Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

The drought has broken in melbourne, but alas I think its going back to about 20 years ago. For all you people who are too young to recall Melbourne was the drizel capital of the world.

I have no idea how to stay dry on my commmute. I normally just wear an old gortex hiking jacket and over pants over my work pants.

I get drenched.

Is there better cycling gear or will it make no difference.

I should ring gippsland and tell them to keep burning that coal to bring back the drought.

I have been rained on heaps in the past few weeks.

I'm getting old and grumpy.

if it's wet enough I don't think it makes any difference.

Your need to get a more breathable fabric than Goretex.

There's much better stuff around that's better designed for cycling. See this thread viewtopic.php?f=9&t=24897&hilit=rain+jacket - the Lusso Jacket looks a good buy. I've got a Fluid one from Anaconda which is effective too.

Assuming you're using plastic or ski over-pants, you can also do better by getting cycling-specific breathable fabric overpants.

For over-pants, see my post in this thread.

To keep completely dry, you'll need to have something to keep water running down your neck and under the cycling jacket. A buff that overlaps the tightly tied collar can be an good conduit to keep the water out of your jacket. Also need some decent overboots, and plugs or silicone sealant in any holes in your cycling boots.

Cheers

fras67 wrote:The drought has broken in melbourne, but alas I think its going back to about 20 years ago. For all you people who are too young to recall Melbourne was the drizel capital of the world.

I have no idea how to stay dry on my commmute. I normally just wear an old gortex hiking jacket and over pants over my work pants.

Tweny years ago (well, maybe 30 ) I used the cape



Extremely effective when used with mudguards, and ventilation is excellent as well.

il padrone wrote:

fras67 wrote:The drought has broken in melbourne, but alas I think its going back to about 20 years ago. For all you people who are too young to recall Melbourne was the drizel capital of the world.

I have no idea how to stay dry on my commmute. I normally just wear an old gortex hiking jacket and over pants over my work pants.

Tweny years ago (well, maybe 30 ) I used the cape

Extremely effective when used with mudguards, and ventilation is excellent as well.

This is how about a billion people in China deal with the problem (was in Shanghai in August). Seems to work well, if speed is not your goal.

My thoughts:
1) road spray is worse than rain. Use mudguards
2) you'll get wet from rain, but learn to enjoy it. You'll stay warm by pedalling. Find a place to change at work.

I figure that I am going to get wet irrespective of what I do, so I minimise the amount of cycling gear I use. No gloves, knick shorts (Cell ones as the chamois is thin), jersey and a light, hi-vis jacket and carry a spare pair of socks in my pack.

goneriding wrote:I figure that I am going to get wet irrespective of what I do, so I minimise the amount of cycling gear I use. No gloves, knick shorts (Cell ones as the chamois is thin), jersey and a light, hi-vis jacket and carry a spare pair of socks in my pack.

Makes sense to me!

Martin

goneriding wrote:I figure that I am going to get wet irrespective of what I do, so I minimise the amount of cycling gear I use. No gloves, knick shorts (Cell ones as the chamois is thin), jersey and a light, hi-vis jacket and carry a spare pair of socks in my pack.

+1 to this. When it rains, you get wet. Things that will dry quickly while at work are the way to go. Spare clothes in panniers.


David

MattyK wrote:This is how about a billion people in China deal with the problem (was in Shanghai in August). Seems to work well, if speed is not your goal.

Yep . I doubt that too many of these Chinese workers have workplace bicycle facilties. Maybe a rack to lock it on, but not showers, change-rooms and clothing lockers.

X a million on the mudguards. Who wants to look like they pooped their pants?

+1 on the cape, especially in summer rain it means you don't sweat as much as a jacket. Speed is not a factor unless you have long stretches of road which are open to wind - my typical 6km commute in inner sydney involves about 20 intersections and only one 2km stretch where I don't have to stop.

It takes more time to bring a change of clothes, undress, shower and get changed than you lose through more air resistance on most typical commutes. I would struggle to get over an average of 20km/h door to door because of stop start traffic.

Oh yes and mudguards are a must... keeps you dry, keeps your bike cleaner (less maintenance) and not only when it's raining - the road is quite often wet or dirty many other times.

Ok...I'm looking for cycling capes now that the Brooks (in another thread) has piqued my interest.

But as always, good design is far away. Some capes are just too fugly. So the search has started for a stylish looking cycling cape.

Have come across a tweedy one that glows in the dark (GBP400)



during the day



http://www.dashingtweeds.co.uk/dt/tailo ... fits-sub5/

and this red cape that makes me grannyish (a snip at GBP51)



From the website

"Stylistically this waterproof sits somewhere between lighthouse keeper and little red riding hood. ...They always seem to maintain a coquettish charm. Teamed with a pair of co-ordinated wellies: inflammable cuteness. "

I ain't wearing a pair of Wellies whilst riding the bike (!!!!). What are they thinking?

So I am thinking Little Red Riding Hood not Lighthouse Keeper. Stylish not frumpy, and not a target for motorists who just want to throw eggs at me. Also combining 21st century technology but doesn't make me look Victorian!

Those capes are really not cycle capes. They will be rather flappy as they aren't long enough in the front to hold on the bars and probably don't have thumb loops - loops to hook over the brake levers (ideally) or hold with thumbs. And buttons down the front are not such a great idea. Leaks galore.

Sadly cycle raincapes are not too stylish when off the bike as they are cut quite long in the font, to give best coverage for your legs






As a result they tend to dangle somewhere around your knees when walking

My initial reaction :

"The cycling cape makes me look fat/pregnant!"

Really coverage for women wearing dresses is above the knee - hitch the dress up, so legs not really the worry vs trousered men.

I bought a small heater designed to minimise mould in stationery cupboards and put it in my locker. It provided an excellent drying space so that my gear was dry for the ride home.

Do you mean you leave on the heater all day long in your locker? Fire hazard?

MattyK wrote:

il padrone wrote:Tweny years ago (well, maybe 30 ) I used the cape
Extremely effective when used with mudguards, and ventilation is excellent as well.

This is how about a billion people in China deal with the problem (was in Shanghai in August). Seems to work well, if speed is not your goal.

I recall seeing one cheap cape model being sold in one of the LBSs a few years ago, but none since. I'm surprised by how few options there are here in Ozland.

I'm not. Cycling is a sport here, not a mode of transport. Capes are not sporty.

MattyK wrote:Cycling is a sport here, not a mode of transport.

It is for me.

MattyK wrote: Capes are not sporty.

Nor stylish.

CommuRider wrote:

MattyK wrote: Capes are not sporty.

Nor stylish.

Nah, capes could make a style comeback

Compared to mere mortals, he flies so fast he creates his own weather patterns. Cape is definitely not an issue for him.

Or is it?

After finding there was no way to keep shoes dry I hit upon the idea of wearing reef shoes on very wet days. Basically wetsuit material with rubber soles to stop sharp reef (or pedals) hurting soles of feet.

As an ambling commuter I've never used clip-in shoes, and I hated putting wet running shoes back on for the ride home, plus they would smell terrible when wet.

For the fashion conscious you can get some pretty nice looking ones, and leave people wondering which bike shop you got such futuristic looking shoes from....