Some people don't mind not having a hood as long as their helmet visor keeps the water out of their eyes/glasses. There's also separate helmet covers that extend down the back to allow water to roll onto the jacket instead of the back of your neck. Light to moderate rain, I don't bother w/ the hood/helmet cover. Heavy downpours I pull out the helmet cover or hood.

If a goretex jacket loses its waterproofness, send it back, because it's defective.

I have a Blackbottoms Park City Jacket that I got off amazon for $10 or so.
http://www.nashbar.com/images/nashba...J-YE-ANGLE.jpg
Not at all vented so you get pretty toasty in there, but the waterproofing is very good, and for $10, it does the job very well. Just need to unzip a bit when you start getting hot. Defeats the waterproofing, but cools you off.

I use an Illuminite Commuter jacket that's no longer made. It's pretty tough, very waterproof and breathes well enough in the body. My arms sweat in the sleeves even with the pit zips open, but other than that it's great. I've been dry under the parts covered by the jacket in some heavy rains at around 40 too, it reminds me of motorcycle raingear it works so well.

Hey SF, not to disagree with you, but I am going to disagree with you :)

Here is what the Goretex website says on the topic:

All these fancy fabrics need to be cleaned and retreated at some point in order to maintain their "new" performance.

I have a Showerpass touring jacket. Great jacket that stay dry and keep me warm too. I notice it gets dirty easily and it was hard to wash off some dirt with tge Nikwax Techwash. Sometimes I get a little oil on it from lifting my bike on the stair. So I ended buying another jacket. It was a Performancebike Ultra rain jacket. Got it on sale with additional discount out the door at around $60. It held up great. Dirt don't stick to it as easily and it vent pretty good. It's not as warm as my Showerpass but I rate it up there as a good commuter rain jacket.

+++1 on Shower's Pass
 

I have the Elite 2.0 and it's superb. RE: comments about fit----the Elites are cut closer than the touring jacket----the latter is a much looser cut which some may prefer, but then it would flap in the wind. The Elite is cut sensibly but not too close (but this is always a matter of body shape too). With the right layers the Elite is fine into low single digits----here in our part of Maryland it rarely if ever gets below 0-F so I can't attest to the serious cold conditions, but for the weather we do have, this jacket is perfect. Excellent wind block, breathes as well or better than anything else out there. As others have also noted, it doesn't have an attached hood and that's how I like it. Never use a hood, even in the rain. A good poly or wool head warmer or balaclava is fine- - -head gets wet but stays warm. Hoods block peripheral vision and for me, that's never good.

I love my J&G jacket. $99. I've worn it every time it was raining or < 50*F or so for 4 years now, and it still looks pristine and is totally waterproof. The vents are quite effective too.

www.bicycleclothing.com

I have their rain pants and helmet cover too. Also very good.

I've been using a light top jacket that I bought for about 25 bucks; The White Sierra Trabagon.

http://i.stpost.com/erez4/erez?src=P...ium&redirect=0

Anyone have experience with Cold Lizard? Their Ultrex jacket looks kinda nice, plus it's made in the US and can be custom sized, and the price is good.

http://www.coldlizard.com/sites/defa...REX-JACKET.jpg

I seldom wear the hood when I'm riding the bike but as a transportation cyclist it means I wear the jacket when I'm off the bike as well. I don't carry a different rain coat with me when I've ridden my bike somewhere, locked it and then become a pedestrian nor do I carry an umbrella. In a downpour I like to be able to walk into a place with a relatively dry head. Maybe I'm the only one with this complaint but an issue I have with a lot of cycling specific clothing has to do with exactly how "specific" it is. If cycling clothes are designed so they only make sense when on the bike they lack the range of functionality I need for every day use. Maybe they're okay for racing and some recreational riding and touring but $200+ is a lot of money to spend for a rain jacket with such limitations of use.

I actually keep a small umbrella in my pannier for those unexpected showers.

I've also used a Burley made just before they stopped making clothing and its a great jacket in fact the original Showers Pass item was made from the same patterns as the Burley if I remember correctly. Its a lot heavier than the REI jacket I have been using but when it really is pouring out this bad boy keeps me dry and vents really well

The only thing I have ever found to be very effective in rain is a rain cape. They can make them out of totally waterproof fabric, and you can have the hood up or down. Because they are open around the base, (but still tethered to you so they don't fly up), air can circulate freely under it, keeping you dry. When I am exerting myself (such as when riding), I pump out enough sweat to get drenched under GoreTex, but the circulating air under the rain cape keeps me dry.

