I've started commuting on September 2005. For the past year I've only done it when it wasn't raining. But the winter is starting and the thought of not riding to work is anoying me so I'm starting to think about commuitng even raining.
I've been looking for clothes and I would like to know if Gore windstopper is enough to keep me dry for half an hour without getting me soaked in sweat?
This jacket looks really nice - Freestyle 399 Hurrican Jacket. Been looking at it Wiggle.
But what concerns me the most are trousers. Because I usually change my top clothes but I use my trousers during the commute. I was thiking on buying some water resistant overtpants. But they have to resist water for half an hour and let sweat out is Pertex, which packs down really small, good for this? Or would I be better with windstopper? Been looking at these - Freestyle 405 Ultra WindTex Trousers or these - Montane Featherlite Pant 06.
Any opinions on these?

By the way I really hate changing shirt are there shirts made of fast wicking material that would allow me to ride fully dressed for work.

My experience is that no rain jacket or pants will keep you from becoming soaked in sweat. Even the so-called "waterproof breathable" fabrics are not ventilated well enough to prevent sweat buildup during even moderate exertion. The fact is that you produce more seat than can be transported away through these fabrics. On a rainy day, you should pack you clothes in a waterproof bag and change when you get to work.

Water resistant clothes generally do not stop rain for very long. Since you will be wet anyway, the issue is whether you will get cold with the rain seeping through the fabric.

I still like breathable fabric. I sweet, but I’m defiantly notable less smelly with my breathable jacket vs. my none breathable one.

I think fancy rain gear is a waste of money. Like supcom said, you have a choice between warm/wet (from sweating) or cold/wet (from rain).

In warm rain, I just wear my normal clothes -- bike shorts, gym shorts over that, and a wicking t-shirt (nothing cotton).
For cold rain, I wear a base layer, wool sweater (it's actually 50% cotton but that doesn't seem to be a problem), and fleece tights. I get wet but stay warm. If the rain is very heavy, I might wear a cheap plastic rain jacket -- which keeps the rain off but causes me to sweat like crazy.

The rain jacket cost maybe $30, everything else I already had for dry-weather riding.

If you can keep your work rate down then breathable waterproofs can cope but you may get clammy on hill climbs. Waterproofs are for use in the rain only, lighter and cheaper windproofs are better in the dry and in very light rain.
Windproofs in heavy rain will soak through and in cold weather can be uncomfortable unless you have fleecy style mid layers.
On the legs I find that anything heavier then pertex is unneccessary even in heavy cold rain. My Freestyle pertex have carried me through 8 winters so far.

You can wear a formal work shirt on a gentle ride but for anything athletic, roll it up and carry your shirt in a bag.

I agree with a few of the fellahs up above. The expensive stuff is just that, expensive stuff. I have non breathable raingear and it works fine, was also $100.00 less than the breathable stuff.
Luckily, I have uniforms in the locker room at work so I don't have to wory about the sweat factor. I perfer being wet from body-tempurature-regulating-sweat than from hypothermea-inducing-cold-rain.

My commute is flat 11kms each way.
I commute during warmer days using cotton polo shirts and I manage to get there with very little sweat, and I've asked my wife at the end of the day to check my odours and I didn't smell and nobody at work has complained.
On cold days I usually change the upper clothes.
I would like some sort of rain pants because although I have fenders, I've had to get back home during rain, and there's too much water splashing from the front wheel. Luckily it hasn't happened on the way to work.
Commuting by bike isn't very common in Portugal so I don't have the courage to show at work with cycling specific garments. I'm already considered completely nuts for biking.
So Pertex or Windstopper won't hold an half an hour rain?

Can't answer your question, but if you're getting too much water off the front wheel, you might try adding a mudflap extension to your fender. Also use a treadless ("slick") tire; they kick up less water.

https://www.phred.org/~alex/bikes/fendermudflap.html

https://mgagnon.net/velo/garde-boue.en.shtml

I commute an hour each way, in pacific northwest, pouring rain and a few degrees above freezing, with lots of hills to go up.

I manage to arrive dry and warm. I think thats a whole heck of a lot better than wet and warm as all the above posters recommend. Water resistant is resistant for about 20-30 min usually. I prefer waterproof for my jacket (showerspass elite) and wind proof for my legs.

Warm and dry? How is this possible? I'm wet even on a sunny/cool day without a jacket.

Ok, a clarification, I arrive warm and no wetter than a non rainy day It helps that the last few miles of my commute are fairly flat and allow me to cool down a bit

So, for half an hour I would be perfectly fine with Pertex or Winstopper?

Is any of these materials better than the other?

Pertex will be fine for even an hour and breathes fairly well. Its a pretty good material. Windstopper is way less breathable than my 100% waterproof jacket, i dont recomend it all.

Meanwhile I've been reading some reviews on Pertex on the net.
Most were from backpackers.
Can I have your word that I won't get to work with wet pants after an half an hour ride in the rain?

Is this a material that will last? I've read somewhere that when we keep it in a carrying bag it won't last long. One of the things that most pleased in the Montane featherlight pants is that they can be reduced to an apple size bag. Will I be destroying them by carrying them in the bag?

Last question between a Windstopper jacket with pit zips and a Pertex no pit zips which one would you go for?

I've found these pants https://marmot.com/products/product.p...style_id=I5412 on a local retailer. Are they good for biking?

Marmot produce very high quality gear, the only thing you will need to check is how loose they are around the ankle/lower leg to ensure no snags. I would personally go for the windstopper with pit zips, however it would depend on the type of windstopper employed, those with membranes will be quite sweaty so try to stick to woven windstopper's.

