I was wondering if some people could give me some hints about commuting in heavy rain- maybe even post some pictures. I'm especially interested in what people wear when it's raining.

I've been merely hiding all my important stuff in a plastic bag in my backpack but in terms of clothing- I always just resort to the fact that it's going to be very unpleasant on the way back in wet clothing.

I got a La Crosse Made Parka it's neon yellow-green with broad reflective stripes, waterproof breathable stuff
Its sturdy gear made for roadside workers, hence bright reflective bands
and a pair of waterproof Breathable trousers out of 3 layer fabric.

a Bit more Upscale. Showers Pass a Pac Northwest company makes nice raingear for biking in
https://clevercycles.com/products/apparel/outerwear/

I got waterproof Panniers to put my stuff in... Ortlieb is the best.

What's the temperature and humidity like when it rains in your locale? That would help get some more helpful answers. Also, how heavy is heavy?

Campmor one place in the US, sells a cyclist's cape, It is made to cover your hands and backside,
but it is open under the space between your arms and belly , for decent ventilation.

I have a waterproof pannier, so I don't worry about my stuff. I also have fenders on my bike.

What I wear will depend on the temperature. If it is warm enough that I won't freeze by getting wet, I just get wet. (summer rains here are nearly always in the afternoon, so I don't have to worry about wet clothes for the ride home).

If it is colder, I have a cheap rain jacket and rain pants. They don't breathe all that well so I get a little wet just due to sweat.

Paul

+1

I change at work so staying dry is less of a concern than staying warm. My laptop on the other hand has to stay dry. Using a waterproof messenger bag, backpack, or pannier is one way to accomplish that. A plastic bag in something that isn't waterproof is another.

Avoid cotton when it's cool or cold out. It holds on to moisture and will chill you. Wool is good along with many synthetics. I don't bother with rain gear unless it's cold. I don't expect it to keep me 100% dry.

I use plastic bags in "water resistant" panniers for my stuff, and fenders are good to have.
I wear bib tights and layers on top, including a goretex jacket if it's pouring,
neoprene booties over the shoes, socks that still insulate when wet...
I use towels to dry things after the ride then hang them up to be ready for the next ride in ~10 hours. My shoes and shoe inserts need to be dried along with the booties.
The clothes dry simply by being hung up, no need to use a towel.

I avoid my goretex pants for commuting, the tights get wet but are comfortable.
Keep a good attitude, it can actually be fun unless you are in heavy traffic, heavy wind, etc...

No rain here for 8 months out of the year, which is nice for me.

I have really good goretex gear, but, most of the year, it stays behind. I can seal myself off from the elements, and still wind up soaked if I sweat too much.

That said, if it's cold enough, nothing beats Pro Shell.

If it's warm then I just get wet. I've tried parkas and rain ponchos, but they just billow out like a sail, or worse act like one when faced with a headwind.

Fenders make riding in the rain a lot less nasty.

Rain generally reduces visibility a bit, and making yourself more visible by turning your lights on is usually a good idea.

Thanks a lot guys.

I think the Goretex is along the lines of what I was looking for, though it's expensive.

Since someone asked for specifics:

I'm planning on commuting all the way through to next summer 45 miles round-trip (only twice a week). I already occasionally commute a similar distance to my work in Chicago (from a suburb- grr), and now I'm going to be covering that distance to school. I've been car-free since May and am desperately trying to wise up on the tricks of commuting. The worst thing I've experienced so far was the equivalent of riding through a lake of water only slightly dispersed with air (read: very wet). It was actually my first commute and I attacked it wearing regular cotton shorts and a cotton shirt with a non-waterproofed backpack on my back. Since then I've used some of my marathon-running dad's running shirts, athletic shorts, and the same backpack with cargo protected by plastic bags.

For colder days: Rain pants, were a real eye opener. I recommend what they call "storm pants", 100% rain/water proof pants. Anything breathable will let water through eventually. So anyway, if you stay with those types of pants you are going to get little hot, but you can adjust other clothes you wear underneath it. There were days when I just had the rain pants on, once you get to work you need something to freshen up, but you'll be dry from the rain. Fenders are also a must.

