Is it really worth commuting in heavy rain?

[GrasB]

I keep spare kit in my office. It's not ideal for most conditions but it does guarantee me that I can to get into dry & comfortable kit at the end of the day.

 

[Graham]

If you have air-conditioning in your office, is there any way of drying your kit in front of the fans? The air con fans in our office are in the car park underneath the building - I've dried a couple of things in front of them before - works a treat!

 

[4F]

Our IT server / boiler room works well here. I have managed to move a filing cabinet in for storage of clothes and a clothes rail with hangers etc for drying kit.

 

[Teuchter]

Our IT server / boiler room works well here. I have managed to move a filing cabinet in for storage of clothes and a clothes rail with hangers etc for drying kit.

We have enough reliability issues with the servers without introducing damp to the room. Can't see me getting away with that though one of the network guys owes me a favour for replacing the freewheel and chain on his Halfords mountain bike so who knows!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Posted before but the Dri Buddy I have tucked away at work is great value @ £50!! I understand I am pretty lucky to have somewhere to put it though, but it is great putting warm and dry kit back on. Used to find it soul destroying putting on wet kit, even worse if it had brightend up in the afternoon! Not to mention the awkard nature of hanging stuff all over the office

Loco can you safely use a Dri Buddy on stuff that can't be tumble dried normally? My sister, ex-professional housekeeper, has a Lakeland version and was most disapproving of the idea I could dry cycling kit (lycra merino) in one.

 

[doddy73]

Interesting ride in this morning also.... the howling side wind coming down from EK worried me a lot more than the rivers running across the roads though. I've never seen every drain bubble up like that before!

I hang my wet gear in a small cupboard next to a shower room, above a water tank (supplies hot water to the shower so the pipes produce a perfect drying temp). As I appear to be the only cyclist at the moment this works well however, If others asked, I'm sure I could rig something in the plant room on a more permanent basis (server rooms are a no no). Easy for me as I work in Facilities.... they're the people to speak to about getting something set up for you. Bribe them with doughnuts!!!

 

[cloggsy]

We're spoilt here; we have drying rooms, showers & lockers here so all my 'work' togs live at work.

I cycle in lycra & dry it at work!

 

[mcshroom]

My commuting bikes have pannier racks on them so I carry spare cycling gear in the rack bag if it's raining hard. Usually my combination of waterproof coat and leggings, gore-tex shoes and sealskinz socks keep me dry enough not to bother, and now I put lab gloves over my cycling ones I've finally found a way of keeping my hands dry.

I live on the Wet coast of England (not far south of you really) and right on the coast, so driving every time it rained wouldn't leave many cycling days. I could have done without the headwind this morning though.

 

[Andrew_P]

Loco can you safely use a Dri Buddy on stuff that can't be tumble dried normally? My sister, ex-professional housekeeper, has a Lakeland version and was most disapproving of the idea I could dry cycling kit (lycra merino) in one.

I have been drying all my kit in it for 18 months, got one at home one at work. Kit ranges from DHB, Endura and Castelli no problems yet. I just hang my gear on the arms where the hangers go, there is hanger inside where my boots/shoes go. Helmet and HR strap just rest on top, can you tell there is a certain routine going on..

It will not dry it quickly, but they say it is cheap to run. This time of year I leave it running for an hour in the morning and turn it on an hour before I go home, warms the kit and the changing room.

 

[Harry_Palmer79]

I've only been commuting for a few weeks and considered taking the train this morning... but I resented the thought of not getting to ride my bike today, so I bit the bullet. Within 30 seconds I was slightly questioning my sanity, but as the ride progressed I was glad I had chosen to cycle. I currently have my kit draped over varous windowledges etc near my desk to dry, though my socks seem to be just as damp as this morning! Looks like I will have damp feet for the return journey, oh well I think I just need to plan forward a bit better and have some spare kit at work for the odd wet commute that I'll have into Glasgow!

 

[Teuchter]

Checking my kit now (an hour before the return trip), most of it is relatively dry largely thanks to the desk fan that has been running under my desk all day. I put my socks directly onto the fan's protective grill and they're completely dry now.

Happiness is a dry pair of socks!

This time of year, it's rain water instead of sweat so at least the kit doesn't really smell.

 

[jonny jeez]

Wardrobe management is a real issue for me. If I am faced with a full on soaking< I may choose not to ride the push-bike. My motorcycle gear is fully waterproof and can be worn wet for the return journey without much of an issue (the ride home tends to dry it out as well). But drying soaked lycra again time for a ride home (especially in the summer when the rad's are off) generates some second thoughts.

That said, I could count the rides I've missed due to really bad rain this year on one finger.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

For my commute I put waterproofs over my uniform, boots, hat under helmet.
It seems to work, don't really get wet. I let the waterproofs drip dry in the staff changing room.

 

[Recycle]

I'll start by qualifying this... I generally consider myself an all weather rider. I live on the "Wet Coast" of Scotland and always figured that if I avoided the rain I'd never ride.

I don't envy you. I'm an all weather cyclist in London but I don't think we are in the same league as you in either rain or wind.

Cycling in the rain on a recumbent is mixed experience. The advantage is that its easier to keep your feet dry and you are less impacted by the wind. The disadvantage is that in a horizontal position more of you body is exposed to rain, which pools in places rather than running off as it would if you were upright.

I keep my waterproofs proofed with Nikwax products (tech wash and TX.Direct). It definitely extends the life and effectiveness of waterproof jackets and trousers. Nikwax isn't cheap but its a lot cheaper than new jackets.

 

[Teuchter]

I don't envy you. I'm an all weather cyclist in London but I don't think we are in the same league as you in either rain or wind.

Luckily, days of proper torrential rain like yesterday aren't too common right now though they do come in phases. The last two summers have been particularly bad with whole weeks passing without a single day where I don't get soaked at least one end of the day. I often see advocates of cycling quoting statistics on number of days of rain per year, indicating that the number of commutes during a year when it would be an issue are actually very few. I always wonder where they live because it certainly isn't Glasgow!