The Brits live in rain, they know something about this stuff.

Correct, but the performance they're talking about isn't really waterproofness. Or, to put it another way, the goretex fabric itself is waterproof; there's a membrane that will/should not allow water to pass from the outside going in. As a second layer of defense and impressiveness, DWR gets applied to the outside of the fabric. This is what causes the water to bead up on the surface, and roll off. That should be reapplied about once a season, or more often if you wear a backpack, rest against a lot of benches, etc. But the goretex should never let water through, even without DWR; it should just soak into the outer layer of your jacket and be absorbed there, making your jacket heavier, but still leaving you dry on the inside.

I use Granger's on my jackets. For the record, spray on is a better way to apply DWR than wash in, because you really don't want this happening on the inner layer - it's supposed to let sweat out. :D

My vote for the Showerspass Touring jacket. I've got the yellow one. I had a Performance brand jacket bofore this one, and a hiking jacket before that.

For me it's hard to beat this jacket for commuting. It's totally water and windproof. The water doesn't soak through after 30 minutes like some of the other things I've tried. The visibility is great (with the yellow one) and the built in reflectors are a huge addition to the nightime visibility. The sleeve cuffs are big so in the winter I can wear thick gloves and use the velcro cinch to keep it tight. The vents let me wear it into the 50's without overheating and let me adjust my temperature in the winter, so on longer climbs I open them and close them when my body cools after the climb. There is almost no insulation and the vents are very effective which lets me layer, and lets the jacket be more versatile for me in which temperatures I can use it in.

The touring jacket I got smaller than normal as their site suggests, and have had no problems layering to 0F. I was about to quit winter cycling before I got this and then riding every day in the winter wasn't such a pain in the butt anymore.

It is pricey but has been a worthwhile purchase for me. You may find it closer to $130 with online vendor sales, but those are hard to predict.

I like the Campmor rain cape, it's simple, inexpensive, comfortable and it works.

Marc I

I have and love the J&G breatheable rain jacket. I have used it daily now for about two years. I have been in temps from -22F to around 60F with it. I use it as a windbreaker as well as a rain jacket, it works well in both roles.
When it is time to replace it, I will get another one. It is a good value for the money.

I have an LL Bean gore-tex Anorak style jacket I bought years ago early 90's for back packing (day hikes) and x-country skiing and have used it for two years year round commuting (winter too) here in southern Maine and it is still going strong. I suppose some would say it is baggy but works great for year round when layering. I remember I got it in the outlet store. It was a return. I also have their gore-tex pants I paid full price. These have lasted a long time and got plenty of use.

Just bought the campmore rain cape to keep in my commuting bag at all times. More of a fair weather commuter, but sometimes you get caught at work and it's raining and need to get home.

Here's another vote for showers pass touring jacket. I picked one up at REI with 20% coupon. I don't have much more to add. It's definitely cut looser than other cycling gear. I usually wear XL or XXL gear but bought an XL touring jacket. It still feels a bit loose. It's great in the rain and very durable. I crashed once where I slid down the trail on my left shoulder. It only made the jacket dirty. My only gripe is that I tend to over heat. I usually keep the pit vents almost all the way open. I think I might try the Elite when this one wears out.

Thanks to everyone for their replies. I've settled on the J&G jacket unless my local shop has a Showerpass in stock. Too much wet weather here in Vermont.

Get a helmet cover, a big hood won't turn with your head, to look behind you
to keep from getting hit, when turning..

Rivendale got Grunden's to make a Heavy duty rain cape.

For those who don't know, live away from commercial fishing ports,
Grunden's is a Swedish Company making the foul weather gear.

http://www.rivbike.com/products/show...-poncho/22-139

Portugal is one of the low cost EU manufacturing labor places.
so they get made there .. Portugal has been seafarers for like
a thousand years.

Before you make your buy, I highly recommend you call Lou at Foxwear (http://www.foxwear.net/). He is a cyclist himself and makes wonderful biking jackets that I have had enormous success with in the rain. Just talk to him. Tell him what you want, how you ride, where you live. He will make you the perfect jacket that will fit like a glove. He uses polartec fabrics. I cannot recommend him enough.