im starting to think about what im going to need to be able to ride through the winter.what do you use?my thoughts so far are poncho,rain pants, waterproof shoes and a bike cover to park my bike at work.any other /better ideas would be appreciated

I got a Rain cape last year , bought from Riv bike right up the road from you..

legs and feet stay pretty dry , because the cape drapes over my arms and the handlebars, forming an awning for the bottom half.

Mudguards are needed , on the bike.

NB poncho, I observe, is a flat square and will flap in the wind.. ,
But cycle rain cape is a conic shape, a bit longer in the front..
and less an issue in the wind..

helmet cover on your helmet, after you put the cape over your head.

parking in the rain I use a heavy plastic bag on the saddle..

the bike dries off when I bring it in, back home

Probably a thousand threads on this subject but I'll throw one out anyway on shoes. There are no waterproof shoes out there (trust me I've looked for hours over the years). You can get some rubber shoes and gaiters but during a heavy rain they won't keep your feet dry. Just get a small plastic bag and wrap around your shoe and ankle and use packing tape to secure the plastic bag. Use this option only if you want your feet to stay dry and don't care what it looks like.

Poncho is also a good investment.

Ride safe,

Jeff

I've been using LL Bean Boots, never had wet feet. they are still made in Maine.

Neoprene booties that wrap around your shoes and ankles, fastened with Velcro. These keep my shoes and feet dry while commuting in the PNW winter. A little water gets in through the hole on the bottom for clipless pedal cleat access, so the sole gets wet. A little more water seeps down my rain pant leg, under the bootie's cuff. But I arrive at work with my shoes no wetter than if I walked from my door to a car in the rain. I wear the same shoes at work all day.

Sidi's winter boot here - no problems with wet or cold feet. Hands and feet used to drive me nuts until I spent some cash and got some good stuff.

It depends. How long is your commute? Do you change at work or wear your work clothes on the bike? I have a short commute, but I wear waterproof boots for the ride and change shoes at work. Other than that, I wear rain gear. I've not used a poncho -- I wear a raincoat, but I love my full-zip waterproof pants. They are really easy to take off at the office. I did have a small problem with the seams, but I assume that is because they weren't made (or purchased) for riding. I use them camping and for winter sports. I bought some waterproof seam tape, and it worked great.

I have a pair of frogg toggs. They breathe pretty good and hold the rain out, kind of baggy however.

In the past I've used various types of rain wear be it treated nylon, PVC, waxed cotton, Nikwax treated gear and of course Gore-Tex (and it's derivatives) yet all were a compromise between functionality, durability and cost. My favorites have been waxed cotton because it's durable, water-resistant and breathable to a point and Gore-Tex because it's water-proof and breathable but pretty expensive and will need to be treated in time. I've just recently tried a jacket from Frogg Toggs which is very inexpensive (<$30 for a jacket) is waterproof, lightweight and packable (let's face it, weight and size don't go hand in hand... a pillow is lighter than a little bar of lead yet isn't anywhere near as small).I've worn it on several rides with high winds and heavy rains and really appreciated how waterprrof it is as well as it's breathability. It's pretty much on par with Gore-Tex concerning function yet waaaay less expensive. My only concern now is it's durability. It feels like it's made of well worn Tyvek house-wrap so I'm a little skeptical about it's durability but so far for the way it performs and it's cost, it's a win and may be worth looking into.

Thanks for the tip. Their lower priced jackets look promising. I may have to check one out.

Showers pass rain gear here. Add thermal underwear as needed for temps. Buy at REI so you get the warranty. I wear Hi Tec ulitmate hikers waterproof hiking boots for footwear. Just picked up some Novara Stratos winter cycling gloves Ill try out on tomorrow's commute. 2" snow on the ground now with 6" predicted over night with 30 mph winds should make for an interesting commute!

I love my Keen Targhee II's - I've ridden through roads where the water was halfway up to the bottom bracket, and my feet never felt the least bit damp.

https://www.keenfootwear.com/us/en/pr...grape%20nectar

I have waterproof overpants, but I'm thinking about trying my suede horseback riding chaps to combat the dreaded swampcrotch. I also use a Sugoi waterproof helmet cover and cycling jacket. Underneath I use long underwear - polarfleece if it's below 35F or so, microfiber if it's above. Ski gloves on my hands when it's raining to keep out the damp.

I found a prototype Showers Pass Elite 2.1 Jacket at their warehouse sale here in Portland for dirt cheap about a month ago. Best jacket I've ever commuted in, hands down, nothing else has come close. It has held up to everything the weather as delivered here so far, and there has been a lot lately. I kept holding off on buying one of their jackets at full retail, but now after owning one, I would easily pay full price.

Showers Pass Elite 2.1

What I wear for the rain depends on what I'm riding and how far I'm going.

If I'm staying in town, just riding a few miles to a restaurant and back, so long as it's not really raining hard, I'll skip dedicated rain gear and go for a 'comfortably damp' approach. Many layers of clothing that is either water resistant or warm when damp. Long underwear, wool sweaters and a wool cycling cap keep me comfortable enough for short rides. If it's really coming down, I might add a waterproof shell on top.

If it's going to be a longer ride in a sustained downpour, I'll go for a full rain suit. The Frogg Toggs suit is great. As mentioned, it's cheap, light weight and packable, and it breathes just as well as Gore-tex.

cheap clear motel style shower cap for the helmet