enfilade

just done thirty hilly miles in growing darkness, thick fog, and heavy rain... some of my favourite riding conditions. however, i havent done any touring yet and think id soon change my mind if i had to spend a whole day riding through these conditions, not to mention setting up camp and sleeping in wet clothes.

im planning a short tour to the Lake District (England) at the moment and wondering what to do for clothing. what do you take on tour with you? and do you ever get wet through with the clothes you use?

i dont have any cycling clothes at the moment, apart from a couple of cheap jerseys. today i made do with cotton shorts, cotton t-shirt, and a 'waterproof' coat... which has been great for most rides ive done but was soaking wet within 20 minutes of leaving home today. i cant afford to spend massive amounts on cycling clothes but have you got any decent tips for making the most out of your clothes when touring?

is it worth buying some waterproof socks? a new pair of shorts? what materials are best for touring in wet conditions?

thanks!

antokelly

hallo, getting soaked is no joke ,it's ok when your cycling but as soon as you stop you get cold really cold ,that's where the problems kick in.so first of all bin the cotton,you need good quality merino wool base layer this time of year long sleeve ,good mid layer ,and a good waterproof jacket.sealskinz socks a good ,altura overshoes and rain pants will keep your feet and legs dry ,all that gear can be bought fairly reasonably on chainreaction cycles ,well thats where i bought mine.have fun

enfilade

cheers for that i'll have a browse through CRC.
don't you get really hot with all those layers though?

just before setting off today i exchanged a warmish cycle jersey for the cotton t-shirt because it was actually quite warm despite the rain.. and i thought the raincoat and t-shirt would be enough to keep me dry whilst stopping me from overheating. even with two thin layers i was still plenty warm enough on the ride

stevage

Lycra jerseys and wool are good. Try a secondhand shop - I often see jerseys there, branded after some big promotional ride...

positron

Since you're also in UK, I would really highly recommend Rainlegs. They are like a cover for your legs and work very very well. also, wool is your friend, go to some charity shops and look for merino wool sweaters. that is a great, cheap start. I got one at Oxfam recently for a few quid.
https://www.rainlegs.co.uk/

Juha

I know I do. I've yet to find a waterproof shell that breathes enough to NOT make me all sweaty in summer weather. I'd rather get wet from the rain than sweat, so nowadays I don't care so much for waterproofness. I basically just try to keep myself warm during the rain and afterwards. If I'm camping, pretty much nothing gets dry in a tent overnight. If the rain continues for several days in a row, I'll get a room for every 2nd-3rd night, just to dry my gear.

I have some sealskinz-type socks and gloves from my paddling trips. I keep a pair of those with me as a last resort.

--J