What to wear if cycling in the rain?

[andrew_s]

Skin is waterproof

I do take that approach, but only from the knees down. Bare legs and feet make quite good radiators, and I get rid of excess heat there rather than by pointless sweating.
I find it fairly comfortable down to about 5°, and do sometimes go down to zero, at which point rain stops being a problem.

Keep the torso warm, and don't restrict the circulation by wearing tight fitting stuff.

Kit list:
Brynje mesh base layer, long sleeve jersey, Shakedry jacket (<-- half price, regular sizing), goretex overshorts, SPD sandals, and a goretex cap (long peak to keep the rain off the glasses as much as possible).
If it stops raining, the rain gear will be replaced by a short sleeve jersey and a gilet/windshell (mine has removable sleeves)

 

[mjr]

For legs:
https://www.gbcycles.co.uk/p/23561/Rainlegs-Waterproof-Leg-Protector

Not perfect, but easily the best solution if you're commuting and don't/can't shower at your destination.

Not sure. I think a full cape still wins if it's not too windy and you have somewhere to hang it on arrival.

Mudguards essential, anyway.

 

[mjr]

Leather is somewhat waterproof, but bear in mind the big hole at the top that your foot goes in will let in water regardless.

Put the ankles of your trousers over the outside of the top of the hole and little will leak into there.

 

[MichaelW2]

Put the ankles of your trousers over the outside of the top of the hole and little will leak into there.

You need a mid length boot style to guide water over your footwear rather than into. The upper should ideally be no more than a gaiter in function, no need for foam to prevent "bashing ankles on cranks" or stiff upper to provide ankle support. Years ago Walsh made a fell running boot with a thin high upper just to keep out the mud but I havent found anything similar that could be worn to the pub.

 

[cougie uk]

Avoid it if at all possible; it is not fun. Never mind the discomfort of being wet and cold, all your kit will need washed and dried after the ride. Your bike will be a mess; and in the long term, wet weather throws dirt into your drivetrain which will cause premature wear. It will also eventually get into bearings (in axles, pedals, headsets) and rust them. Rim brakes? Watch for extra wear on the wheel rims caused by the grime thrown up in wet weather.
If it still sounds like no problem to the hardy cyclist, make sure you are very visible to the clueless car driver wandering about in their 2 ton tin boxes who haven't bothered to read the instructions for the ventilation system and cannot see out of their misted up windows, further exasperated by the wet conditions and reduced visibility. These people are a liability at the best of times; in bad weather they are even more dangerous to the vulnerable cyclist.
Sorry to put the dampers on it if you were planning to go cycling in the rain, but IMHO it turns an enjoyable experience into a miserable, torturous, ordeal to be endured. Unless you really NEED to cycle, wait for the better weather and enjoy it!

Really ?

It's a rarity that my bike doesn't get a wash down. Even if it's bone dry it gets energy drink and sweat on it. And all my kit gets washed after every ride apart from maybe a jacket.

I'm talking about recreational rides here - but if I didn't risk riding in the wet I'd miss out on a lot of rides.

Often rain doesn't last that long and you dry out pretty well. When it comes to Winter I'm on the winter bike with full mudguards. No spray means that as soon as the rain stops - I stop getting wet.

I run lights at day all year round now. Drivers are too distracted now.

Some of my most fun rides have been in the wet.

Unless you're made of sugar get out and enjoy it.

 

[matticus]

Not sure. I think a full cape still wins if it's not too windy and you have somewhere to hang it on arrival.

Mudguards essential, anyway.

Confession:
I have never used a cape.

I am not a proper cyclist ... :-( ...

 

[cougie uk]

I get too hot cycling in my winter jacket- can't cycle long distances in it and Im not carrying extra weight or anything like that! I'm just considering doing an audax and with the weather being so unpredictable and it raining all the time I would need the right clothes and I have not been to a single uni group ride because it always rains on the day it happens :/// When do I wear my softshell jacket?

Softshell jackets are for cooler and maybe showery days. They'll take a bit of rain but if it's persistent you need the rain jacket.

If you don't ride because it's raining then audaxing probably isn't for you.

 

[mjr]

If you don't ride because it's raining then audaxing probably isn't for you.

