Brevet 200 km - Jura - Southern Poland. Question about riding in the rain.

[Damien]

I’m sharing a video (english subtitles are available.) from a 200 km brevet that took place last weekend in very challenging weather conditions in this part of Europe. Audax Poland organizes them regardless of the weather – and here it was hard to imagine worse. Randonneurs Slovakia canceled their brevet. The southwestern part of Poland is battling floods. The only thing that stayed dry was my head – thanks to a Gore-Tex cap. The brevet was shortened – but even 120 km was enough to wear me out – the wind was tossing me around, and I was riding the entire time with a high heart rate. One friend was riding a Azub Max 700 – I’m still waiting for my Cruzbike S40 – and for the last time, I decided to ride my upright Specialized Allez from 2003 – so it’s already a relic. But it was a bad choice because I forgot how terrible rim brakes are in these conditions, and at one point, I had to brake with my foot.

I think even if I had my CB, I would’ve chosen the upright bike – it seems like water is less of an issue on an upright. How do you dress for this kind of weather?

Any tips? Do you wear cycling jackets or regular outdoor ones?

 

[Frito Bandito]

If the temperature wasn't too cold then I would just ride with what I always wear, which are simply tight bottoms and a tight top. If it was cold enough I would add a layer or two, and use a cycling jacket with the sleeves cinched up as well as waterproof long pants with the pant legs also cinched up. I'd spray both with a waterproof spray, or maybe even follow Oz Cycle's silicon/mineral spirits mix painted on them with a brush including the neoprene fishing gloves that have the 1st digit cut off so I can actually use my hands. My same helmet as always, but the magnetic lense would either get a wax or coating so the water beads off in the wind. I do have a set of fenders that I'd likely put on too. I've got a 6L joggers backpack that I wear backwards on my chest. It has a 3L hydration bladder in it with a bitedown tube that I fill with a premix and ice depending on the temps. It also has enough room to put a few energy packs or snacks in. As for braking, especially in the rain, I have Mavic wheels with Exalith brake tracks that work almost as well as disc brakes in the rain. Essentially, those are textured brake tracks that require special pads, and they work very well. Much better than regular aluminum tracks that are smooth. I use a different bag than the one here, but it is very similar.

 

[Mathew Fy]

Thanks for sharing the video. Even in the rain it looks fun.
My advice for riding in the rain is to use a helmet visor. We recumbent riders have our face up more and that causes the rain to pelt our faces. I previously used a Salamander visor attached with Velcro. Now I have a helmet that I attached a visor I fashioned out of carbon fiber sheet and attached with double-sided sticky tape. The angle I use is ideal for the V20.

 

[Karl42]

Awesome. During my last few brevets I was riding in the rain at night, and that was ok except for not being able to see anything with water on my glasses. Riding without glasses also not fun. So I need something like this.
How does your carbon version compare to the salamander, and how difficult was it to make this?

 

[IyhelM]

To cope with rain, the best least bad clothes I found (after spending hundredths of € in various jackets) are Kamleika jacket and pants from OMM.
The problem is that most rain gear is designed to handle rain coming from above, not from « behind ».
Kamleikas will not spare you the damp feeling but you actually stay dry underneath - at least after the 3 last hours of a 200k brevet under moderate to heavy rain.
Drawbacks: it’s costly, it’s made in China and to maintain waterproofing you’ll need to wash it with special products that are probably not that much eco-friendly.

For gloves, neoprene ones are fine if it’s not too warm.

And I know it does not look good but fenders do help.

 

[Mathew Fy]

How does your carbon version compare to the salamander, and how difficult was it to make this?

The carbon fiber is definitely lighter, and probably more aero. I see little penalty on my CdA compared to my Giro Vanquish. The downside is that it's not adjustable.
I first made templates using paper board and taped them to the helmet to make sure it worked. It's a two-piece design with the hidden tabs glued together. The brim part is two layers thick. One layer would work okay, but might break easily during handling.
It's important to keep the front of the brim low, just a little over the horizon. Otherwise air can try to lift the helmet off your head.
Photo below is the Salamander brim on a North Carolina Mountains to Coast ride. I still got some rain bouncing off my face onto my glasses, but it wasn't bad.

Side note: the rain gear served to keep me warmer, not dry. I think water entered the helmet, ran down my neck, and went under the jacket. The arms would fill with water that would pour down anytime I lifted my arms. A Buff (or similar) covering the chin and cheeks is useful if there's a stinging rain, but you can't breathe through it when it's wet.

 

[Damien]

Thanks for the tip with the visor. I might DIY something like that from thin, flexible plastic. Or maybe a sports cap with a long visor instead of the traditional cycling cap will work. I’ll try it out. As for the jacket, I think a short cycling rain jacket won’t cut it – something longer in the front with a good waterproof zipper would be better. I need to test it. Hopefully, I’ll manage to do that before heading out on a rainy brevet. Unfortunately, even the best gear sometimes has weak spots, and they become apparent in heavy downpours. After this ride, only my head was dry.

 

[JerseyJim]

The absolute best rain jacket I have ever used is a GoreTex Shakedry jacket. It is super light, packs away small, and it sheds water like nothing I've ever seen. It also keeps out the wind and is perfect to keep you warm on those days where you might wear an additional layer but you're afraid you'll overheat if you do.

