Cold Rainy Day Gear Recommendations?

[Youngin]

Howdy!

Looking for some advice on what to wear on a rainy/hailing/snowing race day. There's a road race here that's always bad weather!

I went out with a very warm base layer under a high end cycling rain jacket and my jersey over that. Had bibs on and nice warm tights over them. I don't remember much of the race, but I don't think I was cold during it. I did a solo breakaway for the last hour, which was nice because no water was spraying me from wheels infront of me. Maybe lack of wind protection caused my problems? When I finished (2nd! Drat!) I was severely hypothermic and a little delusional and worst of all soaked head to toe!

I'd like to remain fairly aerodynamic for those breakaways, so most rain pants won't work. I'm also a little confused as to how my base layer got soaked. Maybe it was sweat? Also, any good experiences with any gloves? I had lots of trouble getting my fingers to shift, my leather driving gloves were soaked too!

Youngin

[badhat]

keep your head and hands dry.

hincapie has a really slick water resistant cap.

mountain hardwear has nice articulate wp gloves.

good waxy embro on your legs and lower back helps.

use wool where you can (baselayers and socks and warmers).

beyond that just let dreams of glory keep you warm.

[Hartlin]

A cheap pair of neoprene gloves are great for keeping your hands warm in wet/cold conditions. I've also found neoprene shoe covers with a light wool sock to work well.

Other then that, you're going to get wet, no doubt about it. A good jacket, and good layers.

[waterrockets]

I don't try to waterproof anything. If water isn't getting, then I get sweaty and it defeats the purpose. I just embrace the fact that I'm going to get wet. Maybe start your ride by rolling around on the wet pavement for a few minutes to give up any hopes of staying dry.

I just layer knit materials. A vest to cut really cold wind helps. If you keep your core warm, then your extremities will be warm. Wet doesn't mean cold if you're preventing evaporation, so a couple wet layers can be just the right temp. Two or three pairs of arm warmers, so you can vary your layering easily, a few jerseys for the same reason, etc.

I know pros wear capes and all that, but I really can't stand being sealed up in impermeable material.

[carpediemracing]

I try and keep the wind off of me. Windchill is bad when you're wet, so windproofing keeps you warm.

Torso - rain jacket. You'll be soaked from sweat but the wind will stay outside.

Legs - if it's not too cold (40-ish deg F?) I'll stay in shorts or knickers and layer on non-heat rub stuff on exposed skin (Vaseline works well). Lay it on thick so the wind doesn't go through. Focus on knee and shin (front). I prefer to use shorts instead of knickers, knickers instead of tights. Soaking wet tights (esp thin lycra ones) don't offer any temperature or wind protection. It's warmer to race with shorts and legs covered in Vaseline than in thin lycra tights.

Thick lycra tights get really heavy when wet, hence my preference for shorts or knickers.

Feet - plastic supermarket bag OVER your shoes. Yes, over your shoes (and under either booties or shoe covers, depending on temp). If you have a normal pedal system you'll have 10-20 clip in/out cycles before the plastic wears through at the cleat. Your feet will be pretty dry for the first hour. After that they'll start to get wet but they will stay warm. No wind on them so you won't get cold.

Gloves - wind resistant gloves. Curl your fingers loosely around the bars so you don't squeeze the blood from them. It's how I can keep my fingers relatively comfortable in cold conditions too. Remember, keep wind off you, so wind proof or resistant gloves. Make sure if you're using a rain jacket that there is no wrist exposed. That sliver of flesh, if exposed, can really reduce blood flow to the hand.

Head - I'd tape vents if it was cold, or put on some kind of film (I've seen Saran Wrap used etc). A wicking type headband/hat, like a Halo, to try and keep sweat from your eyes.

Glasses (if applicable) - RainX or similar. To clear just squirt some water from your bottle onto your glasses.

Waterbottles - use insulated bottles, put in warm/hot water. You'll be good for a couple hours.

I resign myself to getting wet but I don't want to get cold. I am pretty sure that I got a high placing overall at a Bethel Spring Series because one of my main rivals underdressed in a really cold wet day, made it to the break, but got last in it. He could barely talk after the race, he was shivering so much. He basically took himself out of the running that day.

[botto]

Cold Rainy Day Gear Recommendations?

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[shovelhd]

A plastic supermarket bag, handle side down, between your skin and your base layer for the start will help keep the core warm, and it won't absorb water. Once your base layer is soaked and warmed up, pull the bag out and stuff it in your jersey pocket.

[Homebrew01]

Not sure about rain, but on cold days I do the old school newspaper between jersey layers to cut the wind without adding bulk.

[Fat Boy]

Not sure about rain, but on cold days I do the old school newspaper between jersey layers to cut the wind without adding bulk.

+1...and it's easy to get rid of when you warm up.

[2005trek1200]

keep your head and hands dry.

hincapie has a really slick water resistant cap.

mountain hardwear has nice articulate wp gloves.

good waxy embro on your legs and lower back helps.

use wool where you can (baselayers and socks and warmers).

beyond that just let dreams of glory keep you warm.

I second the motion for a good waxy Embro. An Embro with wax will shed water, keep you warm, and keep blood flowing to your legs when you need it most. Check out Flahute w/ Wax by Routine Leg Works.

Your body naturally channels blood away from extremities when things get cold, Embro helps redirect that.

[shovelhd]

Shill.

[Creakyknees]

what to wear on a rainy/hailing/snowing race day

A Snuggie for me, since I'll be on the couch.

[island rider]

+1...and it's easy to get rid of when you warm up.

Not if you subscribe to the no littering theory. Unless you plan to crumble it into your pocket... but I think that would defeat the feature you are promoting.

[shovelhd]

I use a plastic shopping bag, handles down, under the base layer. Easy to remove, and it takes almost no space in the jersey pocket.

[carpediemracing]

^ also makes for a good bag for the wet kit after the ride (like for a race or a ride where you drove to the ride).

[shovelhd]

Yep. They really saved me twice this year at Bethel. I had forgotten to bring one with me on one cold rainy day, and Frank gave me one. It helps when you're a regular customer on race day.

[carpediemracing]

haha. Yes, true. I usually have half a dozen in my gear bag so next time you can ask. We also bring a whole roll of garbage bags too, like 10 pounds worth.

[Brian Ratliff]

I don't try to waterproof anything. If water isn't getting, then I get sweaty and it defeats the purpose. I just embrace the fact that I'm going to get wet. Maybe start your ride by rolling around on the wet pavement for a few minutes to give up any hopes of staying dry.

I just layer knit materials. A vest to cut really cold wind helps. If you keep your core warm, then your extremities will be warm. Wet doesn't mean cold if you're preventing evaporation, so a couple wet layers can be just the right temp. Two or three pairs of arm warmers, so you can vary your layering easily, a few jerseys for the same reason, etc.

I know pros wear capes and all that, but I really can't stand being sealed up in impermeable material.

1+ This is what I do. I don't really consider my (made for summer weather) race jersey to be a layer. I also favor knit gloves (the wool gloves from DeFeet are great) and sock type shoe covers. The part about keeping your core warm is key. You can be wearing the bulkiest ski gloves and the best-est shoe covers money can buy, but if you aren't wearing enough layers over your core, your body will still shut off blood flow to the hands and feet and they will be cold.

I have also found that, as long as the layers are a knit material, you really can't overdress your core. If you wear a wind cutting layer, you can easily regulate your body temperature simply by taking the wind cutting layer off.