Bike in the rain, versus a crowded train.

[matticus]

Had my MW7's years. Quality shoes. Feet stay dry.

I've had Goretex cycling boots which (so far!) have been fine; but I suspect they lead a much different life to walking shoes. (I still own leather walking boots from the days before everyone moved to Goretex shoes, so I haven't tried the latter.)

One aspect is that cycling shoes vv rigid. Just a theory!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

However, Ballantyne didn’t count the times when it had been raining earlier, and therefore one got wet from the calves downwards.

Riding through floods?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I'll say something controversial re gore tex shoes; I used to sell them and got the opportunity to get a few at trade price, and test them extensively.

Gore Tex isn't durable enough as a shoe liner. The shoe itself will far outlast the membrane. With me, the membrane would usually go within 6 months to a year.

I'm a novice with cycling gear, but I tell people now to avoid gore tex in shoes/boots when it comes to outdoor activities. I've had gore tex liners in shoes fail on me, on a 6 month trip to India. That convinced me to never use gore tex in shoes again.

Bear in mind with breathability in jackets, gore tex will only breath well in cold, dry conditions. For wet, high humidity it doesn't always breath that well.

The answer to all your wet weather needs

 

[wafter]

That's something a non cyclist might say about cycling to work. We're all different, just because we enjoy a particular hobby or lifestyle doesn't mean it would appeal to everyone else.

I think one can say with reasonable certainly that nobody enjoys adding 50% to an 8hr working day getting there and back, or spending thousands of pounds a year for the privilege of being crammed into a rattly metal tube full of other sweaty, ill-tempered commuters, or slowly destroying your car and filling the air with smog stuck in miserable stop-start traffic..

There are other alternatives to this miserable grind besides cycling but as the state of the roads and other transport infrastructure will attest to during rush hour, people en-masse still choose to engage in this self-defeating, self-destructive nonsense.

Yes, I think its the route itself that's important. Cycling in Central London rush hour isn't going to be fun.

Swapping the M25 for tow paths is a no brainer.

Absolutely! In my case it was the ring road around Oxford and I was lucky that there was such a nice alternative

I'll say something controversial re gore tex shoes; I used to sell them and got the opportunity to get a few at trade price, and test them extensively.

Gore Tex isn't durable enough as a shoe liner. The shoe itself will far outlast the membrane. With me, the membrane would usually go within 6 months to a year.

I'm a novice with cycling gear, but I tell people now to avoid gore tex in shoes/boots when it comes to outdoor activities. I've had gore tex liners in shoes fail on me, on a 6 month trip to India. That convinced me to never use gore tex in shoes again.

Bear in mind with breathability in jackets, gore tex will only breath well in cold, dry conditions. For wet, high humidity it doesn't always breath that well.

That's an interesting insight!

FWIW I have a fairly long history of Scarpa Mojito GTX shoes which have had a hammering but never (to the best of my knowledge) had the membrane fail before the sole was worn nearly through.

 

[fossyant]

I've had Goretex cycling boots which (so far!) have been fine; but I suspect they lead a much different life to walking shoes. (I still own leather walking boots from the days before everyone moved to Goretex shoes, so I haven't tried the latter.)

One aspect is that cycling shoes vv rigid. Just a theory!

Cycling shoes have a much easier life than walking shoes - with the Shimano's it's not so much the Goretex, in that the outer layer is waterproof synthetic material. I suspect the liners have Gortex in them. The '7' version is better made than the '5' version in terms of the materials, but the '7' has the Goretex label, the 5 doesn't but uses cheaper components.

Absolute revolution having winter boots though, for the bike. Wouldn't be without.

 

[SuperGalactian]

Riding through floods?

I was thinking of the general splashy road water eveywhere; but floods were sometimes an issue on my commuting route too. At the bottom of the hill on which we live, there is a hollow in the lane just before it crosses a dual carriageway. After heavy rain, that hollow always floods to above knee depth, and cars frequently die there. I used to cycle down to the flood, remove shoes and socks, and wade with bike on shoulder. Crossed the dual carriageway, then re-shod myself before proceeding to work. Empowering.

Now that I'm retired, I go down there in hi-vis and clear the leaves (and bits of broken car) that clog the drain. It's amazing how many drivers surge through and soak me while I'm doing that service to society. Last year an SUV drenched me to the waist and then conked out. The driver seemed surprised when I failed to sympathise and suggested it was karma. Some drivers do wave and shout thanks, however.

 

[Phil4000]

I can't see why they would breathe at all if the outside of the garment is covered with a film of water that's sealing the pores.

Yes, thats part of the problem. The solution is to apply DWR treatment and it beads off. But the treatment needs to be reapplied frequently.

Up a mountain with colder temps and snow, the breathability of the membrane increases and its then worth the additional expense.
Wet, humid, 'heavy,' air of forests, and you need to use a jacket with a good venting system.

I'm coming from a hikers perspective here, and as someone who worked in various outdoor shops. When we had training from the likes of Arcteryx, they didn't tell us any of this. There's a lot of marketing with breathable membranes.

For most of England, I would place emphasis on the quality of a jackets tapes, zips and vent placement over Gore Tex.

But again, I'm coming from a hikers perspective. On a bicycle you are in much faster motion and that's also a factor.

 

[Phil4000]

One aspect is that cycling shoes vv rigid. Just a theory!

Yes, that came to my mind also.

 

[Phil4000]

I think one can say with reasonable certainly that nobody enjoys adding 50% to an 8hr working day getting there and back, or spending thousands of pounds a year for the privilege of being crammed into a rattly metal tube full of other sweaty, ill-tempered commuters, or slowly destroying your car and filling the air with smog stuck in miserable stop-start traffic..

There are other alternatives to this miserable grind besides cycling but as the state of the roads and other transport infrastructure will attest to during rush hour, people en-masse still choose to engage in this self-defeating, self-destructive nonsense.



Absolutely! In my case it was the ring road around Oxford and I was lucky that there was such a nice alternative


That's an interesting insight!

FWIW I have a fairly long history of Scarpa Mojito GTX shoes which have had a hammering but never (to the best of my knowledge) had the membrane fail before the sole was worn nearly through.

The newish cycle tracks by me; practically empty during rush hour... Suits me. They go right by bus stops in places, so have to slow right down. People get off buses super confused, as they are landed on a zebra crossing with bike approaching.

Apart from that, yes its loads better than nauseous public transport or that maddening stop/start in a car.

Great you found a good alternative. Stress reliever.

 

[Phil4000]

Now that I'm retired, I go down there in hi-vis and clear the leaves (and bits of broken car) that clog the drain. It's amazing how many drivers surge through and soak me while I'm doing that service to society. Last year an SUV drenched me to the waist and then conked out. The driver seemed surprised when I failed to sympathise and suggested it was karma. Some drivers do wave and shout thanks, however.

Good on you for that.