lungimsam

I mean, have you ever commuted in the rain, and got to the destination and you were dry under your rain gear like you were when you left your house? Or is this really an impossibility? And I mean no sweat-wet or rain-wet.
The reason I ask this is that, from reading the articles on the forum about rain commutes, it sounds like there is no rain gear known to man that can deliver completely dry commutes.

If you do stay dry on commutes on a regular basis, please let us know what you are using. And I mean dry as before you left the house.

david58

I could if I wanted to in the winter, but I simply can't stand to ride that slow and easy. No way when the temps rise - I'm gonna sweat no matter what I try to do. So I just dress for a hard ride, and shower at work.

Igo

I haven't seen it rain 3 times in 5 years.

bubbagrannygear

That would be a no.

mtalinm

not at all impossible. I have a ShowersPass jacket, Lake cycling boots, and RainLegs. not cheap but works wonders

bragi

In cooler weather, October through March, it's pretty easy to use full-on rain gear and stay dry even in steady hard rain: buy good rain gear and slow down a bit. But the rain gear has to be good (i.e., expensive). When the temperature gets above 50-55 F, though, any rain gear is pretty much useless; the moisture from sweat inside the rain gear is pretty much disgusting, and negates its use in any event. In the spring and fall, I've resorted to waterproof panniers and wool. I get wet, but stay ventilated and warm, and dry off and change into dry clothes at work.

ItsJustMe

I've never gotten to the end of my commute on a dry, sunny day and been dry. Heck, I've never finished my commute when it's 10 degrees out and dry and been dry.

I sweat, even if it's cold out, almost no matter how easy I take it.

That said, my rain jacket and pants and a helmet cover keep almost all of the rain off me. Some hits my face and runs down. My shoes get wet because I don't really care if my shoes get wet and shoe covers are a pain in the butt. I do have shoe covers that do keep my shoes dry, I just don't use them.

usndoc2011

Ditto, in the winter, no problem. Any other time, it's a choice between sweat and rain. I have the expensive jacket (REI, e-vent fabric, $250) and I guess I prefer it to cheaper options, but it is by no means 'perfect'. I do like how I'm not completely soaked, more of a all over damp, which is probably what I'd be even if it weren't raining, but still far from perfect.

Never tried the wool thing.

Im interested if anyone else has a better solution.

usndoc2011

Also, a pair of vaude shoe gaiters works perfectly to keep my feet dry. They are laminated nylon and taped seams, so the don't breathe, but they are $20 and do the job, unlike every other pair made from neoprene.

JPprivate

I do get a little wet, but that's not the point. Important to me is that I stay dry enough to be presentable. Without raingear I wouldn't.

fietsbob

Rain Cape. it is also an umbrella for your feet and legs, and keeps your hands dry.

PaulH

For me, riding slowly and easily is natural, probably because I was never a recreational cyclist and always saw bikes as labor-saving transportation devices. Having said that, rides in rain and snow are dry from about October to April. After that, damp is the best I can hope for. However, damp still beats wet, especially when the wet includes significant amounts of oil and dirt.

GeoKrpan

I use a cheap, coated nylon rainsuit cut off mid-arm and mid-leg. This lets lots of air in.
I wear shorts and short sleeves so that the wetness doesn't "convect" to my body.

CliftonGK1

This is me, to the letter. I can work up a sweat on an easy 3 mile round-trip from my place to the grocery store. Apparently I'm powered by a small thermonuclear device which radiates massive amounts of heat. I'm the weird guy wearing shorts or a kilt in the middle of winter when it's barely 30 degrees outside.

enigmaT120

Does your back sweat with one? Mine did. I don't think I can ride my commute easily enough to not sweat, due to the hills. Though when it's below freezing and I can skip the jacket, just wear a merlino blend base layer and a light weight polar fleece over that, I am comfortable and not sweaty when I finish.

pomor

The newest Gore-tex Active shell fabric is more breathable than the last industry breakthrough (the Gore Paclite). I have an Active shell running jacket by Gore (I like the cut better than that of a cycling jacket).

Gore Active shell IS expensive but if you ride/run/walk in rain FAST and don't like moisture on the inside and not just outside I think it's worth the expense.

pdlamb

+1

I only worry about staying warm when it's raining and 35 degrees.

buzzman

Similar set up for me. Shower's Pass jacket, Gore tex Rain Pants, Gore Tex shoe covers. My commute is 10 miles each way. If it's a light rain/drizzle and I ride slow I'm dry. Heavy rain, wind and riding hard will change that to damp.

I often tell people, "When it's raining I put on the most expensive suit I ever bought and ride my bike to work."

slcbob

The extremes are pretty clear:

• If it's a 2 mile commute, ride slow, keep your heart rate <90 bpm, and arrive dry-ish (as long as the temps are low enough)
• If it's a long commute or very hot, ride in bike clothes, pack your stuff, and find a place to change (+ shower or towel/wet wipe).

The problems seem to come when it is somewhere in the middle for distances, temps, time management, desired effort, etc. Like many things, you can have anything, you just can't have everything. Pick your poison.

ThermionicScott 

Staying dry is totally overrated.

Booger1

Nope,I get wet around the edges.......

modernjess

Like many here, I cant go slow enough no matter the temp to not sweat at all.

Drive your car if you want to stay dry.

cjewett65

possible yet not practical. You could probably wear full rain clothes including waterproof shoes pants and jacket. Then followed by a helmet cover followed by a bike cape. Overkill? You bet, and it would have to be cold and you would have to be riding slow to not sweat. Basically, id rather just tough out the rain and make sure to securely pack dry clothes.

drdanielalvarez

Yes, I believe it is possible. I commute in Bogota, Colombia, where (according to Wikipedia) it rains 185 days/year. Cyclists here mostly fall into three rain-strategy groups: (1) get wet and then change clothes, (2) use full PVC rain suit (and get sweat-wet) or (3) rain cape (poncho). I haven't seen any Gore-Tex clad commuter here yet.

I use a long home-made rain cape designed after the attached image, combined with pant legs rolled up above the knee. Socks are rolled down to the ankle and shoes and socks go into plastic grocery-store bags tied around the ankle. The whole outfit looks awful but it works.

Bikepacker67

The dryer I stay from the outside in, the wetter I get from the inside out.

It's OK though, I don't melt.