cycling in the rain is not to bad,the problem starts when you stop.this happened me in france last year, man i taught i was going to die with the cold, the worst experience ever.no choice but to book into a hotel .so besides a really good tent most important imho is the very best wet gear you can afford 100% warm waterproof jacket plus pant's plus socks.gloves.if you can manage that lot your sorted.
How do you manage in constant rain?
- Thread starter sadjack
- Start date
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snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
When sailing we soon learned to avoid getting wet because if we did, we soon got cold and then the pleasure just ceased, so it was always important to stay dry. I think much the same applies when cycling, so I usually don the waterproofs as soon as the rain starts, this will consist of w/proof trousers and jacket with hood, gloves and also on occasions rubber boots. I found overshoes to be a dismal failure.
Wearing the waterproof gear means you have to reduce effort to prevent overheating, but this sacrifice seems worthwhile for comfort.
Wearing the waterproof gear means you have to reduce effort to prevent overheating, but this sacrifice seems worthwhile for comfort.
I have been thinking about taking an umbrella with me for years - I even bought one for my last tour - a slightly smaller/shorter one than the ones I use for golf -(which I very rarely use anyway as I have not sussed how to play golf and use an umbella - maybe when I have won the lottery and can afford a caddy) - it did not make the cut!
If cycling in Europe then one thing you are not very far from most of the time are bus stops
If cycling in Europe then one thing you are not very far from most of the time are bus stops
stephenjubb
Über Member
but do all buses take cycles?
snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
No, but rural bus shelters are handy places for brewing up, planning and generally sorting things out in adverse weather.stephenjubb said:
stephenjubb
Über Member
oh I see now my misunderstanding, I agree, very handy are bus stops to get out of the rain.
Unless you are very unlucky or go somewhere very rainy like, say, Patagonia in Autumn, you'll rarely get rain day after day (note to self: find out where psmiffy went and don't go there) .
I'm not sure who said 'stay in youth hostels' but there's no shame in holing up in a hotel/hostel and getting warm/drying your stuff.
And if the worst comes to the worst there's equally no shame in holing up in your tent for a day. Having a larger tent helps if you are stuck - there's nothing worse than having a tent so small you can't get dressed without touching the sides.
Oh and my top tips would be to make sure you always have some warm dry clothes to change into and something you can quickly make a hot drink with.
I'm not sure who said 'stay in youth hostels' but there's no shame in holing up in a hotel/hostel and getting warm/drying your stuff.
And if the worst comes to the worst there's equally no shame in holing up in your tent for a day. Having a larger tent helps if you are stuck - there's nothing worse than having a tent so small you can't get dressed without touching the sides.
Oh and my top tips would be to make sure you always have some warm dry clothes to change into and something you can quickly make a hot drink with.
Here are a few of my wet weather tips:
- When cycling in hotter countries, if it rains just wear lycra shorts and a lycra top. They soon dry out and and it saves everything else from getting wet. But this only really works temperature is fairly hot.
- For colder countries wear a waterproof jacket (with hood), trousers and some water proof socks ( it doesn't matter if your shoes get wet because your feet stay dry).
- If your tent is not that big you could take a tarp with you. They are great for sitting under, cooking, reading, and general relaxing when it rains. You can get a light tarp for £30.
- Always have a dry set of clothes you can change into in the evening. Put your wet clothes back on the following morning and keep your dry clothes safe for the next evening.
- When cycling in hotter countries, if it rains just wear lycra shorts and a lycra top. They soon dry out and and it saves everything else from getting wet. But this only really works temperature is fairly hot.
- For colder countries wear a waterproof jacket (with hood), trousers and some water proof socks ( it doesn't matter if your shoes get wet because your feet stay dry).
- If your tent is not that big you could take a tarp with you. They are great for sitting under, cooking, reading, and general relaxing when it rains. You can get a light tarp for £30.
- Always have a dry set of clothes you can change into in the evening. Put your wet clothes back on the following morning and keep your dry clothes safe for the next evening.
Dayvo
just passin' through
- Location
- 59° 50′ 5.55″ N, 10° 47′ 41.89″ E
psmiffy said:
That might be where you are going wrong!
I think where I might have gone wrong was by not inserting the word simultaneously at the end of the sentance
I know you have a background in golf so perhaps you might post a few tips/photographs of playing golf shots and using an umbella simultaneously - sans caddie of course
I know you have a background in golf so perhaps you might post a few tips/photographs of playing golf shots and using an umbella simultaneously - sans caddie of course
Dayvo
just passin' through
- Location
- 59° 50′ 5.55″ N, 10° 47′ 41.89″ E
psmiffy said:
I play badly regularly (19.6 hcp) although I'm capable of playing to about 10 on a good day!
On a bad day, it's embarassing to be one of the three others!
I only cut the grass (as you probably know), but enjoy the game, although I'd rather ride my bike for four hours than play golf for four hours. But we get a lot of free golf (during work time) at other courses, so it's hard to object!
Kirstie
Über Member
We have waterproof panniers and keep stuff packed seperately in the panniers in waterproof bags, to avoid any contamination between wet and dry stuff. We generally have a day pannier and an evening pannier - wet cycling stuff, if applicable goes back into the day pannier and nowhere near the evening pannier. Sleeping bags and sleeping mats are also in waterproof bags.
As far as the tent goes, we keep the inner and outer in seperate waterproof bags, so the inner stays dry. We pitch outer first so that when it's raining the inner stays completely dry when pitching. If the outer has got wet and we then get a decent bit of weather we will stop at the side of the road to dry it - usually suspending it between trees or something like that. Like others have said our tent - a 2 man - is big enough to cook in the porch and it also holds two people comfortably if it's too wet to do anything outside.
On the bike, if it is really wet and there is not much chance of drying off when riding I am usually hermetically sealed in goretex (!) ie jacket, trousers, overshoes, with waterproof socks, waterproof gloves and a waterproof/windproof beanie under my helmet. Bus stops, under bridges etc etc are great places to cook lunch and to get a bit of shelter.
Basically you can deal with it, but after a few days I admit it gets tiresome. I completed my LEJOG during the wettest August on record - 10 out of 14 days it rained. Luckily it was warm enough not to require full waterproofs, and we got used to the constant soakings, but we were lucky enough to have B&B or hostel accommodation every night. If we were camping I would have been really hacked off.
As far as the tent goes, we keep the inner and outer in seperate waterproof bags, so the inner stays dry. We pitch outer first so that when it's raining the inner stays completely dry when pitching. If the outer has got wet and we then get a decent bit of weather we will stop at the side of the road to dry it - usually suspending it between trees or something like that. Like others have said our tent - a 2 man - is big enough to cook in the porch and it also holds two people comfortably if it's too wet to do anything outside.
On the bike, if it is really wet and there is not much chance of drying off when riding I am usually hermetically sealed in goretex (!) ie jacket, trousers, overshoes, with waterproof socks, waterproof gloves and a waterproof/windproof beanie under my helmet. Bus stops, under bridges etc etc are great places to cook lunch and to get a bit of shelter.
Basically you can deal with it, but after a few days I admit it gets tiresome. I completed my LEJOG during the wettest August on record - 10 out of 14 days it rained. Luckily it was warm enough not to require full waterproofs, and we got used to the constant soakings, but we were lucky enough to have B&B or hostel accommodation every night. If we were camping I would have been really hacked off.
Kirstie
Über Member
jags said:
It's an MSR hubba hubba HP - we bought the footprint as extra so it can be pitched inner first.