Also, if you can stay away from rim brakes, I found that you have only minimal stopping power once it gets really wet. Recommend hub brakes. I hear disk brakes are also very good.

Waterproof panniers like those can give you some peace of mind.

I agree. I love riding in the rain, and I don't mind getting wet.

I keep an old baseball cap in my bag for rain. I have to adjust the helmet a bit, but it's definitely easier to keep your eyes open when you're not getting slapped in the face by raindrops.

Fenders
Helmet cover over helmet
Baseball cap to keep rain off your face
Booties or something else to waterproof your shoes
Showers Pass jacket
Enough layers to stay warm.

If it's raining I put clean dry stuff in my backpack which is a Deuter and has an elastic rain proof shower-cap thing. Then I wear as little as possible, usually old jogging shoes with no socks, short-shorts, commando of course and a singlet. I get to work and clean up.

Fenders
Waterproof panniers

Regarding clothing: I tend to sweat like a pig. So, if it's warm and it's raining, I can choose between getting wet from the rain, or getting wet because of sweat. Most often I choose the rain. I have tried many supposedly breathable waterproof shell jackets including Goretex, and none of them breathe enough for me.

If it's cold, I resort to a shell jacket and trousers. One beauty in winter riding is, if it's cold enough, all you need is windproof and maybe water resistant stuff. After sweating in so called performance clothing in late autumn, it feels so good to get to wear truly breathable clothes again for the winter months.

--J

Ive had rain in two extremes, Vermont in January and South Florida in the Hurricane season.
South Florida was easy. Take off your shirt and enjoy it ~
You had to get used to rain or you didnt ride in the summer.
Vermont, whole 'nother story.....Scary dangerous. Never pleasant but I found if my head, hands
and feet could stay sort of dry I would make it home without frost bite
Latex type Surgical gloves to put under regular gloves and save your plastic shopping bags for
your feet. A synthetic hat / hood combination for head / ears.
Layering a few pair of womens stockings help also if you are not worried about that stuff

Be safe...
LM in KY

If you are riding that distance in Chicago-style weather, I would definitely go for a Showers Pass Elite jacket or something comparable. You want something breathable and warm enough for cool weather. As others mentioned, fenders are a necessity -- not only to help keep you dry but to keep your bike clean.

My strategy for rain is to try and avoid it. I typically have to drive 1-2 days a week to run errands or restock supplies at work, and I try to time my driving for rainy days. However, I still get caught in rain occasionally, particularly thunderstorms that pop up in the afternoons during summer. For that reason, I get little use out of a rain jacket because it is too hot in the summer here to wear one and I don't want to carry around a jacket just for occasional use. I do keep fenders on my commute bikes, however, or ride my fender-less bikes on days when rain is highly unlikely.

Here's how I deal with the rain in DC, it never fails:

Here

i assume the rain in chicago this time of year is warm. if you are miserable riding in warm rain, you got the wrong stuff on. looks like you already addressed it by losing the cotton.

as for cold rain, i will echo the above post, buses are for the most part, pretty water proof. you could try expensive gortex type stuff, but, you'll be pretty miserable on a ride that long, IMHO.

i've never found a need for waterproof pants. like others, i use rain gear sparingly in the warmer months. in cooler seasons i wear a waterproof/breathable raincoat and appropriate footwear. if the core is warm everything else will follow.

Chicago is a lot like Ann Arbor, weather-wise, and I've been 4 season commuting for more than a decade, so I've dealt with some rain! However, I've never had to do the mileage you're doing, so I don't know if my experience is really parallel in that regard.

For most rain, most seasons, I use lightweight, water-resistant, multi-layer fabrics, like Gore-Tex, but lighter. I run a bright lime green Marmot full-zip jacket with pit zippers and nice, adjustable hood that cinches around my helmet, and run REI pull-over pants of the same material type. These offer good protection, some ventilation, and tidily pack up.

I use Totes rubber overshoes to keep my shoes in good order.

