cycling attire for cold rain

[Jim S.]

Folks on this board might already have this information, but it was a revelation to me.

It was 48 and heavily raining on, Tuesday I think, riding from Goleta to Oxnard, CA. We (my son and I) were uncomfortably cold, with many miles to go.

We came upon a surfing shop. I know nothing about surfing or scuba, but I bought the socks, gloves, and a hat that surfers wear with their wetsuits. Wow, what a game changer. We were instantly comfortable. For heavy rain in cold weather, neoprene is great for cycling. 

[Jason Fuller]

That's interesting, I might give some a shot this spring. I get the feeling that much colder than low 40's would be too cold for most Neoprene options but I don't really know. Usually when it's 45+F I am pretty happy with wool and a shell that's at least waterproof enough to keep the majority of water out - not much ends up being truly waterproof in those conditions.  I can certainly believe that the water-going folks are onto something though. 

[Toshi Takeuchi]

That is a great idea. The rain/air would exchange heat far less than the ocean, so I would imagine that even if you are wet underneath that you would remain quite toasty.

Toshi

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[Mat Grewe]

Acclimation is a big help.  Coming out of winter in Wisconsin (gets to -20 F), a 30-40 degree rainy commute this time of year is not as bad as it is in the fall.  I recommend cold showers to get used to the feeling ;).

You should have something on the outside to at least block the wind.  This minimizes the "cold wind + soaked clothes" death effect.  Mostly waterproof jackets and pants truly are a treat, but I've been drenched in a cold rain plenty of times with an awful "rain jacket" to know that having something to at least block the wind is key.

Good underlayers also help.  I always use a fishnet base layer on my upper body (Bryne is the brand) and some kind of wool or synthetic sweater over that.  Double or triple layer of real wool socks and mittens (with shoes and overmitts that block the wind).  The wet takes a lot out of you, so don't feel shame in overdressing.

Eat more food at more frequent intervals than normal to keep your body fueled and able to generate heat.

I sort of jest with the statement, "gotta get used to it," but honestly, that is what you have to do as there is no such thing as warm and dry during a 35 degree rain.  Days like those make the sun feel extra glorious!

[Mat Grewe]

Whoops, mean to add that I've never experimented with neoprene on a bike, it is curious thing and I wonder about the ability to be warm at the 30 degree rains.  I've done some scuba diving and there were special tricks to keep yourself feeling warm, namely peeing in your wetsuit...  There was an old saying amongst divers, "there are two types of scuba divers, those that pee in their wetsuit and those that admit to peeing in their wetsuit."

[Patrick Moore]

This by the way, but here in usually very dry ABQ, NM it has been raining off and on for a few days and the humidity during my afternoon ride was over 70% which mean that 45*F + wind felt much colder than at 35%. But a wool jersey + a wool + nylon cycling jacket kept me over-warm (those wool + nylon panel jackets are very warm indeed, I find).

Usually at 45* I can get by with a very thinly lined cycling shell over said jersey and may have to open the pit zips.

Over and out.

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Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

[a spen]

As a cold weather cyclist in Maine in the 80's, with Minnesota and the Appalachian mountains more recently, I'll add to the OP's revelation regarding neoprene that a set of neoprene pogies (or bar mitts) on the outside, coupled with wool gloves on the inside, gets me through everything from 40 degrees and rainy, to -20 and breezy. I simply match the thickness/warmth of the inner wool gloves or mitts to the conditions, and if it's 50 with wind and rain, just pogies alone will keep my paws warm and toasty.  I've experimented with all manner of thick and clumsy arctic military mitts (compliments of my time spent in Uncle Sam's Navy) to boiled wool mitts (compliments of my time spent on a Maine "lobsta boat") and found an outer layer neoprene pogie supplemented with the aforementioned woolies underneath provide the greatest comfort & flexibility for a range of temps and conditions while on my ride.

Al - VA

[Touriste-Routier]

Neoprene can work well, but the danger is you get wet from perspiration, since it doesn't breathe.  Wet isn't a problem per se, but if you get cold from being wet, that is another story.  Of course you'll be cold and wet without proper gear too...

The biggest problem I had with my neoprene cyclocross gloves (all winter gloves actually), is trying to put them back on with sweaty hands after needing to remove them (stops, repairs, etc.).  Lesson learned, I always ride with spare gloves on winter rides. 

Brian Ignatin

Pineville, PA  USA

[ascpgh]

Neoprene's closed cell structure works for immersion/water sports by body heat warming the trapped moisture. Yes hard to put on once wet, worse is how it begins to smell from being ever-wet. Over enough time the oils in perspiration oxidize or rancidify. Paddlers have all sorts of secret potions to unstink their neoprene wet gear and are careful to clean before the fatty acid breakdown of the neoprene begins. 

I rode an unintentional century in October, meeting friends of my wife's who were beginning the GAP/C&O in Pittsburgh. It was cooler (low 50s-high 40s) and wetter than presumed but they had some emotional let down for this start of their beautiful trip and a few minor but necessary mechanical touch-ups that kept me riding with them beyond getting through the sort of complicated urban portion of the trail. They planned their first night at Linden Hall near Dawson and I bid farewell to them at the road crossing there and rode home.

What I had for my hands worked great: a pair of wool liners from my old leather Army gloves with a super basic Gore Tex mitten shells I got at REI. 

Since it was intermittently heavy rain I wore my Ventile anorak, a mid weight merino sweater from a garage sale over a Riv Wooly LS jersey knit crew and a Smartwool SS T-shirt. I wore my trust Pearl Izumi Amphib tights and shoe covers to round things out.  Might have been a bit over dressed, but I was able to unlayer/uncover as conditions allowed and I was in better shape for the duration. 

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh