Favorite rain gear?

Matt O'Toole said:

What's your favorite clothing for riding in the rain? I need to
invest in some new rain gear, so I'm looking for ideas..

Matt O.

Me too.
--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

Matt O'Toole said:

What's your favorite clothing for riding in the rain? I need to invest in some
new rain gear, so I'm looking for ideas..

I suppose it depends what sort of riding you do. Most of my mileage
is commuting, loaded touring, and other forms of utility cycling.

Not clothing, but number one by far is good, full, fenders. Something
like the SKS chromoplastics. Nothing else makes so much difference.

Clothing wise, I have had a TNF three-layer gore-tex jacket for the
last 12 or so years. It is reasonably light and small (< 500 grams)
and folds into its own pouch about the size of a water bottle. It
doesn't leak. I like it a lot. Mine has been lots of places. They
don't make it exactly anymore, but this:

http://www.thenorthface.com/opencms/opencms/tnf/gear.jsp?productId=1707

looks to be about the same thing. Kind of expensive compared to a
pancho which might even keep you even drier, but I like the
versatility of a jacket.

When I ride while it is snowing I like to wear some Scott ski goggles.
They make a huge difference in comfort and visibility. I have yet to
find an eyewear solution for the rain. My glasses allways fog up and
visibility suffers.

"Phil, Squid-in-Training" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Matt O'Toole said:

What's your favorite clothing for riding in the rain? I need to
invest in some new rain gear, so I'm looking for ideas..

Matt O.

Me too.

from cold to warm temperatures:

around freezing point = +/-0 degrees Celsius, fleece-lined elastic
goretex rain suit (bib trousers+jacket), with polypropylene/fleece
layers inside. Waterproof booties over cycling shoes, woollen socks,
goretex gloves. You will get wet but from the inside and stay warm for
a few hours. Works reasonably fine down to -10 degrees Celsius also if
needed.

cold rain = below 10 degrees Celsius, same goretex suit without
layers, other stuff roughly the same as above.

warmer rain = around 15 degrees Celsius, whatever plastic rain jacket
which fits in a pocket, usually some kind of gloves and booties. Also
leg warmers more often than not.

As one can deduct from above, my rain gear is like commuting-oriented.

ST

Matt O'Toole said:

What's your favorite clothing for riding in the rain? I need to

invest in some

Quoted message said:

new rain gear, so I'm looking for ideas..

I don't have one (I'm too big, all my stuff is custom), but everybody
seems to like the Burley jacket. Membrane (GoreTex, Activent, etc.) is
real expensive and can't keep up with sweating, so a well tailored and
critically vented jacket made from waterproof, non-breathable material
seems the best choice.

I like to wear "rain knickers" when it's cold & wet. I wear
conventional coated rain pants and velcro them just below the knee. It
turns out that regular length is perfect knicker length for me. You can
also make "rain shorts" by just cutting off the legs of rain pants,
these are better in warmer weather. Both look pretty goofy, but not as
goofy as the latex shoe covers I found. These are the only thing I've
found to keep my feet totally dry, unfortunately only in yellow. I find
a helmet visor keeps rain off glasses somewhat. For near-freezing rain
I use full neoprene gloves, they're too hot above 40F. Full ensemble:
<http://home.comcast.net/%7Epeter_cole/ice5.jpg>

Matt O'Toole said:

What's your favorite clothing for riding in the rain? I need to invest in some
new rain gear, so I'm looking for ideas..

"Favorite" rain gear? I like to ride in the rain best when it's warm
(70 an over), so my favorite gear is the visor on my helmet to help keep
the rain off my glasses.

If it's cooler and I'm cycling, I'm probably on my 30 minute commute.
It's rare I need more than tights on the bottom (once I can remember, 35
degrees and 20 mph winds), so that's all I have. Throw on any old rain
shell, add middle layers to suit the temperature, and ride. Vents are
nice to allow air flow once you get going.

