Originally Posted by
ghostgirl
I commute about 10 miles round trip, all year in Boston. I have no car so the bike is my only viable source of transportation except for the bus. I have been getting by with generic rain/winter clothing for the most part. I see people out in fancy stuff they have bought from the bike store and have wondered if there is much of an advantage to wearing that equipment. I don't have much money, so what would be a good first purchase to get a chance to try out the benefits of bike specific clothes.
I’m a 14 mile year round commuter from Kenmore Square to Norwood. Do you ride in extremes of weather? That may well determine how much you want to invest.
…Gloves, shoes and headwear I think there's less of a need for cycling-specific (however the cycling-specific stuff is nice to have, IMHO). But I won't give up my jacket or tights.
There’s a lot of good advice in the above posts, and
tsl is one of the most savvy all-weather commuters. Just last week I rode in the most drenching rain ever; I would not have even gone out if it were that heavy when I started. I wore my very cheap footwear of plastic bags over the socks, regular running shoes (platform pedal with toeclips on my beater mountain bike), plastic bags over the shoes, and rubber Totes over everything. When I arrived, my socks were only, and comfortably, damp from sweat, which is inevitable from waterproof attire. Drenched feet IMO are the most uncomfortable aspect of riding in the rain.
I think that when riding in extremes of cold and wet, no matter how well dressed, the first ten miles might be comfortable, but then I just tolerate the rest.