Unfortunately, this material is not being made anymore due to environmental issues. GoreTex has a replacement but it's not as good. If you can find old stock or a used Shakedry jacket it's worth it.

I was lucky enough to receive one as a gift. They are expensive and I admit I wouldn't have spent that kind of money on a jacket, but having used it, I can 100% say it's worth every penny. Knowing what I know now, I'd shell out for one without hesitation.

 

[bhave]

I commute year-round. I prefer my Q45 in strong headwinds over my upright bike. The aerodynamic position makes for a better ride. But if headwinds are above 40 kph with temperatures below -9C. I will skip the ride. I ride with flat pedals, hiking boots, and regular raingear. It's bulky, but I prefer to be dry.

 

[Karl42]

I use the "Endure GORE-TEX Jacket" from gorewear.com. It has a hood that goes over the helmet, and that keeps out the water quite well.

 

[LarryOz]

I found that wearing rain gear while riding is a waste of money. I wore some in Sweden, but I found that I was wet from sweating - so it does not really keep you dry - it just traps in the moisture. Best was to wear some appropriate outerwear that can keep you at the temp you want

 

[Damien]

I found that wearing rain gear while riding is a waste of money. I wore some in Sweden, but I found that I was wet from sweating - so it does not really keep you dry - it just traps in the moisture. Best was to wear some appropriate outerwear that can keep you at the temp you want

Maybe not in all cases, but mostly—agreed. A good jacket can help you withstand moderate rain. However, when you're riding for many hours, water usually finds a way to get you wet. I’m still looking for good, truly waterproof shoe covers. All my attempts so far have been failures. I'm also disappointed with all the waterproof socks I’ve bought. They usually work—but only the first time.

This Gore-Tex jacket looks fantastic—thanks, @Karl42 , for the recommendation. I’m curious to see how my current jacket will perform on a recumbent bike. I have a JMP (Polish brand) jacket made from top-quality materials from Japan. The fabric has excellent specifications, but in the first version, they made a poor design choice by adding two no-waterproof zippers on the back for reaching the pockets in a cycling jersey. In heavy rain, this becomes a highway for water. They removed these zippers in the latest version. On a recumbent bike, the zippers should be covered—I'll test it.

Do you have any good recommendations for waterproof cycling gloves? I’ve tested some but without success. Currently, I have these (100% brand):
https://100percent.eu/products/hydromatic-gloves-black?_pos=14&_sid=355332c98&_ss=r, and I feel like it's some kind of scam. They provide zero protection—totally useless.

 

[IyhelM]

The problem, generally speaking, with wp gear is that despite marketing numbers it is not so breathable so you end up bathing in your sweat.

For shoe covers, I favor thick neoprene ones, they’re not really waterproof but they keep the warmth; as you can imagine feet are very much exposed on a recumbent, keeping them warm is a priority.

 

[Karl42]

Do you have any good recommendations for waterproof cycling gloves? I’ve tested some but without success. Currently, I have these (100% brand):
https://100percent.eu/products/hydromatic-gloves-black?_pos=14&_sid=355332c98&_ss=r, and I feel like it's some kind of scam. They provide zero protection—totally useless.

On long rides in the rain you are not going to stay dry no matter what. As others here have said, the objective is simply to stay warm. I have gloves from Gore Bikewear, but in practice I almost never use them except in winter because I find them too warm and sweaty. What I actually do use in the rain are some thin unpadded gloves that are not waterproof at all by keep my hands warm enough.

 

[Flying Dutchman]

For shoe covers, I favor thick neoprene ones, they’re not really waterproof but they keep the warmth; as you can imagine feet are very much exposed on a recumbent, keeping them warm is a priority.

My experience with shoe covers is that they don't last long (because of the enormous cleat hole at the bottom) and don't give the protection they intend to. My solution: winter boots:
Northwave Celsius R GTX https://www.northwave.com/en/8-road/s-2/season-autumn_winter
Not cheap but totally worth it.

 

[Damien]

My experience with shoe covers is that they don't last long (because of the enormous cleat hole at the bottom) and don't give the protection they intend to. My solution: winter boots:
Northwave Celsius R GTX https://www.northwave.com/en/8-road/s-2/season-autumn_winter
Not cheap but totally worth it.

From autum to spring this can be solution but not for summer. Thanks for idea. Neoprene covers I using during cold days. Works fine but they do't provide water protection.

 

[CruzinCambridge]

I've done a 600 almost entirely in the rain. Waterproof socks. Water proof gloves. Rain jacket. They work well for about 2 hours. Warmth and comfort is the key. Recumbent specific hacks... I have a Thor carbon seat and I drilled a hole in the seat pan so it can drain. Don't need to add diaper rash to the list of discomforts on a long endurance event. Important for super hot days too. Between the carbon seat and a bachetta brainbag, I was protected from spray from the rear wheel, but I recommend using a fender on the front wheel. It's not so much about staying dry as keeping the sting of the spray and grit off of you. I've ridden without the brainbag in the rain and the spray on the back of the neck wasn't comfortable. Rain in the face is another issue... we had a big 10 mile climb followed by a 15 mile descent in the middle of the ride in the rain. I pulled out my "buff" to protect my neck and face for the descent. As someone mentions, not great for breathing through while wet... but you can pull it up to your nose and over your cheeks... and you don't need to breath heavily on a descent when the pelting is at its worst.