Doesn't rain make the ink run on your brevet card form?

Seriously, audaxes seem to be run regardless of the conditions. Dangerous floods, ice or gale force winds seem to be fine for the organisers in my experience, as are long sections of course heading directly into low winter sun, so make your own decisions about whether the weather is safe for you to ride in.

 

[matticus]

You're missing out. You can do traffic cone impersonations.

Somewhere in a box in my house are photos of me and my mate being human traffic cones in the pouring rain outside Grantham station circa 1984.

Like the road-crossing scene in Toy Story II?

 

[cougie uk]

Hi all, sorry for hijacking this thread. I have similar questions as well. I've found a lovely pair of waterproof shoes but they are made of leather. Are they good for rain? To be honest I'm also newbie and never heard of waterproof leather before.

The best walking boots are leather. With nice polish on them they're very waterproof.

You'll get water running down your legs though on a bike.

Mudguards and flaps are much better than waterproof shoes.

Just wear ordinary ones and put a cheap neoprene overshoe on.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I don’t wear anything waterproof on the bike

For the legs when it’s cold I just wear something fleecy or even just stretchy running trousers. For the feet I just have thicker wool socks on.

On the top half I wear merino / smart wool mixes for base layers. Short sleeve in summer and long sleeve when cooler. For the outer I either wear a vapourise top or gilet and merino arm warmers or a alpha direct top. Both of these tops are wind proof and fairly water resistant.

The key is to have wicking clothing that draws water away from the skin, and a wind proof layer to slow the ingress of rain / snow etc. Anything that purely relies on a waterproof barrier / shell is doomed to failure and will just leave sweat on your skin making you cooler.

Air is a very good insulator. So if you can have clothing that holds water away from the skin, and wind proof to slow rain ingress you end up with a nice warm layer of insulating air in your layers and any sweat vapour moving out through the outer windproof layer. A warm microclimate against the skin. In fact an outer layer that let’s a small amount of air through can be better as it ensures you don’t get a build up of humidity in your insulation layers which condenses back into water, soaks your layers, and eventually cools you.

https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15905971/rab-women-s-vapour-rise-jacket-15905971

https://rab.equipment/uk/vr-alpine-light-jacket

Been using vapourise since 2003 for my mountaineering then biking. It works really well at keeping you comfortable in bad weather over a range of temps and conditions.

 

[Brandane]

Unless you're made of sugar get out and enjoy it.

Well, as always, each to their own. I did qualify it with the cop-out "IMHO"! Believe me, I have had my fair share of wet weather cycling; I have lived on the west coast of Scotland for most of my 58 years after all. We do tend to get relentless all day rain, which is particularly wearing. It's just not my thing, and I avoid it if at all possible.

 

[Lovacott]

If it still sounds like no problem to the hardy cyclist, make sure you are very visible to the clueless car driver wandering about in their 2 ton tin boxes who haven't bothered to read the instructions for the ventilation system and cannot see out of their misted up windows, further exasperated by the wet conditions and reduced visibility. These people are a liability at the best of times; in bad weather they are even more dangerous to the vulnerable cyclist.

As I am also a car driver, this is something which scares the crap out of me. The number of times I have seen drivers peering through a small clear patch right in front of their eyes whilst the rest of the windscreen is misted up. Or the drivers who set off with a misty window and use their free hand to clean it as they are driving.

Like most people, I live in a residential area and have to cycle out of it for the first five minutes of my commute. At the same time, others are setting off in their cars, pulling out of driveways, fiddling with their car stereos, adjusting the heating etc. They are also driving on roads they've driven on a thousand times before without incident and have become complacent.

And I'm riding a bike.

It's a nasty combination.

 

[Lovacott]

The best walking boots are leather. With nice polish on them they're very waterproof.

I've tried all sorts of stuff on leather boots to make them waterproof, but I've always found that bog standard hand applied wax boot polish does the best job.

 

[PaulSB]

I've tried all sorts of stuff on leather boots to make them waterproof, but I've always found that bog standard hand applied wax boot polish does the best job.

I agree wax polish is excellent but I would also recommend:

Granger's G-Wax as a base coat
Leder-Gris Xtreme as the second coat

Leave to dry and buff for a good looking and waterproof finish.