Haven't tried a bike poncho. Yet.

Pat

Matt O'Toole said:

What's your favorite clothing for riding in the rain? I need to

invest in some

Quoted message said:

new rain gear, so I'm looking for ideas..

Matt O.

My favourite piece of clothing is the pair of blaze orange waterproof
gloves (hardware store) that I wear over my fleece gloves in the
winter. They keep my hands dry, keep the wind off and the drivers can
see me signalling.

Cam

"Matt O'Toole" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

What's your favorite clothing for riding in the rain? I need to
invest in some new rain gear, so I'm looking for ideas..

Matt O.

Look here

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_listing.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=668631&product_listing_all=true&bmUID=1113497892944

Matt O'Toole said:

What's your favorite clothing for riding in the rain? I need to invest in some
new rain gear, so I'm looking for ideas..

Invest is right. My new Gor-Tex rain jacket is a huge improvement over
any other rain jacket I have worn, but at about $150 it cost as much as
all the others put together. On the other hand, it's the only one that
keeps me dry. The others both let rain through, and drowned me in sweat
when it wasn't raining. This one is far better at both.

The _most_ important rain equipment, though, is a good set of fenders.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | You will say Christ saith this and the apostles say this; but
_`\(,_ | what canst thou say? -- George Fox.
(_)/ (_) |

backpacker magazine-excellent print-reviews clothing and equipment as
brand and type at the backpacker website

Ryan Cousineau <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Mike Latondresse mikelat@no_spam_shaw.ca said:

"Matt O'Toole" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

What's your favorite clothing for riding in the rain? I need
to invest in some new rain gear, so I'm looking for ideas..

Matt O.

Look here

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_listing.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_
id=668631&pr oduct_listing_all=true&bmUID=1113497892944

I hate to speak ill of their stuff, but after a wet three-hour
ride in the standard MEC cycling jacket over a jersey and arm
warmers left me soaked and chilled to the bone, I bought a clear
plastic rain shell, the kind the pros use so their sponsor logos
show through.

It works. It can be a bit off-putting when you take it off and get
a sudden chill from the suddenly evaporating sweat, but wearing
one keeps you dry and warm. I refer to it derisively as "the
plastic bag", but it's $20 well spent.

Downsides: it's plastic, and seems nearly disposable. Mine sports
almost as much duct tape as intact seams. higher-quality versions,
or just properly sized ones might be better.

I have one from LaBicicletta for emergencies and it is the same
quality, but for my rainy early morning commutes and general wet
rides nothing beats the MEC triple gortex jacket. I bought mine 4 or
5 years ago and is still as good as new and combined with the Storm
Front tights makes for rain proof riding.

Matt O'Toole asked:

Quoted message said:

What's your favorite clothing for riding in the rain?

Helly Hansen "packable jacket" and "storm pants":

http://www.hellyhansengear.com/Products/Mens_Shells_Rainwear.htm

--
"Bicycling is a healthy and manly pursuit with much
to recommend it, and, unlike other foolish crazes,
it has not died out." -- The Daily Telegraph (1877)

42 X 16 (+ Speedplay pedals because of the float).

Matt O'Toole said:

What's your favorite clothing for riding in the rain? I need to invest in some
new rain gear, so I'm looking for ideas..

Matt O.

Rain Shield O2 Hooded Jacket , made with the Waterproof 3M Propore™
microporous fabric. Plain, very plain. And about $30. Lacks all bells
and whistles like pockets, pitzips, .... etc.

Helly Hanson packable breathable storm pants. Or even plain old yellow
vinyl coated Columbia rain pants for great visibility.

Jim Buch

Matt O'Toole said:

What's your favorite clothing for riding in the rain? I need to invest in
some new rain gear, so I'm looking for ideas..

Under heavy rain a cape is really nice. Got one years ago on the west
coast. They are a bit hard to find these days.

--
Hans