Anyone used an Agu Rain Cape?

[suecsi]

I do my best to look 'normal' on my commute, hiding my lycra under my office clothes, have perfected the baby wipe wash and have my little refresh kit under my desk. What I haven't yet worked out is wet weather gear.

I wear skirts or dresses most of the time, so waterproof trousers aren't really an option, unless I wear leggings and change in the office. But I would prefer to wear normal clothes and coat/jacket, and have something I can just pull out if the weather changes.

I keep going back to the Agu Rain Cape or similar (I like the Agu one as it comes in red). However, I'm not very tall (5ft 2) and these look like they are very long. I get that I can put the front over the handlebars (though signalling is then a concern) but I worry that when I get off the bike, it will be so long I might trip over it! The Agu is also one that comes in X-Small/Small, whereas many are one size only.

Has anyone on here used one? It is my birthday in a few weeks, which is why I am asking now, even though down here in sunny Kingston upon Thames there hasn't been too much rain lately.

 

[Brommie77]

Not having used one naturally I am an expert But, would the splashing from cars in puddles be a problem? Personally I usually get wetter from cars and lorrys than i do from the actuall rain somedays, and unless the cape virtually touched the ground when riding (thus giving its own safety issues) you might still get wet and muddy.

Others will know better than me....

 

[suecsi]

I can imagine that might be more of a problem if I was commuting alongside a high volume of cars in Central London (which is inevitable at some stage) but we have just done a deal at work that extends the company's time here in Kingston, which has quiet back roads and segregated paths. The home end is more of an issue for that though, although in the winter I wouldn't be on the towpath, I'd be back on the main road. Most of that is a bus lane.

I might just try it and see, and report back here in case it is useful for anyone. I have tried the Water off a Ducks Back coats - as I like a trenchcoat for normal wear with office clothes anyway - but they were really long - overall length and sleeve length - so I had to send it back.

 

[corshamjim]

I have an Agu cape and have used it a few times but it's not often my first choice.

I sometimes prefer it to a waterproof jacket in hot weather, as it keeps you dry without getting all sweaty inside like a jacket does.

As Brommy mentioned, splashing from cars can be a problem - but I normally ride quiet country roads so that rarely bothers me.

The main problem with any cape is when it's windy it can get rather unweildy and obviously in a head-wind it's very hard work!

I'm not especially tall myself - I really don't think you'll be tripping over it.

You're right - signalling is possible but not great while wearing a cape. I normally just use positioning and eye-contact to interact with other road users when wearing it rather than hand signals. I like to hope that drivers take pity on me wearing it and give me some room!

The other thing is that if you're riding fast, the rain gets on to your legs anyway. IMHO capes are only ever for people who (as I do usually) prefer a more sedate pace.


Today I have waterproof trousers and a jacket in my pannier - it's just too windy to bother with the cape. I'm glad you reminded me though. I'll take it with me on my trip to Dorset in a couple of weeks.

 

[jefmcg]

Agu Poncho? Best accessory I've got for my folding bike.

One day last year I was cycling home in a suit. It rained so hard that I was soaked - fallen-in-the-river wet, underpants dripping ... you get the idea. By some miracle, I didn't ruin my suit, but I realised my previous rain plan of catching a bus if it rains hard had a flaw: when it's raining that hard, you can't get on a bus with a folding bike.

So decided to get a cape. Went to Bobbins Cycles in Islington: they let me road test them, so I first tried this one - more of a classic cape, which I didn't like at all. It was a longer, and the same length all around: I felt like I was a floating head when I couldn't see the bike. Second visit tried the Agu poncho, and felt ok in it ... well, as ok as you can feel cycling around Islington on bright August day with a red rain poncho on.

It fits into my (admitedly very large) under-saddle bag, so it's with me by default. I only use it for shorter distances, 3 miles comfortably, 5 at a pinch. Usually I'm in work clothes, so probably only travelling at 10mph anyway. It just works. With mudguards, even my shores a reasonably dry. Signalling is a challenge, and i can only use the hood with a helmet, otherwise it doesn't move with my head and I can't look left or right.

When I board a train, I flip it over the bike inside-out, protecting me and other commuters from my wet bike. Same with storing in the cupboard at work. And if I was on the DLR and they enforced "folding bikes must be covered" rule, I'd be able to use it for that.

 

[suecsi]

Agu Poncho? Best accessory I've got for my folding bike.