OK, so it's been a while since I was a full-time commuter, but if memory serves there is nothing on the Lord's Green Earth gonna' keep you dry. Let "dry enough" be your goal. What you're aiming for is to be able to repel enough water so that you're not faced with hypothermia which is the real weather issue. . .wetness is aesthetic not life and health critical [unlike hypothermia]. [Tangent: It's SO nice to have a place to clean up and get dry when you get to work. . .Mmmmmm. In a former life I commuted to a hospital laboratory service and had access to the showers our pathologists used after autopsies. . .never heard a peep from the customers.]

Here're some points:

1. It's only wetness,
2. You're already wet on the inside, and
3. Any raiment that will block all water coming in will also soak you in sweat.

For my upper body, getting a little wet isn't really a problem since I take the jacket off and put a shirt and a pullover.
But I don't change trousers, so I was looking for a solution that would keep me dry for the half an hour flat ride to work without getting me sweaty. Since I would like to take my trousers underneath the protective trousers.
Do you know of any solutions?

My word ? No, because I dont use pertex myself, i just know its a decent material I dont use waterproof legs, i use windproof on front, lycra on back, and let my legs get wet.

For jackets I use a nylon ultralight (Sugoi Viper) down to low 40's. Then I use a softshell (Ibex Climawool Neve Kacket) from mid 40's and below. If its pouring rain i wear a waterproof made from eVent (showerspass elite).

Marmot is a great company, anything made by them is usually very good quality. The precip legs will definatly keep you dry from the rain, but no idea how sweaty you'll get. I have a marmot precip jacket that is quit good, but my upper body doesnt spin the pedals.

As to windstopper with pit zips and pertex without? Tough call, id probably go for the pertex if no other choice was available. .

Personally, id go for a mec microft . Built well, awesome bang for your buck. And keeps you dry for 30 min commute.
https://www.mec.ca/Products/product_d...=1160854517209

I find I sweat a lot more from my waist up then from my waist down. At least I feel like that. The Precip pants have full leg length zips. But they aren't bike intended so they're probably a bit loose at the ankle.

It is Gore's windstopper. It is a membrane isn't it.

These are almost my exact commuting conditions for most of the winter except my route only has a couple mild hills. However, my experience is different.

I think trying to stay dry is a total waste of time unless you ride slowly. Anything sufficient to keep you dry from the rain is going to leave you soaked with sweat from the inside. Winter storms bring wind as well as rain. Truly waterproof clothing tends to be bulkier (particularly pants) and catches wind.

For cold rain, I wear a water resistant jacket, a couple jerseys (sometimes if it's particularly nasty, one jersey and a fleece vest), neoprene tights and booties. If the rain is significant, my top and feet will be somewhat damp, my legs will be wetter.

The OP's commute is an interesting length. At 1/2 hr, regular clothes really don't work. On the other hand, it's short enough that it's not really worth getting into cycling togs. If it were my commute, I'd base my decision on changing facilities at work. If showers are convenient enough and there is a place to hang wet stuff, I'd wear the gear I described above. If changing would be a PITA, I'd ride slower and try to go totally waterproof.

Thats you opinion, and it is the popular opinion. But I have found a combo of materials that works for me, and no i dont ride slow. And yes I do arrive at work not covered in sweat. I sweat going up hills in the summer, i sweat going up hills in the winter in the rain. Both cases the sweat clears, albeit slower in the winter since im wearing a jacket.

The only caveat ive found is that in temps around high 60's its too warm for any type jacket and the sweat builds faster than it can clear. 65 and below, i arrive at work without soaking wet clothes and I dont have to go thru that end of the day gross feeling of putting wet clothes back on for the ride home.

You can continue in your belief and put on wet clothes, I'll continue in my way

Gore windstopper uses a plastic membrane, yes.
The actual material that will work best for you has a lot of variables. The climate, do you run hot/cold, do you like layering, etc. If your in a very cold climate, tend not to generate a lot of heat, and hate using a layering approach, then Gore Windstopper may be perfect for you.

My climate is very rarely below freezing, just lots of rain, and i generate a lot of heat. So i prefer the most breathable, least thermal jackets I can find.

Pants....ive never worn waterproof pants. But I may pick up some mec materproof tights this winter and try them.
https://www.mec.ca/Products/product_d...=1160931441023

The weather here is great we hardly ever get temperatures below 0ºC and when we do it is for a few days and it's usually dry.
When it rains temperature rises. I don't know probably around 10ºC will be the average temparature on a rainy day.
The most difficult thing for me is that I have to buy most things online, since the most advanced rain jacket on local bike shops is agu pooray 2000. Which isn't breathable at all with most of people using Windtex gear when it rains. But they are too cycling specific to use on my commute. As I have said above I am already regarded as a geek for biking to work, and I like to maintain a low profile, I'm just not willing to stop bike commuting due to others opinions.
I'm also a mountain biker and I've started commuting since polution really bugs me but also has a way to improve my mountain bike riding.
Nothing wrong with layering, last winter I used a TNF baselayer, a mamuth Polartech jacket and when it was really cold a fleece on top.
I need to get there dry especially the legs since I won't be changing pants. It is also nice to keep the baselayer on because that way I don't need a coat. I'm a teacher and every 90 minutes I go in and out of buildings.

By the way I'm also great at getting at work just on time for the first class, sometimes I have to cope with the cycling gear during the first class.
As an excuse I have two daughters 2 and 4 and a half years old and I have to get them ready leaving them at their school before going to mine.