Deontologist

How do I bike and stay dry in the rain? I don't really mind how the rain makes me cold as much as the rain just leaves me wet and uncomfortable.

I've already:

• Installed a rear fender - and it really works! Got from eBay for a few bucks.
• Wear a windbraker - but it's a dark, dark blue, and not exactly waterproof. Perhaps there are better jackets in more visible colors?

The two things I really want to keep dry are my shoes. I suppose I could bike in sandals and change them out, but I prefer simply wearing my shoes. Also, any recs for a cheap jacket that is also high in visibility?

Also, how can I get a front fender on a road bike? Mine has almost 0 clearance between the brake calipers and the tires. I only got the back fender on because I mounted it to the seatpost.

fietsbob

My Approach : Full mudguards, so minimal wheel spray from below , & Cyclists traditional rain cape, .. with helmet cover.. hood or hat on your head.

Where the fork crown is restricting the clearance, I cut the mudguard at the back mounting.. then use the cut off piece with a DIY bracket to mount it on the front of the fork .

Yes , I Own a safety Parka wide reflective stripes on a neon Lime Body.. less Bike gear than what the Tow Truck driver would wear.

Its wet here often enough , longer commute, Riv Bikes $115 cape was a good investment, made by fisher's foul weather gear company Grundens

answered same question in touring section , see links there. Other light weight Capes are made, still , UK and US ..

Ponchos are square , Cycle capes are Conical go over your arms and hands and the feet are like under that awning.


My wet riding shoes are LL Bean Rubber ,

wphamilton

Shoe covers work in light rain, other than that the old plastic bag.

I don't believe that you can stay completely dry, short of extreme measures.

milkbaby

I just accept the fact that I'm going to get wet riding in the rain. If there's a good chance of getting wet and cold, I prefer wool socks and a cycling cap with a brim to help keep water off my glasses, but that's about it.

Leebo

Waterproof helmet cover. Start there. Full coverage fenders. Crossbike will have room for tire+fenders. Like my cross check. Cheap jacket? Nope. Try Showers Pass, the good ones start at about $ 100.00. Worth ever penny. Well thought out specs like reflective bits, two way zippers, pockets, pit zips etc. YRMV. Also waterproof pants with waterproof boots are a good way to go as well.

no1mad 

I came to realize that staying dry while riding in the rain is an exercise in futility.

Machka 

Many of us have "rain bikes" which have the extra clearance for mudguards.

Shoes: use covers such as one of these:
Cycling : Footwear : Shoe Covers - Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC). Free Shipping Available.

Pick neoprene for cold rains or something lighter for warm rains. You'll have to read the descriptions carefully to determine if the shoe cover is what you want.


Helmet: use covers such as one of these:
Cycling : Helmets : Helmet Covers and Accessories - Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC). Free Shipping Available.


Jackets:
Cycling : Clothing : Men's : Jackets : Waterproof-breathable softshell hybrid or Waterproof-breathable - Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC). Free Shipping Available.
The Showers Pass might be an option.

We have waterproof-breathable Ground Effect jackets. Mine is the She Shell in a brilliant blue (they don't have that colour this year). Rowan's is the Storm Trooper in bright orange.
Ground Effect - mountain bike clothing

Bandera

What's coming down from the sky isn't a big concern, what's being slung up from the road is: a nasty toxic blend of H2O, oil, diesel, ATF, herbicide, pesticide and dog-poop.
I have a dedicated winter/wet bike w/ full mudguards and a wardrobe of cold/wet kit.



Requirements for rain riding when commuting, a solo training ride or 200KM self supported can be quite different, particularly when the temps drop.

edit: Crudguards and similar mudguards are designed for road bikes w/ little clearance, and easily removable.



The end of winter is an excellent time to snag a good jacket and other kit on end-of-season clearance, shop around.


-Bandera

demoncyclist

I have the CRUD Roadracer Mk2 fenders on my wife's Madone- they need a little trimming, but they do work with her 700cx23 tires. I ha d a set of them on my CAAD 8 as well. they work very well to keep your shoes out of the direct spray of the front wheel.

