Rainy-day Cycling

Posted on June 7, 2012 by Dave Feucht
Rainy-day cycling

I don’t know about you all out there in internet-land, but here in Portland, our June tends to not be all that summery, which means we still have to be thinking about what we’re doing when we leave the house to go hop on our bikes.

Thankfully, with the right stuff, you don’t have to think too much. A pair of good boots, and a nice poncho typically suffice for me, along with whatever I was going to wear anyway.

It starts off about like this, under the lovely tree where we park our bikes:

Rainy-day cycling

And after a half-hour in the rain, it looks more like this:

Rainy-day cycling

And after parking the bike and removing the poncho, poof!, nice and dry, no fuss (just have to dry my beard off), and the weather-proofed leather boots kept my feet nice and dry :)

Rainy-day cycling

I should note that I had a chance to try out my poncho on the WorkCycles Omafiets one day, and it didn’t work quite as well, because the bars are so high, that the poncho doesn’t cover your legs as well – the slightly more aggressive posture of my Raleigh suits the poncho perfectly. I should also note that I’ve ridden my wife’s WorkCycles Secret Service with the poncho, and it does keep my legs dry, because the huge basket she has on the front blocks much of the rain that would otherwise hit my legs. So, it just all depends on your specific setup :)

How do you all deal with rainy days?

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  • Dan

    Like the poncho (the world needs more plaid)!  Did your wife make it or did you find it in a local shop.  Thinking I might need one for this fall…

    • http://pin-hole.tumblr.com Dave

      This particular poncho was handmade (with a lucky find of scraps of Burberry raincoat material, nonetheless), though I’ve also used the vinyl ones from Monkey King on Hawthorne with pretty good success – the only issue with those is that, because they’re totally waterproof, more water runs off of them and my feet get a little more wet, but otherwise they’re great, and they only cost like $10-15 if I remember right. They’re also the kind that are long in front and go over the bars, so they work quite nicely for upright bikes. Not super stylish, but functional :)

      • Dan

        Did she have a particular pattern, or did she modify one?  Or, is she at the Demi-goddess level of seamstress and just whipped it out? 

        • http://pin-hole.tumblr.com Dave

          She and my mom kind of de-constructed a plastic Dutch poncho that Marc from Amsterdamize sent us, and based it on that. The only modification I’d make to it is shortening it in the back, as it’s the same length all the way around, and I end up sitting on it in the back.

          • Dan

            So, you’d leave a bit of a “tail” to the back; maybe long enough to cover the back of your saddle?  Do you have a coat guard on your rear wheel, or just the fender?

          • http://pin-hole.tumblr.com Dave

             yeah, I’d leave it just about as long as a regular coat/jacket would be in the back. I don’t have coat guards, just fenders, but I’ve never had a problem either with getting sprayed or having stuff get caught in the wheel (so far) :)

  • http://www.joyofbicyclecommuting.com/ Micheal Blue

    Well, Dave, yesterday I had the honor to ride home from work in a huge downpour.  It started as a gentle rain, and my body was able to shelter my feet reasonably well, so my shoes didn’t get wet inside.  However, when the big rain came,  there was as much water coming from the road – in places I was biking through at least 3 inches of water.  Also passing cars (even though going by slowly) were dumping lots of water at my legs/feet.  In this situation having waterproof shoes or boots just helps to keep the water in the shoes/boots.  I may have to find some shoes that dry very quickly…

    • http://pin-hole.tumblr.com Dave

      Yeah, I’ve certainly had that experience as well – sometimes there really isn’t much you can do, and just have to resign yourself to getting quite wet. I’ve been splashed by cars like that as well, going through several inches of water, and at that point, there is such a volume of water that you’re just going to be soaked through. I suppose if you know it’s going to be pouring rain that hard, wearing cloth shoes that dry quickly may be a good option.

