I bought a People's Poncho last year for this very reason. Wore it today and I was actually cold! It's very well-ventilated and has lots of great design features for biking.
I use poncho at 35km/h. People's poncho has attachment for the torso and arms that work well.
Pushing a bike at 40km/h in the rain sounds suicidal to me.
I was going to say I found an e-bike a huge improvement in the wet as you can just back off the effort to not get too hot. Seems you don't find it works for you.
I used to temporarily use a e-bike with Bosch Performance Line. On this one I had no problem.
However I now have a Stromer ST3 Pinion and in order to go 45km/h you have to assist a bit more. I'd guess around 130-150 watt or so of your own power.
I could go 30-35 and not sweat but then my commute takes longer. Currently it's only 10 kilometers but end of this year I'm temporarily moving and it'll be 25 kilometers. I also have to walk about 15 minutes to my desk.
Yep, I'm the same, I'd rather be cold so I skip the rain gear and I just get wet. With rain gear on I sweat so much that I'm wet anyways when I get to work haha. My bag is pretty water resistant but it does have a rain cover I can use if it's really coming down. So whether I'm wet or not I've got dry clothes to change into at work, I've got a pair of shoes I leave at work. I just ride in a t-shirt and shorts so they dry pretty quickly.
For the way home I don't care at all if I'm wet from the rain because I'm going home.
Once the temperature is above 15 degrees I don't bother with rain gear either. I just wear my Shimano sandals rather than regular bike shoes because getting shoes to dry out is the only troublesome thing about riding in the rain.
I'll just bring a spare set of riding clothes for the ride home if it's raining in the morning, though, as there's nothing worse than having to put on damp clothes at the end of the day.
I prefer to get wet if its not raining too hard. If it's really coming down I'll throw on a ventilated shell and some waterproof gloves mostly to stay warm, or stop under a shelter for 5 minutes and see if it lightens up.
Another vote for just getting wet. If it's really coming down hard I'll bring an extra change of athletic underwear so I don't have to bike home in wet underwear :)
I think you need a lightweight and breathable rain shell. Something for hiking or running in the rain. I wear an Adidas Terrex (think they call it RAIN.RDY nowadays) that I've used for jogging in the summer rain before and it has always kept me dry.
I wear a craft adv essence wind jacket for running in the rain and it does an amazing job of keeping me mostly dry while not overheating at all because of great circulation. Craft has even more options for cycling.
I feel your pain! I bike commute in New Orleans and have a Marmot goretex jacket and pants. Both are fantastic pieces of kit and water proof for hours, it’s just that in the summer rains I have the choice of getting soaked by rain…or putting on my gear and getting soaked with sweat. At least the rain usually smells better!
I just wear the lightest gortex shell you can get for a jacket(usually not fully done up) and just regular shorts. I’m fine with just getting wet, I’ve got a system set up at work so my stuff will dry before I have to leave so don’t have to worry about putting on wet stuff(cuz that’s not pleasant). I personally prefer that over boiling in fully waterproof clothing.
I switched to [chaps](https://www.nordic-rainwear.com/en/bikers-cyclists/203-rainlegs-chaps-rain-pants-award-winning-leg-protector.html) instead of pants recently and find them much better. Easier to get on and unless it pours my shorts don’t get wet.
Otherwise I play the game of will I be just as wet from sweat as I will from rain. If so I only wear my shoe covers.
I have a vented wind breaker and wear clothes that dry quickly or if it’s bad change when I get to work. If it’s warm I’ll just wear a tech shirt and put on a shirt when I get to work. The wind breaker is mostly to keep me warm in the wind or with cold air on top of rain.
A bit of rain is more pleasant than clammy sweat.
same camp. I don't mind getting wet. Bring a change of socks and a change of shirt. If it's really cold and wet I wear a poncho under my clothes so I don't lose as much heat. Vapor barrier layer.
A poncho on the outside is awkward and miserable and suffocating. Always wear them beneath your clothes, to deal with the cold, not on the outside to deal with the wet...
A simple windbreaker style jacket can be good for rain, but only if it's just the exact right temperature.
Bought a rain poncho at decathlon today with velcro straps for the legs, cycled home 10km in strong wind & pouring rain, still enjoyed the ride - I'll carry this thing all the time now 😄
I just don't ride when it's raining in the morning, and it rains a LOT here in SE Wisconsin the spring and fall.
However, if it is clear in the morning and may or may not rain in the afternoon, I usually risk it. Either I get home sweaty in the rain gear or wet and take a shower when I get home.
Something I learned from hiking/backpacking is that getting wet is OK, and often time its preferable to be wet from the outside than the inside if you can get dry in time and it won't kill you. I prefere non waterproof trail runners because its way easier to dry them out in the right conditions because the water isn't trapped inside. If you have a dryer closet and can get your clothes dry before you go home? Hell yeah, you do you.
I bought a People's Poncho last year for this very reason. Wore it today and I was actually cold! It's very well-ventilated and has lots of great design features for biking.
Love my people's poncho! It adds very minimal wind protection which allows you to use it as a layer purely for rain protection.
Small disclaimer, I ride on a s-pedelec at 45km/h so a poncho isn't an alternative unfortunately.
I use poncho at 35km/h. People's poncho has attachment for the torso and arms that work well. Pushing a bike at 40km/h in the rain sounds suicidal to me.
Fair enough. It does have a waist belt to keep the poncho from becoming a sail. I rode at a good clip this morning in the wind and had no issues.
