Clothes for Damp?
 

Hello,

I just moved from Southern California to Portland Oregon. I'm good on cycling specific apparel, but I was wondering if any of you have any "normal clothes" you like for damp weather and light rain, especially pants. We've been riding all over town and its been awesome, but my jeans and twill get kinda soggy after awhile.

Thanks!
-Chris

Wool and poly blend stuff for pants.

Wool is one classic answer, and it's probably a good one for PNW. Polypro can be good or bad, depending on how porous it's woven. Porous plastics are generally awful for wind - like when you're riding a bike.

I occasionally ride to client meetings in damp weather, and 100% wool dress pants and blazers handle it surprisingly well (cotton dress shirts not so much), both for comfort and rapid drying. Merino wool turtleneck and Smartwool socks complete the picture, and are also remarkably odor-free.


Nylon active pants also dry out quickly and can be quite comfortable if they are either loose or a stretch-blend.

I wear and like the Marmot Arch Rock pant:

https://marmot.com/products/details/...-pant-32inseam

I use it mostly for work and home (not for cycling). But you could use it for that if you wanted. Its good for wet weather and dries up fairly quickly.

Those Marmot pants look pretty good...but I can't find any like that which have a variety of inseam lengths. Bizarre to me that they guess everyone can use 32s. I'm not very tall and slim, but with cyclist thighs. Pants are either baggy balloons on me or far too tight for cycling. I'd LOVE to have some decent looking, sporty pants to commute in.

What is your inseam? How do the 32s fit. Also, can't tell if they have a regular bottom hem or something fancy, as in...could I cut and hem them myself?

I also can't believe how many "hip" companies are trying to sell wildly expensive pants. I'll pay for quality and cycling is my one pastime where I willing pay a lot of bikes, parts, gear, but I ain't paying $200 for a pair of pants. I bought my newest frameset for less!

Ah, so I looked around a bit more...they do make 30" inseams as well. Great!

Some expensive commuter pants use Schoeller Dryskin fabric, which is wind and water resistant, warm when wet, maintains its shape, dries quickly, and lasts forever. Seriously worth getting if ever on sale.