Dressing for rain

It’s rainy season again here in Seattle and I am still trying to figure out the right pants to wear for my bike commute . I have a gore active jacket that works well up top and some showers pass soft shell pants that work for cold and wet but I can’t wear them above about 45 and that’s pushing it. I have a set of rain legs chaps but still end up with wet feet wearing those.
Any suggestions on what will keep me semi dry in 50 and rain? Thinking a light waterproof front with a breathable back would be ideal, bonus points for an air permeable membrane like neoshell. Craft has a bunch of interesting options but I can’t well how warm they are.

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Neo shell is more water resistant than soft shell but its not waterproof IME

I got some real bike touring waterproofs from MEC.ca but they discontinued them, made of Entrant with big zips in the sides for the venting, big side zips in the sides of the pants and on on the sides of the bomberstyle jacket which go from the lower hem all the way up past the arm pits, for the feet gortex shoe covers

something from showers pass is probably what you need

https://www.taigaworks.com/collections/cycling-shells

This place has been around for many years in Vangroovy

https://www.mec.ca/en/products/cycli...lothing/c/1582

same with MEC

something from showers pass is gona be waterproof

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Originally Posted by carlh

It’s rainy season again here in Seattle and I am still trying to figure out the right pants to wear for my bike commute . I have a gore active jacket that works well up top and some showers pass soft shell pants that work for cold and wet but I can’t wear them above about 45 and that’s pushing it. I have a set of rain legs chaps but still end up with wet feet wearing those.
Any suggestions on what will keep me semi dry in 50 and rain? Thinking a light waterproof front with a breathable back would be ideal, bonus points for an air permeable membrane like neoshell. Craft has a bunch of interesting options but I can’t well how warm they are.

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I’m assuming that you have fenders?


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Yes I have fenders with a mud flap and waterproof lake cycling boots.
The taiga stuff looks interesting how is the fit?
The showers pass skyline pants I have now have a pretty poor fit for my tall not fat frame so not inclined to buy another pair from them but could try on.

I'm only a 5'8" ( and shrinking ) AZN but I tried on a lot of pants before buying the MEC pants thats just how it goes

I almost did the whole Camino in blue bird weatehr but on the very last day into Santiago the sky openned up big time and i can say the stuff was tested and worked

I never tried any Taiga but its generaly good stuff, its been a staple of UBC students around Vangroovy for many years so you might have seen David Suzki staring into a camera with a microphone wearing a Taiga shell

Get PVC fishing gear. Anything short of that, you will get wet.

Also, why would you choose to ride your bike in the dark, cold rain. Its already dangerous AF to bike commute in good weather, you want to triple-down on that danger by biking in a dark haze of wheel spray and headlight glare?

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Originally Posted by Peruvian

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A bike poncho is seriously the best thing I've ever used for riding in warmer rain. With fenders.

I have one from Vaude, it's bright orange and looks absurd. But you stay pretty dry from rain underneath, and it lets air circulate.

I have real rain clothes for bicycling too, but it needs to be much colder or you just get really sweaty.

Can you change your clothes at work?

Poncho is out I actually need to ride fast enough to get there. I do change but would still prefer to minimize wetness. My commute is also almost all trail so I’m not fighting cars and is the only way to fit exercise and outside time in most days.

I’ve used a bike cape with fenders and you can go normal commute speeds. It does look ridiculous but it’s really protective and airy


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Do as the Dutch do.

In all seriousness, I wear these and stay dry commuting in Portland.

https://showerspass.com/products/mens-refuge-pant

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Originally Posted by carlh

Poncho is out I actually need to ride fast enough to get there. I do change but would still prefer to minimize wetness. My commute is also almost all trail so I’m not fighting cars and is the only way to fit exercise and outside time in most days.

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I used to commute about 30 minutes each way and found that actual rain gear would get me wet from sweat more than a pair of Gore Windstopper pants with vents in all but the heaviest rain. Something like this: https://www.gorewear.com/us/en-us/fe...ts-mens-100815

I haven't bike commuted in about 5 years and don't miss it, especially this time of year.

