(E) Biking and weather: need advice and encouragement!

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

I want to be more weather-resilient on my bike. We are a 2 car household so previously I have only ridden my bike if I'm reasonably confident there won't be precipitation. But my work has just lost most of our parking so I would like to be comfortable biking in more weather.

I'm looking for advice about clothes/equipment/etc. for days with questionable weather (mostly rain, this time of year, but later there will be snowy roads) and just some basic encouragement.

Some details: I ride about 3 miles, in Denver, on a RadRunner 2 ebike (small fat tires). I haul my stuff in an open front basket. I wear glasses and am worried about my glasses getting wet and that affecting my visibility. In addition to my lunch and pocketbook, I carry a lot of books back and forth and don't currently have anything waterproof to keep them in. I usually bike in my work clothes and my "good" sneakers.

What do I need? My current resources are a decent raincoat and a pair of Croc sandals.

[FLBiker]

I am a stubborn, non-gearhead biker, so please take any of this with a grain of salt.  I biked to work for ~12 years everyday in Tampa, and I bike commute as needed (but work from home) for ~4 years in Nova Scotia.

When I worked in an office, I left outer clothes (work pants, dress shirt, shoes) in my office.  That was very handy.  On an e-bike, though, that might be less of an issue (as long as the weather is good).

For the rain, if it's warm, I sometimes found it easier to change when I got there than to stay dry.  When I lived in Tampa, I would sometimes bike to work in swim shorts and a quick dry t-shirt and change into dry clothes at work (hanging the wet stuff in my office).  In the cold, I like a cheap vinyl rainsuit.  It stays very dry, but it gets hot (so I don't like it when it's warm).  Now that I live in Nova Scotia, I use it more.

I typically carry my stuff in a backpack dropped into a milk crate strapped to the back shelf on my bike.  Rather than get a waterproof backpack, I keep a garbage bag in my backpack, and if it's raining I drop my backpack into that before dropping it into the milk crate.

For snow, I haven't done anything special to my tires, but I primarily ride on cleared sidewalks.  The salt can be a mess, so I rinse my bike off when I get home with some warm water.

One cool thing that I keep thinking about getting is some waterproof and windproof handlebar mitts.  I haven't found any gloves that are warm enough and flexible enough, so this seems like a good solution but I haven't actually done it yet.  Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/ROCK-BROS-Handlebar-Windproof-Coldproof/dp/B07WV274XZ/

[lifeandlimb]

Good news is your bike is already pretty hardy and souped up for such a short commute and inclement weather.

The three things that made the biggest difference in my rainy weather biking:
- Fender. Just one for the back wheel. Make sure it fits the shape of the wheel fairly closely.
- Raincoat that has a hood with a slight visor-like front shape, which I wear under my helmet. It catches most raindrops and wicks them away from my face. Big game changer.
Here's one example: https://www.marmot.com/men/jackets-and-vests/rainwear/mens-gore-tex-minimalist-jacket/AFS_195115076528.html
- Water-repellant backpack (or in your case, if you prefer, panniers). Roll-top closures are safest, but usually waxed fabric with zipper is fine in my opinion.

If you bike in your work clothes, probably should invest in some waterproof pants. Or have a trashable lightweight biking outfit, and change into your work clothes once you arrive.

[FLBiker]

Definite +1 on the fenders.  Good call.

[GuitarStv]

Fenders are essential gear for a bike that's going to be in weather.

As far as actual rain gear . . . I don't really try to be dry, just warm enough.  Either carry a change of dry clothes/towel in a waterproof plastic bag with you (this way you don't have to worry about expensive waterproof bags), or keep a set at work.  Keeping a set of dry shoes at work is a good idea too.  As is figuring out where you can hang your bike stuff to dry at work after it gets soaked.

In a pinch, a couple wads of paper towels left in your cycling shoes for an hour or so will dry them out pretty well.  Cycling jersey and shorts can be laid flat on your towel (after drying off your body and changing) and then rolled up tight.  Walk on the clothing tube, and most of the water will come right out of the wicking material from the cycling clothes.

