commuting in the rain
 

The rainy season is here in Tokyo and it just goes on and on all day. I have a 17km commute but I do not want to arrive dripping each day, particularly with sodden sneakers (I use toe clips). Any ideas??

I commute year round, including the rainy seasons. There is not much you can do to avoid getting wet. It's part of the game.

I have a shower at work so it's really no big deal.

Also, in my experience, no matter what the manufacturers claim, there is no such thing as "waterproof".

The big problem is wet socks and shoes, and especially wet heads. I wear a hat under my helmet for this. For my feet, I don't even bother any more. I am careful, however, to pack (in my waterproof messenger bag) a change of socks for the ride home. I wear a plastic jacket only in the heaviest rains.

Overall, riding in the rain can be a lot of fun in an odd sort of way. After the initial dousing, you don't even notice it any more.

Yep!

For me, it's not the wet, it's the dirt! Yuck! Still, I never really care until I get to my destination, then it's time to clean up and get some dry clothes on!

An extra pair of shoes kept at your workplace can help! (Not to mention an extra pair of socks in a plastic bag, kept in your panniers for emergency use.)

Hi primeowl,

I work in Tokyo too and commute from Yokohama 3 to 4 days a week. Its 50km r/t and my basic rule is that I'll ride if it's only drizzling or threatening rain but won't ride if it's already pouring.

A full rainsuit with clipless pedals/shoes and waterproof shoe covers is really essential this time of year. With clipless, you can even tie a couple of small convenience store plastic bags around your shoes, cinch the bags tight with duct tape and cut a hole out for the cleat. I end up doing that a few times each summer.

At least be thankful that the rainy season is warm here. I have to say that I really do like Tokyo's bone-dry winters.

It really doesn't matter how well you try to waterproof yourself. If you do manage to keep from getting soaked by the rain, you will end up being soaked with sweat from inside the poorly vented non breathable raingear that is keeping the rain off you.

My preference is to get wet from the rain.

The best scenario would be to have a place to shower after you get to work and carry a dry change of clothes.

Unfortunately this isn't my situation so I give myself some extra time to towel off as best I can in the restroom when I arrive at work and carry a change of clothing on rainy days.

Oh yeah, remember to keep spare deodorant in your desk drawer.

As long as its not too cold, I wear Shimano SPD sandels and just let my feet get wet. Then at work, dry off and put on dry socks and shoes along with the rest of my clothes.

Davy

As Heyneda said, I wear SPD sandals if it's warm enough. In a warm rain, sandals, biking shorts, and a jersey absorb hardly any water, and it's all bone dry by day's end. I do think full fenders are important to keep mud and wet road grime off your legs and feet.

In cooler weather I use a rain suit and plastic grocery bags over my shoes, with holes cut in the bottoms for my cleats and rubber bands around my ankles.

RichC

This must really be a sight !! We bike-commuters are an odd lot that we'll do these types of things (and I do them to, believe me). Weekend-only, "fair weather" bikers probably wouldn't be caught dead looking like this.

Which just goes to show that b-c'ers will do just about anything to log the miles.

It's beyond me, as it always has been, why I would care about the opinions of people I don't know and will never meet.

RichC

Yes, yes, yes. I believe bike-commuting (and biking in general) to be the great anonymizer. Who the *&$^$*$%$#% cares what you look like as you're rocketing along?

EXCEPT: other bikers. Especially the fair weather set, who treat biking as some kind of fashion show.

(But it'd still be funny to see the booties !!!)

Maybe next time I'll take a picture.

RichC

For toe clip use, some mesh trail-running shoes might be best for warm rain. They dry very quickly. Try and avoid ones with lots of foam padding.

Fully waterproof clothes are only comfortable in cool rain, at moderate speeds. If you want an outer shell to handle water, I think Pertex is a fairly good material, it dries as you ride along, and packs small down when you dont need it.
Roadies use it on mountain climbs for windproofing on the descent.

Gentlemen,

Thanks for your very intelligent advice on this subject. I have decided that even though the plastic bags on the shoes is an idea abounding in practicality, I am afraid my fashion sense will not allow it!

I have decided to simply get wet. I think this is the best idea. I cannot sit here waiting for the sun to shine!

Thanks once again!

I find plastic bags to be really effective against cold rain (below 5C), worn between woollen socks and shoes. My rain pants go over the bags at the ankles, so you cant tell Im wearing them.
At higher temperatures, plastic bags are too warm.

:D I'm with you on that one!!

I don't mind getting wet, so long as I can get dry at the other end. In fact, I really enjoy riding in rain. Splashing through puddles is great, and I find the looks you get off drivers stuck in traffic jams are really funny. Just pack some dry stuff (in plastic bags in your rucksack/panniers/whatever as ChrisL always reminded people) for your destination.

Ellie

Me Too. I had my doubts at 1st, but they are great!

YOU WILL ONLY GET SO WET, The designer of teh human body did a great job of making our skin waterproof. As stated above there are no truely waterproof bags, I use Walmart plastic bags to bag my clothes and then put them in my trunk bag. as far as I go, I just get wet.

How on Earth did I miss this thread? Yes, plastic bags inside panniers do a wonderful job. I've found the key to commuting in the rain successfully is to keep warm rather than dry (which is just about impossible in tropical downpours). Your body will generate a certain amount of warmth from the effort of riding, just have something dry to change into at the other end.

I am, of course doing all this by memory as the Gold Coast has had no downpours since Feb 2001, and no rain of any description since May 6.

In the environmental remediation industry there are rubber "booties" that you wear over your work boots. If you have cleated shoes just cut out for the cleat otherwise just wear as they are. The ones I have used have a granular, sand-like material for traction embedded into the bottoms so time off the bike is not so treacherous. They are about 20cm tall so they tuck underneath most rain pants or tights and last quite a while.