Rain Riding

[ManitoulinLad]

Hey Ivan: I ride everyday to work (45km each way) I already started for this year (was at +1C this morning - this is my cold limit) For "all" weather pretection I have all 'Joe Rocket' clothing been wearing it everyday for the last 4 yrs & still going strong. My gloves are the 'nitro ones' I think I just looked at them but i must of tore the tag off them. Anyways they are leather outside with thermolite insulation, gel palm, wiper blade rubber on the thumbs & a waterproof liner. Hands are always warm & dry in cold or wet weather. (of course in warm weather with no rain I wear a different pair) My helmut is a 3/4 face with a viser on cold days & a beanie that i put a visor on if it rains on warm days. My coat is called a "Ballistic" it has a removeable liner and the material itself is waterproof - so no worries if I hit rain (i actually wash this coat by hanging it on the clothesline & sprying it with the garden hose) no water ever gets inside, it has a stand up collar and so none gets in by the neck. The pants are "alter ego" with removable waterproof liner (does not let in the cold either). Both the pants & jacket have zipper removeable vents on them when its warm. I have the rubber booties that go over my boots. Now they make breathable waterproof boots for bikers that are comparable in price to regular ones. So no rubber bootie hassle. The above of course has padded areas etc. & the pants & coat will zip together at the back to keep them tight, although i have never used this option. This post is really lenghty & i sound like a 'Joe rocket" salesman but this stuff has held me warm & dry going for over 4 yrs now & I thought I'd just let you know. Of course I have the regular leather jacket, vest, and chaps for hot days. - Dan

[webbcraft2150]

I'm not sure what the name of it is, but I have a round scarf thing that fits around my neck.


Tod

Geez, thats the bib to your overalls!!!!

Check out AppleWarmers, don't know if they still make em.

[trbig]

Check out AppleWarmers, don't know if they still make em.

My apples are fine.. it's my neck that gets cold.

riding IN the tire tracks is actually better, because the preceeding car's tires have squished the water off of the roadway in that location.

This will work if you're in heavy traffic, but after @ 5 seconds or so, the tire ruts are filling back in. The crown in the center of the lane won't ever gather water, but that is also where road debri tends to gather if there is any before getting blown off the road.

A couple other things about the ruts.. that's where you'll find the potholes if there are any. There aren't any in the crown since there's no trafic there. Also, the ruts (Around here anyway) tend to have a layer of tar pushed to the top where the aggregates have been pushed down into the asphalt.. leaving a pretty slick surface. Probably as much so as the painted lines.

Tod

[audio_mekanik]

I have found out no matter how much you prepare for the rain, with the suit, neck gaiter, boots, gloves helmet. You still get wet. It just changes from getting soaked to "damp" Just use extra caution.

Oh yeah, those manhole covers are very slick also.

[wa407mpp]

The best rain gloves I ever owned were an ugly pair of work gloves I bought from the local co-op farm supply they had a fuzzy liner that was guaranteed to keep your hands warm even when soaking wet and a rough suede outer shell which worked like a chamois to keep the face shield clear. they cost about $5.00. Wish I could find another pair.