Cycling in the Rain

[Grog]

This is fabulous.

I just did my first commute (13 km or about 8 miles) in the pouring rain this morning. (I had commuted before but it was dry.)

What a pleasure!

As long as one is properly dressed, and has fenders, it's just a happy moment. Made me feel like a kid again. Oh, and of course knowing there's a hot shower at the end of the route is also great.

GEAR REPORT:
I bought a pair of used nylon panniers that so far perform flawlessly (the best $10 I've ever spent!) and sprayed them with silicone stuff (the same thing that goes on shoes) preventively. I also stuffed my gear and everything in plastic bags. The panniers were wet but not soggy, and the plastic bags (and their contents) were dry, which is encouraging.

I was wearing rain pants over a pair of tri shorts, and a wool longsleeve top under my ordinary rain coat. Unfortunately the rain coat is a bit damaged inside the elbows and rain is seeping through, but it's not that bad if it's not too cold out there. I'll wear my heavier rain jacket in the winter when it's colder rain. Some rain entered at the neck too but nothing really bad.

I had my beaten up Merrell hiking shoes on, and they were wet on the outside, but not on the inside. I'll wear my shoe covers next time probably. Wool socks kept my feet warm.

I had a couple of blinkies on for added visibility.

On my shopping list are:
- A helmet cover
- Pannier covers (for heavier rain)

On my to-do list are:
- Install better lights

I'm really a happy, joyous cycling commuter!

[obie]

Go you!!! That's awesome!

There is no hot shower at work so if it's raining hard in the morning, I usually take the bus I have gotten a cold from the post-rainy-ride chill just a few times too often - eventually I do learn

[kat_h]

What's the spray stuff you put on your panniers?

[Grog]

What's the spray stuff you put on your panniers?

Something like this (but not the same), from a shoe store:
http://www0.shopping.com/xPO-Stain-Protect-Spray

I don't know if it's responsible for keeping my stuff dry but it can't hurt!

[shootingstar]

One of my partner's friends, prefers to cycle in rain. Any time. He revels cycling in rain, no matter how heavy. He lives in North Vancouver, which is just across the bridge...but rains abit more there.

I think he's living in the right place.

[carback]

Welcome to the Vancouver bicycle commute!

I bike commute from the NOrth Shore daily (year-round) and in some sick, twisted way, love the rain. (although would prefer disc brakes considering the monster hill I have to go down).

One really great way to keep your hands dry and warm on cold, December / January rainy days is by using dishwashing gloves. Seriously. I picked this tip up from a fellow commuter.

Just buy your garden variety dishwashing gloves, throw a polypropylene liner glove underneath (buy a size or two larger than you would normally wear in order to fit the liner glove) and voila - dry, warm hands.

Enjoy the riding!

[jobob]

Shower caps that you get in hotel rooms, and the large size plastic wrap food bowl covers (the ones that resemble shower caps) work well as waterproof helmet covers.

They also work as as saddle covers.

[Grog]

Such wonderful ideas!

There are really cool colours of dishwashing gloves at Ikea... like hot pink... although typical yellow would work well as a signaling device!!!

I have seen those bowl covers, I think they would fit my panniers too.

[Geonz]

Why, why, why didn't I wear my gore-tex in today? I'm almost certainly going to get soaked going home unless I can really call up the goddess powers. (And yea, had I brought the gore-tex it would have improved my odds, I'm sure!!!) And I'd prodded my LBS man to say he'd go for an after-work ride if the weather didn't interfere, even.

[Melalvai]

Why, why, why didn't I wear my gore-tex in today?

Geonz, Did you find your rain pants?

I lost an ebay auction for a pair of smallish gore-tex pants that went for $20 with 9 seconds left. They had a small tear in the rear. All the other ebay gore-tex pants were huge. I haven't looked since then.

Then I got a rain suit for $10 at Target. Of course it isn't breathable but it'll get me by for a year or two.

[imdeanna]

Shower caps that you get in hotel rooms, and the large size plastic wrap food bowl covers (the ones that resemble shower caps) work well as waterproof helmet covers.

They also work as as saddle covers.

NICE hint!!!! Would have NEVER thought of that!!!!

[KathiCville]

Hmmm, never heard of Rain-X, but sounds interesting! Is it something you would only apply to a pair of glasses that you 'reserve' for cycling? Or is it so invisible that you can put it on everyday Rx glasses with no effect on reading, etc.? How often do you have to reapply it? Thanks!!

[indigoiis]

Rain-x is stuff you can put on your car windshield and it makes the water bead up and roll off with the wind. It works well on a windshield. I don't know if I would want that stuff near my eyes, though.

How about a very light coating of mineral oil?

[hermitclub]

Did my first commute in the rain this morning. It really was fun, like jumping in puddles! My only issue was seeing out of my glasses. I need to do the Rain-X thing on the outside, and then the anti-fog on the inside. I kept wiping the rain off, but then they fogged up, so I wound up wearing them on the end of my nose - Whoopi Golberg style.