ivan_yulaev

Looks like it's going to rain for the first time on my commute tomorrow. Anything I should bring, except for a jacket?

-Ivan

iowarose

something to keep your hair dry. I wear a shower cap under my helmet. there is nothing more miserable to me than feeling cold water drip down my scalp on a bike ride.

super-douper

depends on where you are....here i just let it rain on me. feels kinda good.

koan

Hope you have fenders. Lined your panniers with a plastic bag. Change of socks maybe.

I keep my hair less than an inch long, it never really absorbs that much water. I'd say more miserable would be having wet socks all day, and putting on your wet sogging helmet after being dry.

Daily Commute

If it's cold, I'll wear a balaclava, but I don't worry about getting my head wet. That seems like a losing battle. I agree with Koan about getting a short haircut, but that won't do you much good before your ride this morning. If you're unsure of your panniers or backpack, put your stuff in plastic bags before you put them in your pack. Think about packing your work clothes in a plastic bag and changing at work.

And fenders--if you don't have them, get them as soon as you can so that you'll have them for the next rainy ride.

If it's cold, PI Amfib tights keep your legs warm and dry.

Pay attention, but enjoy. Some of my favorite rides have been in the rain.

rmwun54

I ride with full rain gear on those days that are quite wet. An REI rainshadow jacket with pit zips, pants with breathable liner, gloves by Pearl Izumi, Columbia waterproof fleece hat the Bugaboo and shoe covers.

max-a-mill

waterproff rain stuff is just too hot for me. i just gear up the same way i would for a day thats like ten degrees cooler than what i am headed out into.

for me at least trying to stay dry is a useless battle. either i get wet from the rain while wearing my breathable non-rain gear or i get sweaty while riding wearing rain gear; and my sweat is stinkier so i just get wet and have a change of clothes for work...

fenders do help alot though; that constant road spray you get without them makes you more cold and uncomfortable than anything else....

vrkelley

I ride mostly on the drops and with a backpack. Finding that for light rains, I"m finding that for light rains the chest, stomach and area that the backpack covers stays pretty dry.

Anyone know of a jacket that keeps the arms shoulders and upper back dry while venting the rest of the body?

Treespeed

I second the change of socks, and drawers for that matter. The worst to me is having a wet bottom all day long. Unless it's pouring out I think that you sweat more in most rain gear and end up wetter from the sweat than any rain you would keep out.

I'm so bummed since my work switched to flat screens as my old CRT made a great drying rack for gloves or socks.

JohnBrooking

I wear a backpack as well. If it's really pouring, I wrap it in a plastic garbage bag. I wear clothes I don't mind getting wet (I too have found raingear to be too hot), and change into dry ones when I get there. (I generally keep a selection of shirts at work, as well as a towel, so on rainy days I only need to bring dry pants, socks, and underwear with me. Don't forget a comb if your hair requires it.) I also have access to a shower at work if necessary.

Treespeed

Now that's an issue that I could get behind, showers and facilities at work. I've only worked at two places that had lockers and showers, along with covered bicycle parking. Best commuting ever.

JohnBrooking

Does your desktop support department know about that?

max-a-mill

i hang my crap in the server room! those suckers kick off some heat so the room has some super AC system that will dry just about anything in 8 hours...

i WISH we had showers (no wait then i'd have to take one ). but seriously, about the smell, if your clean when you get on the bike (i take a shower before i leave) and wear clean clothes i don't find my smell to be that bad ever... even in the dog days of summer.

MMMMMM, SUMMER.....

jimhens714

I can hardly wait myself...I'm getting tired of gray skies and cold!

SpokesInMyPoop

For rainy days (there are many in Portland... but it has been lacking so far), I usually wear my rain jacket (from performance... like $9), rain pants, and BOOTIES (waterproof, not neoprene). I would also wear a balaclava or a cowl (sp?) for temps under 40 degrees, along with a set of duofold thermals, and neoprene gloves (lookin' @ 'em right now... they have dried snot on them... time for a wash :B). I usually plastic bag everything of value, especially work clothes.

Luckily (since I make copies for a living ), I can take my damp clothes and put them behind our docutech, which is like a slowdryer, but everything is usually dried by midday.

I can't wait 'til summer rolls around.