at all (it doesn't let moisture in, but it doesn't let moisture out either) so if you're sweating even a little bit the humidity inside your rain gear reaches 100% and you get drenched in your own sweat, ending up just as wet as if you weren't wearing rain gear. "breathable" rain gear helps tremendously, but it's often "adequate" not "great".

For example, I wore my winter jacket (waterproof) biking on a very cold day - I was still actually a bit chilly even with the jacket on, but I ended the ride drenched in sweat because the jacket didn't breath at all. I was wet, and it was really uncomfortable, and I wasn't out that long. Again, I assure you I was still kind of cold - it's not like I was overheating.

Whereas with my Shower's Pass jacket, I wear it biking in the winter and despite being waterproof, I'm ok, comfortable, and not soaked with sweat even if I'm a little overdressed and to warm. But when the temp gets much above freezing and it's not raining I have to start unzipping the front zipper, the pit zips, etc to stay comfortable. A lot of people have said you start to outsweat it's breathable above 60 degrees, even with all the pit zips and stuff open.

P.S. Just to be fair, Endura also makes a cycling jacket out of the same material that someone I know recommended, though I haven't tried it:
https://www.endura.co.uk/Product.aspx...22&prod_id=119

gerv 

As the weather starts warming up, I make sure to pack my rain poncho. https://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___50258

A poncho is great if it isn't blowing a hurricane and it's warm (say, above 55 F). You don't sweat enormously and the thing packs pretty light (about 8 oz.). My main beef with it is that I can't fit my helmet underneath, so I might to hoodless or helmet-less depending on the quantity of rain.

destikon

$230 for a jacket?? That's crazy.

uke

Other alternatives that don't cost $230...







I rode in the rain this afternoon, but took the car for the heavy stuff later.

PaulRivers

Somehow, I suspect those people are not riding 26 miles to work. Feel free to try to bike 26 miles holding an umbrella.

I don't know, if you're looking for less expensive their "touring" jacket is $150 with similar other features but a somewhat less breathable material. I don't know - maybe it's not enough difference in breathability to matter.

And if you want something really cheap, you could check out the Rainshield O2 cycling jacket:
https://www.amazon.com/Rainshield-O2-.../dp/B0007P9374

It's like $35.

They have more expensive (and assumably more durable) from the same people for $80, I found it here:
https://www.gottaridebikes.com/Mercha...oduct_Count=39


I would imagine if you only run into rain occasionally, and you're willing to simply bike half as fast (so you don't sweat and thus don't need much breathability) you can certainly get by with much less breathable rain gear. If your whole commute is 5 miles that would be just fine. Or if you just check the weather each day and only bike when there's no or little chance of rain. But I *am* biking 20 miles each way myself, and didn't want to end up at the beginning of a 20 mile commute through pouring rain being miserable. Honsetly, even the most expensive stuff isn't close to 100% great - it gets hot when it's hot out.

Kojak

There's a shop in Seattle called "Second Ascent". They have about 4 or 5 racks of used cycling clothing, and often some decent deals on jerseys and jackets. I don't know if there are similar type stores in your area, but it might be a good place to start. I'm a little more squeamish when it comes to used bibs and shorts, but hey, that's my hang-up.

woodway

I have a Showers Pass Double Century jacket and I commute year round in it, and it is great. Half the price of the top-end jacket.

If you are going to commute in the rain, don't forget fenders. I don't care how much rain gear you put on, if you don't have fenders you will be miserable.

KtownDougie

I have an army surplus heavy duty rain suit (pants and hooded top) that I wear over my clothes. It's really only good for coldish weather, though. I need some lightweight gear for my short commute for the summer, sweating isn't a big concern on such a short ride.