Gloves are a tough one. Way back, in like '92, I had something called Bull Mitts, which were waterproof covers for the handlebars. They were great, but I lost them in a move and never ponied up the bucks to replace them. So, I've got a host of gloves for different temps, from simple material that just blocks wind to full Gore-Tex when it's honestly chilly. Often, it's just fine being bare handed, especially if the gloves don't dry for the return trip! Can't wear wet gloves!

I've done the poncho thing, but not only does everything have to be right in terms of poncho and bike fit (short, upright bike), but you've got to do some wild rigging to keep the thing from blowing all over the place and it really forces a slower pace. I don't recommend one for anything but the shortest trips.

I'll also third the above reccos for a baseball cap; I wear eyeglasses, so it's particularly important. I've been happy for years with a fully synth fabric cap from Pearl Izumi; long bill, very thin, perforated fabric, and slim adjusting buckle let it fit under the helmet comfortably.

Pants in particular are highly recommended if you're riding on the road and subject to spray from cars. Getting soaked is bad enough, but I've gotten some nasty stains from road grime that taught me the lessons about protection the hard way.

And finally, as mentioned, proper bike setup will make tons of difference; fenders, disc brakes (not just for power, but to avoid spraying grime from pads everywhere), grooved grips (water drains away and they feel drier and less slippery), rack (waterproof gear keeps you hot enough; a backpack is too much!), good lights, and toe clips (wet pedals are treacherous).

Oh yeah, and pack a handkerchief to dry your face when you arrive!

Ummm... do you ride the same metro I occasionally do? It often fails. :-\

https://unsuckdcmetro.blogspot.com/

Don't get me wrong... I'm glad it's there, but it does have its issues. One more reason I'm glad I ride my bike to work almost every day, rain or shine. A bad day bike commuting is better than a good day on DC's Metro IMO.

To the OP, I carry a chnage of clothes in my Topeak rack trunk. If it's just a drizzle, and I know it's going to stay that way, I usually don't wear anything extra.

My normal summer wear is a pair of swim trunks or athletic shorts with a tee-shirt, preferably wicking. If it's raining really hard, I'll put on the Coleman rain poncho I picked up at Big Lots for $4. to

In winter, I tend to wear an Under Armor-like pair of tights under some shorts. I'm also usually already wearing a water-resistant jacket (w/ or w/o fleece lining depending on temp). I give it a spray w/ waterproofer from an outdoor store a couple times a year and does a good enough job keeping me dry.

As other posters point out, climate is the big factor. In Florida I am completely soaking wet at the end of my ride, whether it is raining or not. So I actually prefer the cooling effect of the rain (sans lightning, of course). Full fenders and wider tires (28cc, which FEELS wide compared to my road bike), water proof panniers, and flashing lights. I also wear clipless sandals with no socks - the water feels great on the bare toes. I don't know what I would do if I had to ride in COLD rain.

"My strategy for rain is to try and avoid it."
If only.

Like many others who posted already:
Fenders
Waterproof panniers

I don't look for or buy anything "waterproof" as that just keeps all your body heat in. I would rather be wet from rain than sweat and have my body be able to reasonably cool itself off (lots of hills). I have two jackets, one summerweight, one heavier and that's a little larger so I can layer under it. I cannot say enough good things about RainLegs https://www.rainlegs.co.uk/.

Warm rain (60 degrees plus) = I cover up if it's annoying me.
Medium rain (45-60 degrees) = standard bike gear, maybe long fingered lightweight gloves and booties if the water is stacking up on the street. There's nothing worse than shoes filling up with water. Maybe long cycling pants.
Cold rain (45 and below) = layers, wool, warm gloves with glove liners, booties, heavier jacket, long cyclint pants.

I find that a balaclava works well to keep the nastier stuff off my face (think spray from passing vehicles).

I have two lights up front and two in back and lots of reflective stuff all over. Visibility goes down in rain, especially when it's dark and you want to be seen.

As for rim brakes? Most people I know have them. I don't have a problem with them. Just keep them clean and your brake pads in good shape and viola, good braking. Of course you still have to slow down a bit due to slipping but I find, so far, no reason for disc even here in hilly Seattle (gasp!).