Regarding the winter gloves, I like the Pearl Izumi winter gloves (PI). You might not know this, but at the Woodburn Factory Outlet Mall, there is a PI outlet store. The group leader of my Tuesday female training group is the wife of the local bike shop owner. She goes to the PI outlet store and is pleased to find cycle clothing for her personal use that she can buy for less than her cost for purchasing PI inventory to sell in the bike shop. I bought my most recent pair of winter gloves there last autumn, along with a long-sleeve thermal jersey in bright yellow to layer or wear alone.

I have two different types of cycling rain jackets. One is for certain water proof that I wear when the entire ride will be in the rain and I can go for 50 miles without the rain soaking through. The second is a light weight rain resistant jacket that zips into its own rear pocket and can be tied around the middle or to the bike for when the rain is light and scattered; it also functions as a wind breaker and the sleeves can zip off and be stored in the rear pocket. Whatever type of rain jacket you wear, be sure to keep that back pocket zipped in the rain. I was on a group ride earlier this spring, the rain was a constant deluge, and when I finished the ride the back pocket was entirely filled with water because I had forgotten to zip it closed.

Rain pants can be any type of light weight rain pant designed for any sport, as long as there is flexibility to allow for movement of the legs. Be sure to tie the bottoms or the cuffs will rip in the drive chain. I gave up on using rain pants some years ago because they either didn't keep me dry for an extended ride in heavy rain or the fabric kept ripping or I lost flexibility of the pedaling movement. This winter I used several different types of winter cycling tights that I purchased off of TE several years ago, one by Canari that has waterproof material on the front of the legs, and the second being the Terry winter tights. The Canari I wore when heavy rain was in the forecast; the Terry I wore when no to light rain, but temps on the bike were below 40.