Waterproof help

[Krystine_M]

Does anyone have recommendations for waterproofs? My set of waterproofs leave me soaking wet in light rain within 30 minutes and my commute is over an hour. The jacket I have is regatta and trousers I tend to use are Altura.

[Jay-Eye]

It depends how hot you get? Paramo will keep you completely dry but if you run hot you'll just be soaked with sweat!

[Canardly]

Consider a cape?

[Tigerrr]

I had a goretex (BikeGore I think) jacket, which has a removable back panel leaving a mesh back. And sleeves that zip off. It was the best solution for poor weather riding, given the tendency to overheat in the back.

[T42]

^^^Fine as long as you're not the hunchback of Notre Dame.  I have very round shoulders and when I'm down on the bends in the rain it impacts directly on my upper back.

[Mr Larrington]

I'd shudder to think about the kind of contortions one would have to undergo for that to happen to someone riding a recumbent.

[Quint]

I tried a cycle cape wrapped round (ICE Sprint NT) to baggy, I am going to trim it into a tabard shape and get Barbara to neaten the edges and put velcro straps on. Until then I use a Sprayway Goretex (intended for walking) Jacket with a double storm flap on top and have always been dry as a bone on the bottom with my Altura leggings.
         When I rang Goretex they said no demand for a recumbent jacket, it is a pity there is no register of bent riders that we could contact to e-mail Goretex en masse. On a side note the same comment came from Broadribbs in Banbury when I asked with all the gorgeous machinery in there why they didn't sell ICE trikes, "no demand" he said, I then bent (sorry, sorry) his ears for half and hour explaining that yes, actually there was.

[Phil W]

I have a waterproof gilet for keeping dry but not overheating. Means your arms get wet but that just helps with regulating your temperature. If it's really coming down then arm warmers will keep you comfortable enough. If you can't find cycling ones take a look at sailing ones.

[Kim]

Gilet and rainlegs.  If I'm cycling, I'm wet with sweat so waterproofs have to allow that to evaporate, otherwise there's no point.

I suppose actual waterproofs combined with an electric motor might keep me dry, but that's not really cycling.


Velomobile   

[Quint]

Gilet and rainlegs.  If I'm cycling, I'm wet with sweat so waterproofs have to allow that to evaporate, otherwise there's no point.

I suppose actual waterproofs combined with an electric motor might keep me dry, but that's not really cycling.


Velomobile   

       Love a Velomobile but how to securely lock it when out

[Mr Larrington]

I've seen VMs with a steel loop bonded to or bolted through the bodywork to which a sturdy lock of conventional type my be attached.

[Quint]

Get thee behind me, my wallet is still sobbing from my last vets bill.   

[Mr Larrington]

Then I'd better not show you this picture I took this morning:


Quest locking point by Mr Larrington, on Flickr

Ooops!

[Phil W]

I'll expand a little more on my setup. I don't wear what you'd call a traditional shell waterproof when on the bike. My main concern is staying comfortable.  This means not having water sitting against the skin chilling me. So my concern is to keep the water away from the skin, not necessarily out of all the layers I'm wearing.

So I have a pertex gilet with a light built in fast wicking micro fleece lining. This needs to be light and not hold water. This is perfect for light to moderate rain in moderate to high temps. If the rain gets heavier I put a long sleeve merino wool base layer over my cycling top and below the gilet. This combination keeps the liquid moisture away from my skin and you don't get water vapour condensing on the inside of the shell as you would with goretex / event etc.. The outer layers may be soaked in heavy rain but the inners stay dry due to wicking etc. Merino wool can also hold its weight in water in the fibres without it feeling wet. So I remain comfortable and warm but not too hot.

My arms may get a little damp with a single merino layer but I find slightly cooler arms stops you sweating and contributing more moisture into the equation, which leads to getting wet etc.

When I have a recumbent I'll probably substitute many of my cycling jerseys for short sleeve merino wool tops as a base. Since I won't have a use for rear pockets.

Legs I let them get wet. If pouring down and on long ride i will put on nanoflex leg warmers.

The above combinations worked perfectly on the west coast of Ireland for many hours and hours of pedalling in heavy rain and strong winds.

[ElyDave]

I find you can use the two outside pockets at the back, just not really the middle one.

[LMT]

You can get bent specfic jerseys with front pockets.

[Phil W]

I find you can use the two outside pockets at the back, just not really the middle one.

On the test rides so far I found stuff in the rear pockets just dug into my back. It also partly that I prefer merino as a layer against my skin than most synthetic cycle jerseys. I have short sleeve merino for my mountaineering. So it's a easy win to reduces the need to have drawers and drawers of stuff to cover my hobbies!

[Phil W]

It's the Rab VR flex jacket and gilet that I have for cycling. I also use the jacket for alpine climbing and other stuff.  Been using these type of jackets since 2003 and theyve proved perfect for me.

[ElyDave]

I find you can use the two outside pockets at the back, just not really the middle one.

On the test rides so far I found stuff in the rear pockets just dug into my back. It also partly that I prefer merino as a layer against my skin than most synthetic cycle jerseys. I have short sleeve merino for my mountaineering. So it's a easy win to reduces the need to have drawers and drawers of stuff to cover my hobbies!

I like merino myself as well, but I've not got any short sleeved stuff.  I use it as a base layer autumn/winter/spring and you're right it's great wicking and stays warm when wet.  I tend to use a normal cycling jersey over the top and just sort of push the stuff to the sides on the M5.

Remember on the recumbent you can always get away without padded shorts, so if you can find something comfy enough you can get cargo pockets to use.

[Jay-Eye]

It's the Rab VR flex jacket and gilet that I have for cycling. I also use the jacket for alpine climbing and other stuff.  Been using these type of jackets since 2003 and theyve proved perfect for me.

I've got the same ones, I'm developing a possibly unhealthy obsession with all things Rab!
Must try a merino base with the flex although if it's not hot sun I usually opt for Skins 2 top and tights on the bike.

[Quint]

Then I'd better not show you this picture I took this morning:


Quest locking point by Mr Larrington, on Flickr

Ooops!

                       Sorry it has taken this long to reply but I had to recover from the injuries incurred when I suggested my good lady wife should flog her Volvo Estate to get me one of these 

[Tilley]

I asked exactly the same question on another forum site and someone suggested Froggs Toggs I had never heard of these so did a basic web search and came up with this very interesting item:

http://www.walkingontheweb.co.uk/index.php/productreviews/989-frogg-toggs-waterproofs

I haven't yet committed actual cash towards any new waterproofs but these would certainly be of interest.