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Dealing with rain

bighairydelbighairydel Posts: 5
edited September 2016 in Commuting general
Just moved to Glasgow and i'm using my bike everyday for popping into town etc. so not wearing my usual bike wear. Previously been lucky avoiding any major downpours but yesterday I got caught in the rain ( coming home fortunately ) for only about five minutes and my jeans were completely soaked.
Just wondered what others do in these situations to try and avoid the sodden legs? I've seen online some fancy rain jeans however £100+ for a pair of jeans is a bit steep!
Anyone know of any cheaper decent urban bike wear alternatives or any hints and tips to help me out?

Posts

  • fat daddyfat daddy Posts: 2,605
    I wear shorts and take a change of clothing.

    I tried waterproof trousers, but then I just sweated to death in them .... legs dry very quickly and when they get wet, they don't weigh a tonne, water just drips off of them

    Oh, if they start to get cold ..... its just because you are not cycling hard enough .... seriously, how many TdF riders do you see up the top of a mountain in trousers, just make sure you have a top to keep warm in

    come the winter with Scottish snow etc ..... then you might want trousers !
  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    Jeans will soak up the rain fantastically. There are other types of trousers you could try that dry a lot quicker.

    Full mudguards and flaps - that keeps most of the water off you. Often its not the rain itself - its whats on the road splashing up.
  • bighairydelbighairydel Posts: 5
    Have the full mudguards on the bike, this was just from cycling into the rain, front soaked, back dry and this is literally just popping along to the shops, so wouldn't change into shorts just cos I was going out my bike. Looking for everyday wear that can shrug off 5 mins in the rain and that doesn't make me look like I'm in bike clothing.
  • slowbikeslowbike Posts: 8,498
    TBH - if it's a 5 minute flit in the rain - then waterproof trousers will sort it - you're not going to be building up much of a sweat and it's a PITA to take a change of clothes that will be wet - not just the legs, but the groin area as well.

    As for winter riding - you WILL want waterproofness - 5 minutes isn't long enough to warm up - but is long enough to get cold & wet ...
  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    These would be better than jeans - http://www.craghoppers.com/basecamp-tro ... y-1-9.html
  • bighairydelbighairydel Posts: 5
    Thanks for the suggestion Fenix, though they are not ideal looking ( vain I know ) for day to day wear. I'm more of a slim fitting jeans and t-shirt kinda guy!
  • bighairydelbighairydel Posts: 5
    Yeah i'm thinking I will just need to start carrying round my waterproof troos if there is a chance of rain, bit of pain if just going up to the pub though!
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