      • Dan

        In warmer weather, a pair of Keen or Teva sandals with wool socks works pretty well.  The wool will keep your feet warm when wet and the sandals are made to let the water back out

  • Chris Butner

    I wear a helmet with a rain cover.  I have storm pants as well.  Then the shoe covers.  Much more conventional in this area.  Though I commute by bike for work to multiple locations with a trailer.  Did this all winter long.  I really need to stay dry underneath as I commute even in worst of storms.  Underneath the rain gear is ordinary me with normal clothes on for work.  Most importantly even in the hardest rain the gear kept me dry underneath.  Which is really important cause if the rain gear would not keep me dry.  I would have no choice, but to drive a car.

    Can you blog about your thinking behind not wearing helmet?  Or direct me to one you have already done on this topic?  I’m very interested in your thinking on this.  If it is strictly a fashion breaker, or if you don’t find them valid safety tools, etc…..Does your wife share the same ideas?

    • http://pin-hole.tumblr.com Dave

      Hey Chris,

      Yeah, I ride all year round as well, and there are times I do get a bit wet underneath this setup, but not enough to keep me from doing it :) Essentially, I never get wet above the knees – if there is a lot of water on the roads, sometimes my feet and lower legs get a bit wet, but it’s usually not a problem for me, as I just dry off at my desk in a half-hour or so.

      I have written about why I don’t wear a helmet, you can read it here: http://portlandize.com/why-i-dont-wear-a-helmet/

      To briefly summarize, I don’t wear one because an evaluation of my own personal risk, the protection given by a helmet, and my own level of comfort leads me to the belief that it’s not a big enough risk (strictly speaking for myself and my own circumstances) to be worth the trouble. My wife also doesn’t own a helmet, and basically shares the same views.

    • http://www.joyofbicyclecommuting.com/ Micheal Blue

      Chris, you don’t get wet from sweat under all that rain gear?

      • Chris Butner

         Michael-

        Generally not.  One of the reasons I ride even with work related situations.  I ride to multiple destinations.  My mileage is low generally under 10 miles in a full day of work.  The terrain is majority flat, and the temps are cool on the far northern, CA coast.  Compared to the rest of my clothes the rain gear adds very little extra layer.  I pull a trailer, and my pace is very casual(I’m not in a rush).

        Do I sweat?  Usually first thing in the morning when I have a large hill to climb to my first job without the trailer.  This is year round sweat, but yeah the rain gear does cause more sweat on the hill in the rain.  It feels good, and wakes me up.  My day starts very, very early.  Even in the summer on my rural coast morning requires some bundling.  More so on foggy misty mornings.  When I arrive I adjust my attire slightly, wipe the sweat, and cool down as I begin work.  It’s a wonderful way to start the day!  With experience you learn how to layer for a given days temp/environmental conditions.

        With biking we all have different styles.  You arrange yourself to fit your style.  I had my first full NW wet winter as a biking success.  Out in all rain on my bike.  A huge success, and sweat was never a problem in the equation.  I’m human I definitely sweat though.  Probably sweat more so on non work commutes as my pace tends to be faster.  At end of day it’s not a problem perhaps due more to my very mild coastal temps.

        Cheers……

        • http://www.joyofbicyclecommuting.com/ Micheal Blue

          Chris, what kind of trailer do you pull?  Has it been good to you?  Thanks.

          • Chris Butner

            It was a purchased new 2001 burly kids trailer.  After receiving it I ripped off all the fabric, and modified the upper portion of the trailer.  The sides have ability to fold down, and the front/rear cross members are removable.  It holds two large green rubbermaid bins(not sure of gallon size).  Bungee cord front/back on top.  Bungees on sides to strap longer lighter objects.  I can even transport a grill/cooler if I want.  Basically a converted utility trailer.

            It’s treated me very well.  Still very strong, and it’s in great shape……

  • Jessie

    hi, I’ve been looking all over for ponchos. What is your fabric like? I’ve heard of using PUL also oil cloth. And do you wear it a little longer or do you put it over the handlebars. Thanks

    • http://pin-hole.tumblr.com Dave

      Hey Jessie,

      This poncho is made from a kind of almost canvas-like raincoat fabric, which I’ve then sprayed with a wax waterproofing spray. It’s not totally waterproof, but it keeps me basically completely dry in anything but torrential rains, though it saturates itself.

      I put it over the handlebars – there are no hand-holes in it, so that’s really the only way to do it with this particular poncho.