As long as you've got a little tread on your tires, snow isn't that big a deal.  Salt is a bitch on bike components though.  Even washing my bike after every winter ride I'm replacing a lot of components every couple years on my winter bike as the salt chews them up.  You want to go over the bike every spring and make sure to take apart stuff and grease/lube it very well.  (We're talking all your bottle bosses, headset, bottom bracket, wheel hubs, etc.)

In snow, I've found that (again) the most important thing is keeping warm.  Think layers.  Sweat wicking layer, synthetic fleece layer, and then water resistant windshell.  You might have to tinker around with the exact thicknesses of your fleece for your individual conditions, but this tends to work well.  Make sure that you've got zippers on your fleece, and pit zips on your windshell.  It's very important to dump heat in the winter when you have hard exertions . . . otherwise you end up soaking wet and that makes you really cold.

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

Oooh, I do have fenders. All set there. Thanks for all the advice, everyone!

@lifeandlimb - I never thought of putting the hood under the helmet! I'll try that. I do have a visor thingie on my raincoat.

@FLBiker - You can ride on the sidewalks??? Here it is technically punishable by a $999 fine and 30 days in jail, as I found out when my then-11yo was ticketed after being struck by a car. (He sprained an ankle and fortunately was only fined $76, but one doesn't want to tempt fate.) I like the trash bag suggestion becaue it would be easy to keep one at work. I don't want to get panniers because I use the baby seat on the rack when I'm not at work so I would always be switching.

@GuitarStv - I am definitely not working up a sweat on my ebike in the winter! The mechanics are too weird, I just can't pedal that hard on a step-through where I am sitting totally upright (although I try to feel the burn a little at least). I'm thinking of getting another hybrid bike to ride when I want more exercise.

For summer I think it will be reasonable to:
-Keep a towel in my work locker
-If it might rain, bring or wear:
--workout clothes (so I'm not biking in, say, a cotton jersey dress soaked in water)
--my raincoat

Winter will be Different. Maybe I'll see if I can track down some rain pants in petite sizes (as otherwise they will be useless to me, and they might be anyway because I am shorter than regular short).

In the winter here they don't use regular salt, they use liquid mag chloride. Is that pretty similar to salt in how it affects bikes?

[Cranky]

You could probably wear a kids extra large rain pants?

I’m a weather wimp. If it’s raining or very snowy, I take the bus. They are good about plowing the actual bike paths, but the bike lanes get filled with snow from the plows and it doesn’t melt as fast as it does in Denver.

I don’t mind biking in the cold too much. I wear thermal long johns. I have a fleece helmet liner, though not everyone thinks that’s safe.

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

You could probably wear a kids extra large rain pants?

I’m a weather wimp. If it’s raining or very snowy, I take the bus. They are good about plowing the actual bike paths, but the bike lanes get filled with snow from the plows and it doesn’t melt as fast as it does in Denver.

I don’t mind biking in the cold too much. I wear thermal long johns. I have a fleece helmet liner, though not everyone thinks that’s safe.

I am 35 pounds past wearing kids' anything 😅

Bus is an option but it would involve at least as much time outside as biking, so it's a pretty narrow range where it would help!

[2Cent]

+1 for clean clothes in office.
The only combination I avoid is rain + a lot of headwind.
For the rest, I find that when it's very cold it helps to use a scarf to cover my mouth and breath through that. It will warm up slightly and you're not breathing freezing air which always gives me a cough.

[former player]

A visor is the only thing I've found that works when wearing glasses in the rain.

Because you are not working up a sweat on your ebike one solution you might consider is a lightwight oversized waterproof coverall that you can put on over your work clothes.  They don't need to be fancy: the sort that are sold to famers and workmen might do very well.

[Metalcat]

A visor is the only thing I've found that works when wearing glasses in the rain.

Because you are not working up a sweat on your ebike one solution you might consider is a lightwight oversized waterproof coverall that you can put on over your work clothes.  They don't need to be fancy: the sort that are sold to famers and workmen might do very well.

