A wind resistant outer layer makes a huge difference in my experience dealing with the cold.

I don't want to discourage anyone from purchasing anything from Showers Pass, but be forewarned that they're going to be introducing a very much expanded line sometime within the next couple of months. I saw a PDF copy of the new catalog at an LBS (don't want to get anyone in trouble) right before Interbike and I'm now waiting for the new "Elite Trainer" jacket and possibly one of their new models of pants (they're going to have one that zips off into knickers).

Just a heads up.

http://www.rainlegs.co.uk/

These are fantastic. They keep me cool and dry in the right places. Also very comfy - no binding. In fact, I didn't wear them today (hey, it was only a 30% chance of rain) and am regretting it big time as I look out the window right now...). Ditto on the comments about waterproof vs water-resistant. I got rid of a waterproof jacket b/c I was soaked every time I wore it with my own sweat. Water- and wind- resistant with insulating capability is what I look for.

I have never arrived to work dry. I ride fairly hard during my 12+ mile commute and am always dripping wet when I get there.

Haven't done cold and wet yet and honestly, I don't expect to ever. I got this thing called a car for those conditions. As for riding in the rain in anything above about 50 degrees, it doesn't bother me. Infact, last week, I left the house and about a miles down the road, it started drizzling. It slowly progressed real rain through the ride and it felt absolutely wonderful. When it is erasonably warm, I am actually more comfortable with it raining, than dry. Does a pretty good job at keeping me cool.

So, my recommendation for rain gear is polyester. It will get wet, but, as long as you are generating enough heat, you'll be comfortable.

I like the poly pro, fleece, and/or soft shell approach. I get wet, but I stay warm even when I'm wet. They don't stink (as long as I wash them every so often), and they're good for a wide variety of temperatures. Anything waterproof would not breathe well enough to evaporate the sweat away, so I stay away from it. I've commuted in everything down to about 25 degrees F. I've used this combination (soft shell with long sleeve poly pro shirt) in 33 degrees F and raining and I've been fine.

When riding in cold weather do you were a poly shirt under the fleece?

I wore a fleece pullover only a few weeks ago when it was chilly (about 40 degrees). I was comfortable, but, there was one down hill stretch where my back got a bit chilly when I tucked to get a bit more speed. I think it was because the wind went down the back of my neck. I think on my next chilly ride I will wear my long sleeve poly shirt with a zip up fleece. This should eliminate the draft and allowme to regulate temps better with the zipper. This combination should be good for down to about freezing. Probably will wimp out and drive when colder than that.

I had the thought of using gumboots tonight during my commute, going to have to give that a try, maybe I should just get a wetsuit.....

Regardless of what you get, there is no way you'll stay dry for 45 min. Not that goretex doesn't help a lot, but except in very narrow temperature bands and effort levels, you'll get soaked with sweat from the inside while water sneaks in a bit at a time. I do like the gore windstopper gloves. They're not bad

It is far easier just to come to terms with getting wet than it is to try to be dry. If it's cold, wear neoprene, if it's a little warmer, you can wear pretty normal stuff. Once you take the sopping wet clothes off, you'll dry quickly.

what about shoe choice and gloves in wet weather (below 60 degrees)? That's when it can be just damp enough that the chill saturates. I've got winter stuff, but my regular summer riding gear just doesn't cut it in the 40-60 degree damp weather.

The above statements I see a lot. They are usually from people who bought goretex and found it didnt work as advertised. I commute for an hour each way, and arrive at work pretty darn dry. No rain comes in, and the sweat buildup I have is very minor and spread across my base layer, like its supposed to be.

I use a showerspass elite jacket made from event. It breathes much better than goretex and as long as its mid 50's degrees and below I'm fine. It claims to breath 2x as well as the best goretex, and so far seems to be working as advertised.

As i said in a previous post, it wont magically stop you from sweating, since you sweat in the summer in a t-shirt too, it just allows the sweat to vent out and clear while prevent rain from coming in. If you climb up a hill, your still going to sweat, regardless of what your wearing and if its raining or not. Good raingear just allows the built up mini atmosphere in your jacket to clear.

I got my vented waterproof from www.bicycleclothing.com - I've been wearing it whenever it's < 50*F and whenever it's raining hard (this is about 5 times during the summer, plus all winter) for 4 years now, and it still looks as new.

I got a helmet cover there too. I don't bother with rain pants - I just wear nylon running pants, if they get wet, that's OK, my legs are pumping out a lot of heat anyway and the cool is good.

This seems to be a truly hi-viz raincoat but it doesn't sound like it has pitzips or maybe even a backflap, I have a hard time believing that wouldn't totally smother me:

http://www.rei.com/product/759790

http://media.rei.com/media/k/1414977.jpg

I have a Louis Garneau jacket and some North Ascent pants that I got from Coast Mountain (Sportchek partner store?). I also use booties I bought from MEC (in place of plastic grocery bags - which are equally useful in a downpour).