We have Showers Pass softshell rainjackets and Pearl Izumi helmet covers- worth every penny. I have a pair of Castelli tights that have some coating on the fabric that the water rolls right off of.

Jed19

I won't ride in the rain just because of being scared of SoCal drivers who are terrible at driving when it rains. It is always a revelation to me how many traffic accidents I see when it rains. My take is that it is tough enough dodging inattentive/careless drivers (have had quite a few close calls) in perfect weather, not to talk of in inclement weather.

Having said all that, I was once caught in a terrible winter time downpour, and it was a revelation to me that while I was soaked to the bone, my feet stayed warm. My wool socks were waterlogged, but my feet stayed toasty. This experience is what totally sold me on wool socks. I don't own any wool jersey, but I wonder if they can convey the same benefit as my wool socks did in that downpour.

fietsbob

Wet often here , its the 1st greasy street on the end of the Summer dry spell that has the roads get a Bit sketchy.

I'm quite dry in my bar , I take my Brompton in, with me.

Mindcrime

I suggest you learn to deal with being wet. Riding in the rain = being wet. Embrace it, enjoy the mostly empty MUPS and the wildlife that you wouldn't otherwise see.

Deontologist

Yes, I've been dealing with being wet for the last year. I once biked 3 miles through a downpour (no fenders at all; just a pair of shorts and a windbreaker) just to arrive at a volunteering position in the local hospital. I was soaked through the core. So were my change of pants and shirt in my backpack (no fenders). And yet I volunteered from 8 to 11 PM that night in the ER of all places. I could have caught pneumonia or some other illness easily from being super wet and cold as well as in close proximity with tons of sick people. I've also dealt with numerous, more mundane commutes through downpours. It's not uncommon for me to arrive back home soaked in the middle of the day just to take a quick shower to get warm and then get soaked again later that same day. I'm tired of being soaked, and I have found that rear fenders work fantastically, and I'm curious as to what other measures I can take to better guard myself from the rain.



In other news, I was deciding between the front fenders suggested above and a pair of waterproof overshoes. I read that even with the front fenders that are designed to fit on road bikes without eyelets for fenders one's feet still get wet. That's my biggest concern. I hate having my sneakers stink from being wet all day. So I ordered a set of cheap "waterproof" cycling overshoes from eBay. They even have holes for cleats. So they might work well for chilly races as well as my commutes. I'll see how well they work. In the mean time I might try to improvise and make my own front fender or find a suitable front fender ... I'm cheap, and I'd hate to shell out 50 dollars for a set of fenders.

Machka 

In the beginning I went the cheap route with rain protection. It didn't rain all that often in Manitoba, except on the occasional year where June would be rather monsoonal, and I usually took those days off cycling or cycled indoors.

And then I started travelling and discovered that my cheap solutions didn't work. I struggled for several years to find stuff that did work, all the while being mostly cold and wet even in light rains ... wet with rain and/or wet with sweat. Finally, I broke down and started spending money on rain gear ... and what a difference!

Just recently I did a 100K where wave after wave after wave of rain came over, and I was comfortably warm and mostly dry the whole time.

no1mad 

Fenders a) help keep the bike clean(ish) from puddles and b) the same for you and your clothes. They have little chance of keeping you dry from a downpour.

Either get a waterproof backpack/mess bag/whatever bag floats your boat for your stuff or put your stuff inside plastic bags and then that into your backpack. I keep a couple of plastic grocery bags, as well as a couple of different sized zip lock bags, in my backpack in case I get caught out in the rain. (If it is raining when I leave the house, I grab my mess bag).

79pmooney

#1 - full fenders with a deep flap in front. If you want to use your current bike, go to River City Bicycles on line and look at their fender mounts if you don't want to go DIY. These or the DIY equivalent are very common here in Portland. A deep flap on the front fender will stop almost as much water as the rest of the two fenders and go a long way toward keeping your feet clean and dry.