Ski goggles work well too

[GuitarStv]

A visor is the only thing I've found that works when wearing glasses in the rain.

Because you are not working up a sweat on your ebike one solution you might consider is a lightwight oversized waterproof coverall that you can put on over your work clothes.  They don't need to be fancy: the sort that are sold to famers and workmen might do very well.

Ski goggles work well too

I find that a cycling cap under the helmet works really well to keep rain off my glasses.  Ski goggles would work well if you're not putting out energy and getting all hot/sweaty (they've never worked for me in the winter because the heat coming off my head fogs them up too much).


No idea how magnesium chloride would impact bike stuff compared to sodium chloride.  I think we just use regular salt around here on the road, and that stuff is murder on components.

[Cranky]

You could probably wear a kids extra large rain pants?

I’m a weather wimp. If it’s raining or very snowy, I take the bus. They are good about plowing the actual bike paths, but the bike lanes get filled with snow from the plows and it doesn’t melt as fast as it does in Denver.

I don’t mind biking in the cold too much. I wear thermal long johns. I have a fleece helmet liner, though not everyone thinks that’s safe.

I am 35 pounds past wearing kids' anything 😅

Bus is an option but it would involve at least as much time outside as biking, so it's a pretty narrow range where it would help!

I don’t have rain pants, but I’m in the market for thermal bibs for winter and if they’re too long I’ll shorten them.

And I don’t think it’s faster to take the bus - though I’m right on the bus route - but it feels safer when there’s a lot of snow. When the bus got stuck in the last storm this spring, it felt a lot safer to be on the bus than to walk or even to drive.

[Cranky]

But also! Browsing through Amazon, I see some men’s rain pants with a 28” inseam and adjustable Velcro at the ankle!

[FLBiker]

@FLBiker - You can ride on the sidewalks??? Here it is technically punishable by a $999 fine and 30 days in jail, as I found out when my then-11yo was ticketed after being struck by a car. (He sprained an ankle and fortunately was only fined $76, but one doesn't want to tempt fate.) I like the trash bag suggestion becaue it would be easy to keep one at work. I don't want to get panniers because I use the baby seat on the rack when I'm not at work so I would always be switching.

Ha, good point.  When I say "sidewalk" I'm actually talking about a paved off-road "multi-use" path that they plow with a bobcat.  I do ride a bit on the sidewalks, though, depending on the intersection, but I'm in a small town (10,000 people) and I've never had any trouble.  I see police regularly and they never say anything.

[GuitarStv]

But also! Browsing through Amazon, I see some men’s rain pants with a 28” inseam and adjustable Velcro at the ankle!

If your pants are too long you can always just tuck them into your socks.  :P

[GuitarStv]

Oooh, are we posting commuter bike pics?

[economista]

What do I need?

Lots of walmart bags. You know, those plastic ones that are probably an environmental disaster.  Other stores my also offer suitable alternatives. Great for keeping your stuff dry when carrying it on a bike in bad weather. 
 

These are a very hot commodity in Denver! There was an ordinance passed that required stores to charge you $0.10 per bag, and over the past few months most stores have stopped supplying them period, so even if you want to pay for them you can't! There are people on buy nothing begging for them because they are great for things like changing kitty litter, but no one can get them anymore!

[Askel]

These are a very hot commodity in Denver! There was an ordinance passed that required stores to charge you $0.10 per bag, and over the past few months most stores have stopped supplying them period, so even if you want to pay for them you can't! There are people on buy nothing begging for them because they are great for things like changing kitty litter, but no one can get them anymore!

Weird how that played out. I visited the "Bonus" grocery stores in Iceland a lot recently where they also charge for plastic bags, but the end result was some really nice much higher quality plastic bags that hold up really well to repeated uses.

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

A visor is the only thing I've found that works when wearing glasses in the rain.

Because you are not working up a sweat on your ebike one solution you might consider is a lightwight oversized waterproof coverall that you can put on over your work clothes.  They don't need to be fancy: the sort that are sold to famers and workmen might do very well.

