Outspokin', I missed this thread earlier but wanted to chime in. I commute by bike in a climate where it's wet and cool but doesn't rain that much, if that makes any sense. We have a lot of drizzle, damp fog, slush and spray, but not many thunderstorms or downpours. I've tried waterproof jackets, but ended up almost never wearing them or finding them way too clammy. At the moment I do have a "waterproof" softshell, Endura Stealth (british brand), which has vents and zips all over the place ...that leak. I don't even wear that one much, unless it's really pouring. And then I get a bit wet through the zips anyway, and once it stops raining I overheat like crazy

JMO. It depends on your riding style too and how much heat you produce. For touring I would def. bring a waterproof, for shorter training rides virtually never.

For that matter I've tried a superpackable Gore Xenon windproof jacket, even that felt like a (beautifully designed and cut) plastic bag. No vents though - and they really are important.