Do any of you ride in the rain?

[Thistle]

Ok, so i'm a happy little vegemite. The day before yesterday it poured on my ride home (we're in drought - this is a good thing) I must have looked a sight squealing with delight at getting soaked to the skin. But it was so nice to have rain!!!!

Now, i have a problem. My cycling shoes have only just approaching dry this morning. Call me a wimp, but the idea of putting on soggy shoes just didnt appeal, so i havent ridden since the day before yesterday.

Soooo, in the hope that we will get more summer rain, what do you do to stop your cycling shoes getting wet? we have those shimano sneaker-looking type shoes and they take forever to dry

You can see it's been a long time between rainshowers cos i havent had this problem before and i've been using these bike shoes for 16 months!

Any suggestions? I'm wary of getting those warmer booty covers cos it's still warm down here and i tend to overheat easily , ie , i didnt get cold feet riding through winter last year

[Eden]

*sigh* I ride in the rain much more than I would like to....

I've found that there is little I can do to really keep my feet perfectly dry. It's usually also cold when its raining so I've been wearing storm socks (its a brand name of water proof socks - they are great!) wool socks and then Sugoi booties over my shoes. If it really storms my feet still get wet - a lot of it comes up through the bottom of the shoes around the cleats. I've put silicone caulk around the cleats to seal it up as good as possible and it works when its not really dumping. I think water probably also travels down my tights and into my shoes when its really, really wet out.

As far as drying my shoes goes, when I get home I take out the insoles and put the shoes over one of the furnace vents (we have a high efficency furnace so the air never gets really, really hot) They are usually dry by the next morining.

[Grog]

I have sort of waterproof shoe covers, but they're not perfect. There are good ones out there though.

However, just a trick to dry the shoes: fill them with newspaper. They will be dried overnight...

Enjoy the rain!

[mimitabby]

since it's warm where you live, maybe you ought to look into those sandal-kind of bike shoes?
we put our shoes on heater vents to dry them out the next day but i don't imagine you have your heaters running this time of year (car heater, house heat, etc)

[Thistle]

i'll give the newspaper a try!

you're right about not having heaters on mimitabby.... it's more likely to be the aircon.

i do like the idea of those sandals... specially for the warmer weather! i've been eyeing them off for a while. i reckon they just flat out look cool too .

[DarcyInOregon]

It rains in Oregon all the time, so I am caught in the rain when I am biking. My solution to the wet shoes is simple. I have a second pair of cycling shoes, identical to the first pair. If the first pair is still wet from the prior ride, I put on the second pair.

Darcy

[Thistle]

It rains in Oregon all the time, so I am caught in the rain when I am biking. My solution to the wet shoes is simple. I have a second pair of cycling shoes, identical to the first pair. If the first pair is still wet from the prior ride, I put on the second pair.

Darcy

Would you believe i was thinking of that! A good excuse for buying another pair of cycling shoes just for the one day of the year it rains in australia

[sarahlou]

Does anyone have any good sugestions for rain pants and jackets? Brand names or styles?

[Velobambina]

I'm w/Darcy: get a second pair of cycling shoes. I've been in downpours where 24 hours w/newspaper inside has not been long enough to dry them out.

Jackets: the very best I've tried is the Showers Pass jacket TE sells. It vents like a champ and will keep you dry. Well worth the money.

[SouthernBelle]

Don't know if this will be helpful to the OP, but for Christmas I gave my brother, who works outdoors, shoe dryers from D**k's Sporting goods. It has a little egg-shaped thingie that fits into each shoe. I haven't had the chance to ask him how it works. But the idea was pretty cool/

[RoadRaven]

I love riding in the rain, but not when its driving rain, or when its really really cold.

Then I grudgingly hop on the spin bike instead.

But I do love the smell of the rain and the feel of it. I enjoy being in it.

[DarcyInOregon]

Does anyone have any good sugestions for rain pants and jackets? Brand names or styles?

My rain pants are from REI and the rain jacket is Gore-Tex.

Everyone has a different system for riding outside and it might or might not rain, and if it does rain it might be a drizzle or it might be a huge downpour. What I do is roll up the rain pants. I put two Velcro ankle bands around the roll to keep it firm. I stick the rain pants into the back zip pocket of the Gore-Tex jacket. When I start out, if it is warmer, like over 55 and there is a possibility of rain, then I roll up the rain jacket and tie it around my middle, because with the rain pants in the pocket it is too thick to tie around the bike. Then if it rains, I stop the bike and put everything on. If I start out and it is cold but not yet raining, I wear the rain jacket with the pants making a big bulge in the back, because the rain jacket doubles as a high quality wind breaker and it keeps me warm over my layers of jerseys. When it starts to rain, I stop and put on the rain pants.

Keep in mind I ride rurally for fitness and fun, and alone, so it doesn't bother me to stop and put on rain clothing. I don't ride as part of a pack.

I don't fuss with the shoe protectors. I just let my shoes get wet, and wear the second pair the next time out.

Darcy

[Trekhawk]

Any suggestions? I'm wary of getting those warmer booty covers cos it's still warm down here and i tend to overheat easily , ie , i didnt get cold feet riding through winter last year

Wow you must have toasty feet because Canberra winters are not what I would call mild. Cant help you out with the feet recommmendations I do wear booties if its going to rain and they help keep my feet reasonably dry. Having an extra pair of shoes is a good idea in case your others dont dry out before your next ride. Another tip nothing to do with feet is wear a cycling cap under your helmet and it will help keep the rain off your face. Hee hee now if I can just remember to do that myself. Went out yesterday and it started to hail (lucky I was within 2kms of home) but I was cursing myself for not remembering the cycling cap - those little pings hurt.

[Mimosa]

It's usually also cold when its raining so I've been wearing storm socks (its a brand name of water proof socks - they are great!) wool socks

I am starting up on training next weekend and the weather has been very wet lately (not freezing cold, just windy and wet). Yesterday I went to my lbs to get some rainprotection for my feet. Instead of a pair of overshoes he talked me into trying something new. He advised me on some sock called Ultra Light Sock by the brand SealSkinz. He put them over my hand and held it under water ... and indeed it stayed dry inside. So I am very curious if it really works ...

[uk elephant]

I haven't tried SealSkinz, but I do have a pair of GoreTex socks with work great. I've worn them running through bogs with water up to my ankles and my feet stayed dry. Didn't quite work last week when I cycled home after torrential rain, but that had more to do with the water beeing knee deep where the path had flooded. As long as the water doesn't run in over the top, they keep you dry.