Ski goggles work well too

I find that a cycling cap under the helmet works really well to keep rain off my glasses.  Ski goggles would work well if you're not putting out energy and getting all hot/sweaty (they've never worked for me in the winter because the heat coming off my head fogs them up too much).


No idea how magnesium chloride would impact bike stuff compared to sodium chloride.  I think we just use regular salt around here on the road, and that stuff is murder on components.

@GuitarStv - Cycling cap seems like a good idea. I don't think I knew those were a thing. Thanks for the suggestion!

@economista - I think the plastic bags are actually illegal at any price inside the city limits! I do have access to unlimited newspaper bags and we eat a lot of tortillas and bread so I have those and that's about it. I might need to get new trashcans that don't require bags, for the bathroom.

@Askel - night biking I've been doing for a while so I light up like a Christmas tree. I have front and rear lights and wheel lights and an LED vest for good measure.

I am pretty spry for a middle-aged fat lady but I do not intend to bike next to that much snow. I could call a Lyft or take the bus or ask my husband to drive me or just drive and park a few blocks away. Fun pictures though!

[getsorted]

I bike commuted through two Indiana winters and my favorite gear was:

-A helmet with a magnetic clip-on visor (I also wear glasses)
-a superthin balaclava that went under my helmet-- I think it was Bike Nashbar
-A Columbia waterproof-breathable jacket
-I did have some rain pants, but I also had basic Target synthetic work trousers that I discovered by accident were basically quick-drying and wipe-off. I tucked them into my socks.
-a scarf -- somehow wearing a thin acrylic sweater, raincoat, and scarf was warm enough but less sweaty than heavier layers while still being warm enough
-I eventually got some snow gloves with a good grip, but wearing those cheap any-size fuzzy gloves with a pair of nitrile lab gloves over them also worked great in freezing rain.
-Neoprene shoe covers from Aldi.

I would typically wear a spare shirt if I expected to get sweaty, but rarely found it necessary to do a full outfit change.

[jrhampt]

I actually wear a regular baseball cap under my helmet.  More sun protection and also keeps rain out of my eyes.  It looks odd but it's functional.

[Dee18]

+1 on baseball cap...mine has a mesh top that easily goes under my helmet.  I wear it rain or shine.

I really like my Mountain Hardwear Women's Acadia Pants (available on amazon). They are lightweight and waterproof and come in "short" length.  I am 5.3 and they fit me well. They have a front zipper and also a draw string so waist size is flexible.

[Britan]

Hubby and I bike every weekday, rain or shine. And where we live, when it rains, it POURS. We’ve found the following to be super helpful:

Cleverhood Rover Rain cape. I have the jacket. Husband has the cape. The cape also keeps his legs dry. He was right. It looks silly, but it is way better than the jacket.
Good waterproof rain pants if you don’t have a rain cape.
LL Bean boots - these are one of my three pairs of shoes, and with the rain coat and rain pants keep me reasonably dry when it’s pouring.
Also when it’s raining I try not to wear glasses. I am a typical glasses wearer but contacts when it’s raining. I hate rain on my glasses.

For cold weather, we use cloth face masks leftover from the pandemic for nose/mouth. Pearl Izumi has a pair of lobster claw gloves that are fantastic for biking when it’s freezing.

[lifeandlimb]

@Britan I have been looking for something like this rain cape. Thank you for the recommendation!

[Britan]

No prob. Their stuff is just so perfect for biking, we’ve found it way worth the spendiness. It means we don’t pay for gas because we were driving in the rain, which is frequent where we live. It hits all the boxes. Fits under a helmet without inhibiting hearing too much. It’s got a little overhang over your eyes to keep out the rain. Vents for when it’s HOT rain, which we get a lot of here in the summer. The cape has little thumb holes to keep it in place while you ride. And it comes in obnoxiously bright reflective colors. I got it in a size up so my winter coat fits under it for cold rain days too (we don’t really get much snow).

Now the only weather I won’t bike in is lightning.