I'll be moving to an area where it occasionally rains during the day, and I'm thinking of riding my road bike to work. I don't think I can park it indoors or bring it inside, so it'll be locked outdoors. Anyone use a rain cover to cover their bike during the workday while it's sitting out there? Any ideas/recs would be welcome.

Yes, when I was in that situation I did. They are pretty inexpensive. Here is one on sale at the moment.

I only bother to cover my seat with a supermarket plastic bag, so I don't have to wipe the water off later...

I think for occasional rain it's not a big deal not to cover it

Yes

That nashbar cover will work fine for you.

That could be anywhere...

I usually just cover the seat with a shower cap. However, if it's an all day soaker, we have an entrance to our building that is closed with a canopy. I contacted building services about bringing the bike inside and that is not permitted, but they let me park it under the canopy. It works for me.

I have thought about getting a cover, but I don't want to deal with folding up a wet cover when I'm ready to go home.

never. if i had to be ready to cover my bike any day it rained i'd have to bring a cover with me every day.

Or you could just leave it at work, like I do. Folding it up isn't an issue...I pull it off, shake it out, then put it back into my desk drawer. I know it rains a lot here in Ohio, but hardly every day. Where the cover really comes in handy is when we get a bunch of snow...or worse, sleet and freezing rain. For a little drizzle, I don't even bother with it, I just cover my saddle.

My cover stays at work. I use it for those all day rains. I think the better quality of bike, the less it cares about getting wet. Just makes me feel better to cover it for extended wetness.

I'm lucky enough to park indoors but I definitely would get a raincover otherwise.

A.

I cover mine.

I only cover the Brooks with a double cover I bought for 500 Y.

I recently saw the high end of bike covers. At the Livestrong Challenge expo there was a vendor called Bike Poncho. Expensive! But really well made. Their website is bikeponcho.com. I don't have one, so I can't comment on how good or bad they might be. I will say they seemed really well made. Of course, they should be for 90 bucks.

I've been putting garbage bags over the handlebars and seat. The bag over the handlebars also covers the front brakes and keeps the cables dry. The bag that covers the seat also shields the crankset like its under an umbrella.

I'm going to order the Nashbar covers and use them for winter storage, but the garbage bags will work as a back-up item.

Michael

+1
If you are going to ride in the rain, your bike will get wet so why sweat covering it up?

easy to say when you live in cali - around these parts, rain can turn into ice for about half the year.

I cover the saddle. That's it, though.

Hey, easy there. It does get cold enough here to where water turns to ice...but only for a few hours.

Nah, man. You don't need to be spending $10.00 or $25.00, or as one other member advised $90.00.

There is only one area in the USA that could possibly justify using a rain cover and that would be the Pacific Northwest - Washington and Oregon.

Fortunately for you, there is a store in Seattle called "Daiso". This is the Japanese version of the Dollar Tree. Of course, due to the weak dollar, instead of stuff costing $1.00, everything costs $1.50, but the quality of the stuff at Daiso is better than the stuff at Dollar Tree and it is cooler.

Anyway, Daiso in Seattle sells bicycle covers for $1.50 that are as good or better than the covers Nashbar is selling for $25.00 (or on-sale for $10.00). In other words, you can buy 16 of the bicycle covers at Daiso for about the same money as you can buy one cover from Nashbar or 60 bicycle covers for the $90 price-tag that PSwann bought his from bikeponcho.com. Get yourself a bicycle umbrella holder while you are there.

i live in nyc and i usually take my seat with me or cover it with a bag. i really only care about my bike getting wet if it will get me wet.

I parked my road bike (Giant OCR1) outside for a year at my old job before there was a place to bring it inside. Obviously you want to make sure it's locked up well. Beyond that, think about what accessories might get swiped or ruined by the elements. I had a front blinkie stolen at one point and my Topeak Road Morph G, mounted on my frame, was ruined by the Seattle wet. I never bothered with a seat cover, but I probably would if I had a leather seat or just one that soaked up moisture.