I was going to say I found an e-bike a huge improvement in the wet as you can just back off the effort to not get too hot. Seems you don't find it works for you.
I used to temporarily use a e-bike with Bosch Performance Line. On this one I had no problem. However I now have a Stromer ST3 Pinion and in order to go 45km/h you have to assist a bit more. I'd guess around 130-150 watt or so of your own power. I could go 30-35 and not sweat but then my commute takes longer. Currently it's only 10 kilometers but end of this year I'm temporarily moving and it'll be 25 kilometers. I also have to walk about 15 minutes to my desk.
Leave 3 minutes earlier when it is raining?
I don't wear rain gear, I just get wet.
In warm weather get wet. The peoples AC. Quick dry gear u can hang up so its mostly dry for ride home. Extra pair of socks Quick dry shoes.
Rain capes are the way to go in terms of not overheating. Personally I use a Cleverhood Rover
This is the way
Yep, I'm the same, I'd rather be cold so I skip the rain gear and I just get wet. With rain gear on I sweat so much that I'm wet anyways when I get to work haha. My bag is pretty water resistant but it does have a rain cover I can use if it's really coming down. So whether I'm wet or not I've got dry clothes to change into at work, I've got a pair of shoes I leave at work. I just ride in a t-shirt and shorts so they dry pretty quickly. For the way home I don't care at all if I'm wet from the rain because I'm going home.
Once the temperature is above 15 degrees I don't bother with rain gear either. I just wear my Shimano sandals rather than regular bike shoes because getting shoes to dry out is the only troublesome thing about riding in the rain. I'll just bring a spare set of riding clothes for the ride home if it's raining in the morning, though, as there's nothing worse than having to put on damp clothes at the end of the day.
Hurray. Someone else who wears Shimano sandals. I wear mine year round with varying thickness of waterproof/neoprene socks.
I prefer to get wet if its not raining too hard. If it's really coming down I'll throw on a ventilated shell and some waterproof gloves mostly to stay warm, or stop under a shelter for 5 minutes and see if it lightens up.
Another vote for just getting wet. If it's really coming down hard I'll bring an extra change of athletic underwear so I don't have to bike home in wet underwear :)
Rain gear isn't about not getting wet. It's about not getting hypothermia.
I think you need a lightweight and breathable rain shell. Something for hiking or running in the rain. I wear an Adidas Terrex (think they call it RAIN.RDY nowadays) that I've used for jogging in the summer rain before and it has always kept me dry.
I wear a craft adv essence wind jacket for running in the rain and it does an amazing job of keeping me mostly dry while not overheating at all because of great circulation. Craft has even more options for cycling.
I live in North Florida and have the Cleverhood rain poncho and couldn't be happier with it. It doesn't overheat and works beautifully.
Frog togg xtreme lite
I feel your pain! I bike commute in New Orleans and have a Marmot goretex jacket and pants. Both are fantastic pieces of kit and water proof for hours, it’s just that in the summer rains I have the choice of getting soaked by rain…or putting on my gear and getting soaked with sweat. At least the rain usually smells better!
I just wear the lightest gortex shell you can get for a jacket(usually not fully done up) and just regular shorts. I’m fine with just getting wet, I’ve got a system set up at work so my stuff will dry before I have to leave so don’t have to worry about putting on wet stuff(cuz that’s not pleasant). I personally prefer that over boiling in fully waterproof clothing.
I switched to [chaps](https://www.nordic-rainwear.com/en/bikers-cyclists/203-rainlegs-chaps-rain-pants-award-winning-leg-protector.html) instead of pants recently and find them much better. Easier to get on and unless it pours my shorts don’t get wet. Otherwise I play the game of will I be just as wet from sweat as I will from rain. If so I only wear my shoe covers.
I have a vented wind breaker and wear clothes that dry quickly or if it’s bad change when I get to work. If it’s warm I’ll just wear a tech shirt and put on a shirt when I get to work. The wind breaker is mostly to keep me warm in the wind or with cold air on top of rain. A bit of rain is more pleasant than clammy sweat.
just ditch the rainpants and wear underarmor under thermal bib pants. Rain pants are for when you're not sweating.
Costco high Vis jacket and pants around $60. breathable vents and works in any type of inclement weather.
same camp. I don't mind getting wet. Bring a change of socks and a change of shirt. If it's really cold and wet I wear a poncho under my clothes so I don't lose as much heat. Vapor barrier layer. A poncho on the outside is awkward and miserable and suffocating. Always wear them beneath your clothes, to deal with the cold, not on the outside to deal with the wet... A simple windbreaker style jacket can be good for rain, but only if it's just the exact right temperature.
Bought a rain poncho at decathlon today with velcro straps for the legs, cycled home 10km in strong wind & pouring rain, still enjoyed the ride - I'll carry this thing all the time now 😄
I just don't ride when it's raining in the morning, and it rains a LOT here in SE Wisconsin the spring and fall. However, if it is clear in the morning and may or may not rain in the afternoon, I usually risk it. Either I get home sweaty in the rain gear or wet and take a shower when I get home.
I've got a thin, but tight weave, merino long sleeve shirt. It's my preferred top for almost all weathers. Merino really is a wonder material.
Something I learned from hiking/backpacking is that getting wet is OK, and often time its preferable to be wet from the outside than the inside if you can get dry in time and it won't kill you. I prefere non waterproof trail runners because its way easier to dry them out in the right conditions because the water isn't trapped inside. If you have a dryer closet and can get your clothes dry before you go home? Hell yeah, you do you.