One day last year I was cycling home in a suit. It rained so hard that I was soaked - fallen-in-the-river wet, underpants dripping ... you get the idea. By some miracle, I didn't ruin my suit, but I realised my previous rain plan of catching a bus if it rains hard had a flaw: when it's raining that hard, you can't get on a bus with a folding bike.

So decided to get a cape. Went to Bobbins Cycles in Islington: they let me road test them, so I first tried this one - more of a classic cape, which I didn't like at all. It was a longer, and the same length all around: I felt like I was a floating head when I couldn't see the bike. Second visit tried the Agu poncho, and felt ok in it ... well, as ok as you can feel cycling around Islington on bright August day with a red rain poncho on.

It fits into my (admitedly very large) under-saddle bag, so it's with me by default. I only use it for shorter distances, 3 miles comfortably, 5 at a pinch. Usually I'm in work clothes, so probably only travelling at 10mph anyway. It just works. With mudguards, even my shores a reasonably dry. Signalling is a challenge, and i can only use the hood with a helmet, otherwise it doesn't move with my head and I can't look left or right.

When I board a train, I flip it over the bike inside-out, protecting me and other commuters from my wet bike. Same with storing in the cupboard at work. And if I was on the DLR and they enforced "folding bikes must be covered" rule, I'd be able to use it for that.

 

[suecsi]

Jefmcg

Many thanks, just the sort of perspective I was looking for. I might try Bobbins as well next time I come into central London.

 

[neslon]

Why not just wear other stuff and put your office clothes in a rucksack or pannier, or whatever? You have to change anyway as your Lycra is underneath.

 

[jefmcg]

Update/Correction

It fits into my (admitedly very large) under-saddle bag, so it's with me by default. I only use it for shorter distances, 3 miles comfortably, 5 at a pinch. Usually I'm in work clothes, so probably only travelling at 10mph anyway. It just works. With mudguards, even my shoes are reasonably dry.

I wore it today in the persistent rain for around 7 1/2 miles. My shoes were pretty wet, but the rest of me was dry.

 

[suecsi]

Given the lovely weather outside I thought it was appropriate to update this - in the end I bought a K-Way Paso cape (I'm a cheapskate, plus it comes in X-Small/Small size). I used it for the first time this morning and was quite impressed.

I already had a light raincoat on underneath, so the only bits of me that got at all damp under the cape was from light sweat, as it is still quite warm out. I also got a little wet from the feet up to just below the knee, which was my own fault as I didn't have particularly good shoes on for rain. Other than that and my face, spectacles and fringe poking out from my helmet, I was completely dry. I had bare legs anyway as I had city shorts on, so it was easy to dry off when I got to the office.

When I exited Kingston station this morning there was another Brompton rider in a very nice and expensive looking suit looking dismayed at the weather. I stopped to get on the bike and adjust the cape, and he was asking me about it.

The main downside is signalling, so I took a back route with less traffic and ended up only having to signal once, when I turned right into the main road to the office.

 

[fossyant]

OMG - Clothing Fail.

You are worried about looking daft in lycra, and have bought one of them.

Dear oh dear. Just go lycra - it's designed for cycling !

 

[suecsi]

I'm not worried about looking daft in Lycra per se, it just looks a bit strange on a Brompton, on which I don't go very fast. The lycra is only there for comfort in the, er, 'undercarriage' underneath normal office clothes. When I first started using the Brompton I didn't have any lycra but it was a bit painful.

We have 4 cyclists in our office and we all cycle about the same distance - and while I might have looked the daftest - you know what? I was the driest .....

I'm with jefmcg on this one.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

With a brompton you dress for the destination not the journey surely? Never ever wore lycra on mine. Won't ever wear lycra on the new one when it arrives. Might sometimes have a pari of padded undershorts on under street clothes but not lycra. No ta.

As for capes; I had an Agu Poncho. It didn't work for me, one ride on a blustery day put me off it for cycling. But it is usedful for country walks in the rain (but not in red)

 

[suecsi]

With a brompton you dress for the destination not the journey surely? Never ever wore lycra on mine. Won't ever wear lycra on the new one when it arrives. Might sometimes have a pari of padded undershorts on under street clothes but not lycra. No ta.

Exactly. Just with the padded lycra underneath (it was cheaper to buy lycra padded shorts than specific 'undershorts').