#2 - seriously consider a rain bike. The real scores are the better Japanese bikes of the early '80s designed for 27" wheels. Throw on fenders, 700c wheels and you can go wild with bigger and better rain tires. (And all those bikes have fender eyes.)

You say you are cheap. But you race. And you commute in the rain in your racing bike? I bet that if racing results are important to you, you could justify a 2nd bike, a beater/garage sale rain bike just to minimize expenses to your main ride. (I didn't own a car in my racing days. Had my race bike and a fendered Peugeot UO-8 set up fix gear to ride year 'round, in rain and snow and that I was unconcerned locking up in rather unsavory places. (And in the racing season, if it was long ride day and the weather was bad, I would look at the forecast and do a ride 50 miles into the wind, stop for lunch, then ride home. On the rain bike/fix gear. On a stormy day, it was a quality workout!)

For real comfort, look into the modern rain jackets and pants like Showers Pass. And being cheap, step up to the expensive lined jacket, >$200. (The lined jacket will stay waterproof far longer since the delicate barrier that is the secret to the new jackets is safely between the tough outer shell and that inner liner.)

With a fully fendered bike and good clothing, you will be able to work that ER shift dry. (I haven't ever used a poncho, but if you do not want to spend Showers Pass type bucks, they are the ticket to dry and comfort IF you have those full fenders.

Ben

RoadTire 

Almost every word of wisdom here on BF that I have read about staying dry is ... not. Waterproof is a water catching sweatlodge and wind sail. I'm thinking the best that can be done is either get out of the rain, or just plan on keeping the chill off - staying warm and wet. Being cold and wet is a recipe for disaster. I'll let you know next fall how this works out for me....

And ya, a fully configured rain bike, like below, or a cheap mtb with road wheels...whatever you want to dedicate to an occasional crappy wet muddy messy ride. heh. :-) I just got done riding on wet roads here after a thaw and had grit in my teeth from stuff thrown up by my front wheel. My butt looked ... unsavory.

Deontologist

I've been thinking about a second bike too. But fortunately for me bike repairs are almost free - labor is free - and I haven't found myself needing many parts aside from inner tubes (from pinch flats, but now that I've learned to inflate my tires, I haven't pinch flatted).

Yes, my components will probably wear out faster in the rain, but I keep everything lubed and wipe down everything after a ride in the rain.

Nonetheless, one of my roommates does have a road bike which appears to be from the previous millennium. He has never been witnessed riding that bike. I will consider asking him if he still wants it; if not, I'll see if I can't spare a 50 for it. I did have it valued on the forum a few months ago and I think 50 would be reasonable.

Nachoman

This sounds like it would probably solve the OP's problem if he carried a dry set of cloths (maybe even including shoes as well).

Machka 

Rain follows me when I tour ... and during my 3-month Australian tour a few years ago, that's exactly what I did. I lined my panniers with plastic garbage bags, which worked quite well on their own, but also put my clothes and a few other things into ziploc bags.

It was a lightweight, inexpensive solution.

downtube42

+1 on rain bike with full coverage fenders plus front mud flap. Rain cape + helmet cover + shorts/sandals or gaitors/shoe covers. Will keep you dry in all but a downpour, horizontal rain, or nasty splash from a car.

Dfrost 

I put fenders on bikes with minimal front brake/tire clearance by cutting off the fender just in front of the mounting clip that attaches the fender at the brake bolt, then attaching the fender behind the fork using a Sheldon Brown Fender Nut (replaces the brake attachment nut). A front fender flap that nearly touches the ground will then go a long way toward keeping your feet much less wet.

Problem Solvers Sheldon Nut Fender Nut Set - Harris Cyclery bicycle shop - West Newton, Massachusetts

wphamilton

Use a $5 aluminum carpet seam cover and a thin steel rod. It's not that hard and works as well or better than most, if you don't mind the style.