For gloves, I use small thin wool gloves under either leather driving gloves, or neoprene diving gloves depending on the temperature and rain. If it's a downpour in the summer, my half-finger MEC Cypress cycling gloves are sufficient.

I rarely ever use my hood/a head covering for rain, but both my goretex forces jacket and my LG cycling jacket have hoods I can use if in a pinch.

It's not a cycling rain jacket if it doesn't have pit zips. I don't zip my pits up until it's down well below freezing. With no pit vents in any weather warm enough to rain (versus snow), I'd be sweating like a pig.

Yeah good call. I've had mine open all year, only last week did I start to feel a bit of chill coming in through them (went down to 4C here) but yeah, pit zips will help a LOT in keeping core heat manageable. I'm a big sweater so this is a huge thing for me.

Often in the day it's warm in the sun, but I need to wick that sweat away for when I stop in a cool windy spot. It's this transient/change of season weather that gets to me and can (has again this past few days) given me a cold.

Not rain gear related, but one thing I want is a breathable second layer with rip-off sleeves and pit zips, and a good length chest zip so I can vent all kinds - anyone know of such a product?

Wear booties. They're good in 33 degree rain, and they help keep your feet warm well below freezing

I can't imagine sweat not being an issue unless the exertion level is low. It is not a matter of overdressing. If temps are in the mid to upper 20's, for my body I wear 2 long sleeve (not thermal) jersies and the same windbreaker I wear when it's 60. The windbreaker is normally opened after I go a few miles. Dressed like that, I'm pretty cold for the first two miles and I totally freeze if I stop.

Goretex is good stuff, but when relative humidity is high, sweat does not readily evaporate. Where Goretex and similar fabrics totally rock is in freezing conditions where humidity is low because the temp and humidity differential lead to vapor pressure that causes the sweat to evaporate quickly.

I think that one of the most futile things on earth is to try to stay dry when water is being poured on you. It's much easier to come to terms with getting wet. I wear booties, and my feet stay much drier than they would be if I didn't. They're still very damp at the end of a commute.

Anybody familiar w/ this coat?

http://www.performancebike.com/produ...-HVY-FRONT.jpg

It's got pit zips at least.

I discovered Subway socks this morning. Those little bags they give you at Subway make great waterproof socks.

I like my Gore-Tex hiking boots and ankle gaiters. The boots have a one-piece upper and hooks instead of shoelace eyelets, so water can't get in that way. However, it can still get in by running down my shin and into the boot, which is where the ankle gaiters come in.

The combination isn't 100%, but it takes a real downpour to defeat it--and even then, the water getting into my shoes is minimal. And I don't have to change shoes when I get to work.

Downsides: cost, and they only work with platform pedals.

For riding pants I use some by Gill Marine. They make line of boating stuff that works really well for biking. So far I have been out in these things for up to 20 minutes in driving rain with only a wet spot or two on my pants underneath. The most similar pants I could find on their site is, http://www.gillmarine.com/section_he...sub_cat_code=5
I actually got these at a bike shop too so I am not the only one that likes these things.

Agggh. As a former fair-weather weekend rider, I am quickly approaching my first winter as an all-weather commuter. The wide range of answers here is convincing me I'm just going to have to give everything a go and eventually see what works best for me.

So, I may end up boiling in a bag, shivering in wicking shirts or getting wet in wool, but hopefully I'll still get to work and learn the most comfortable way to do it. I just hope not to drop too much coin during the learning process.

I disagree, goretex is crap. Its great for non cardio activities or very cold activities. I also never said goretex and similar were any good, unless you think something that performs 2x as well is 'similar'.

I dont have your problem with staying dry. If having water pour on you while your wearing a 100% waterproof jacket and helmet cover makes you soaking wet, well i think you need help getting dressed because your apparently doing it wrong :)

Many people have posted over the last few years how they arrive at work dry, and yet we continue to get people posting stating "its impossible to stay dry"........Some fallacies continue to get perpetuated no matter how hard you try to educate.

Marmot products have held up very well for me; I use the Precip pants and a couple of different shells/rain jackets.

I got them all on steepandcheap.com for 50% off.

There are some quite good Winter 08-09 cycling jackets on the hook right now. Some of the new Showers Pass jackets, and that screaming yellow Craft jacket Hardy Weinberg linked to. (the pitzips are kind of small on that one)

The 'almost waterproof' shells are getting better too.

I've been trying an Epic-encapsulated windbreaker this fall. Good reports so far.

I commute in thin, durable cotton pants a lot of the time. l put on the waterproofs maybe a dozen times a winter commuting in the rainy NW. Water resistant stuff or wool the rest of the time.

a pant like a Marmot ATV is a great winter riding pant for below freezing temperatures or medium to light rain.

Bekologist, how long does it take in a a fair constant rain (not shower) for the epic to soak through? And if it soaks through does it dry in a workday without a fan or heat? A few years back when i looked at epic I think that was the reason i went with eVent for a hard shell and ibex climawool for a soft shell instead, but i'm sure its improved since then. Interested to hear how it does over this winter for you.