Agreed -- I tend to prefer the lower end of that spectrum especially when effort levels go up. Wearing shorts rather than long pants once you hit 45°F helps. For some reason, people here dress like they're on an arctic expedition when the temps dip a little.

Be aware that dressing too warm can actually make you colder than dressing lightly. The difference can be huge -- we're talking feeling perfectly comfortable as opposed to getting hypothermia.

If you saturate your clothing all the way to an exterior layer coated in cold water that is constantly replaced, your body heat will conduct very efficiently through that and you will freeze -- especially when amplified by convective and evaporative heat loss as moving air cools and evaporates some of the water on your jacket.

I also do a lot of cold water paddling, snow camping, and the like. The number one mistake I see less experienced people make is dressing way too warm. I know it's not intuitive, and the reason people bundle up is because they're afraid of getting cold, but dressing too warm can cause serious problems and is actually dangerous in some circumstances -- this is not BS.

You lose heat through 4 mechanisms: radiation, conduction, convection, and evaporation. You can stay warm with very little if your jacket sheds water and you are dry for the simple reason that air transfers heat much less efficiently than water.

+1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 ...

The most important thing to bring on a rain ride is a good attitude. There are people who like the rain and people who don't. If you are a rain rider whatever you have on will be enough to make it a good ride.

If you're talking about bare minimum, I'd bring 2 tubes, wool socks if you don't have shoe covers, and front fender. I've used small front fenders that strap to the top tube and they work in a pinch. I can handle a wet back just fine by getting road grim shooting up and hitting you in the eye is a hazard. You bring 2 tubes because there is more road debris when it rains.

I love riding in the rain. There always seem to be less people on the road, I somehow feel freer and it makes me feel like I'm 10 years old jetting home from school or a friend's house.

It's good stuff -- I got to enjoy prototypes for years. For people who are familiar with the Gore-Tex line, this stuff is to Active what Active is to Pro. The jacket stuffs to the size of an orange and is fully wind and waterproof. I personally found it was the only jacket I needed from well below freezing on up.

I was really hoping they'd let me keep the last tester but no luck

"No really ... it was irreparably damaged in the test so I tossed it ... really."

The only problem is we have to send stuff back that fails or that we destroy for analysis

Somebody posted this in the PNW forum. Portland.

I use full size fenders on a Carbon fiber Cyclocross bike. The front fender has an extension that nearly eliminates direct spray on the crank.

I don't mind rain during warm weather, but I do avoid the rain when the temperatures are below 50f. The fenders are used whenever the pavement is wet, not just in the rain.

first thing that popped into my head when i read the title was

My good road bike doesn't go out in the wet. I have a rain single and a tandem for that. We ride in the rain all the time here. In the PNW you're either wet or weak.

All answers to your questions depend on temperature and how hard you ride, meaning how many watts you average, because watts are heat more than they are energy to move the bike.

mudguard? Yes, and mudflaps which end ~2" above the road.

gloves? Very important and most difficult to get right. For warm rain, shouldn't be waterproof. For cold rain waterproof is good but not essential. Experience is what's necessary. I have many pairs of gloves of various weights.

waterproof top? Never. Use a wind jacket that's not too porous. The Voler Jet is perfect.

shoe cover? Nice to have, necessary in cold rain, optional in warm rain.

waterproof shorts? Never. I use PI tights of appropriate weight or leg warmers for cool to cold rain. They are not waterproof. For warm rain, bare legs are fine.

helmet cover OR a shower cap under helmet? Neither. Wear a poly beanie, the PI one is perfect. For very cold rain, a balaclava.

The most important thing about riding in the rain is to have good ventilation. You need to get rid of heat and if it's showers, between them you need to be able to dry out. You don't want to be stopping for clothing changes if at all possible. Well, that's if you care about moving your bike up the road. If you're just plunking around, that obviously doesn't matter.

Interesting in that there seem to be quite a large number of riders without protective glasses.. How do folks feel about glasses/no glasses in the rain (especially when behind other riders who don't have fenders)?

Glasses are okay despite the rain, because you are so close to the glass you can still see out of it relatively clearly. It's not like fog.

Fenders and raincoat, of course, a must.
Toe covers are real helpful for me. Seem to do most of the job of a full-up shoe cover.

Heard, Cycle touring in Flanders, the young Racers-in-Training were said to not use mudguards.

since the hard men, their heros of of the Belgian spring classics did not, and they did not want to be mistaken for tourists.




...

For those who must ride in the rain, or those it does not phase, more power to you. For someone who describes himself as new to cycling it makes sense to get some more experience in dry conditions before riding in the rain. It is simply a matter of fact that wet roads are more dangerous. If I can avoid riding in the rain I do. I do many things to mitigate objective dangers posed to me as a rider. I am a skilled rider and have ridden many miles in the rain. I ride quite differently when doing so, allowing more time to brake and not carrying speed into corners. Those who advocate riding in the rain do the OP no favors by downplaying the risks they know exist. We are comfortable with our own riding skills, but don't know the abilities of all who post here. I think it makes sense to point out that riding in the rain adds an objective danger and that fact is worthy of consideration.

Nor do we do any favors by pretending that riding in the rain is incredibly dangerous.

You will note that I made the same suggestions you just made---corner slowly and brake early---plus some other practical tips.

Instead of sharing your knowledge you opted to share your fears ... which says to me, you lack wisdom. Rather than help the guy ride more safely, you made him more nervous and distracted while riding in the rain, which he obviously and specifically wants to do.

Not everyone shares your fears, but we all share physics. Why don't You share what you have learned through years and miles of riding in the rain and in the dry, and Not share the irrational fears you have not managed to get rid off.

Just a suggestion.