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Originally Posted by Bronco

I used to commute about 30 minutes each way and found that actual rain gear would get me wet from sweat more than a pair of Gore Windstopper pants with vents in all but the heaviest rain. Something like this: https://www.gorewear.com/us/en-us/fe...ts-mens-100815

I haven't bike commuted in about 5 years and don't miss it, especially this time of year.

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Yeah with anything above 40 degrees you're going to end up damp from either sweat or rain. Softshell pants with regularly applied DWR is the best compromise in my opinion.

Showers Pass makes a good pair of waterproof socks. They were the single biggest comfort boost for my soggy commute.

I commuted every weekday for 10 years in the Bay Area. 30-45 minutes each way. I chose the wet and warmish approach rather than the clammy/overheating approach. The biggest challenge was putting on my soaking wet and cold riding clothes for the ride home. Full fenders. The approach worked well for me. Even with full fenders and mudflats on the front, my ankle and calves would sometimes get super grimy.

Back when newspapers existed, I’d stuff them in my shoes and set my socks over the back of my cpu By the fan & they’d dry by the end of the day

I never though shoe covers worked all that well so just preferred to have wet feet even when it was cold

Dp

My commute is about 45 minutes, a mix of gravel/trails/road, lots of time in the rain, usually colder than I want it to be. If it's around 50F I won't bother with waterproof pants - too hot. I'll wear running tights under waterproof MTB shorts and wool socks. Waterproof socks and pants when it's colder than that. I usually wear a light, waterproof jacket and start with the hood on if it's chuckin' it down. I have a drying room at the office and a couple of hooks on the side of my desk that mostly gets my stuff dry during the day. Gloves can be tricky, most of the waterproof ones are really hot when it's not raining. The thing about commuting in the rain is that it mostly sucks but it's better than driving to work. Also, not all rain is created equal, the wind is a huge factor.

I use REI cycling pants and layer appropriately underneath. If you’re not chilled on the way out, you’ll be too warm.
When the zippers fail, they replace them, NQA.

another seattle area commuter here. tl;dr at 50 deg, just embrace getting wet legs. I wear a thin set of windstopper leg warmers for anything ~40-50 and wet, and just expect them to be pretty wet. <40, I'm in either same leg warmers or the showers pass skyline pants, which as you found out still allow heavy rain in but they breathe well and keep my legs relatively warm. Low 30s... add long underwear. For me, hands and feet are way more uncomfortable and hard to get right. I just kind of give up on the legs :) I've been very impressed with the "Elite" fabric Showers Pass uses... the Spring Classic jacket is pretty darn solid in heavy rain.

Those gore pans look like a nice upgrade for warm drizzle from the non dwr hiking pants I have been using, might try a set.

Bringing an extra pair of socks and gloves if you have them does make the ride home much better if you won't be able to get them dry during the day.

Happy I brought extra socks today but the wet shoes on the ride home is still going to be a bummer. Ordered the gore windstopper pants on sale at evo to try out.

https://www.taigaworks.com/collectio...15436764151901

these are great ^^ I have used an MEC version in serious rain and the feet stay dry and you can use them with any shoe or cleated bike shoes

I have waterproof boots but that doesn’t help when the rain drops down my leg. Other than that part they are worlds better than shoe covers

Stopped using rain pants years ago. Just let the shorts get wet. Hang them up at work to dry. Keep a supply of socks in the desk drawer. Good rain coat with big pit vents.
When the forecast says atmospheric river, forget about staying dry.


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Hands: windstopper gloves. If hands get too hot, they come off during the ride.

Feet: when cold and wet: shoes, plastic bags, wool socks. That cut down the windchill for me when soaked. Never invested in waterproof shoe covers.

another pro-tip to consider... invest in a small ski boot dryer to plug in and stick under your desk at work. Cheap (<$50), quiet (very small fans), and extremely effective. I have a two-port so it handles the shoes and if they dry in time swap on the gloves. I think they come in 4 port models too. Nothing like toasty warm shoes for the ride home!

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Originally Posted by carlh

I have waterproof boots but that doesn’t help when the rain drops down my leg. Other than that part they are worlds better than shoe covers

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yeah with shoe covers I had to overlap the top of my gortex pants over them