Cycling under the rain

[cwah]

I came back home today under the rain and I FELT SOOO MISERABLE!!!

Previously I tried a cycle umbrella and it was NOT WORKING due to the speed:
[video=youtube;IsuMaH6cGBA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsuMaH6cGBA[/video]


But I've seen full bike cover that might make sense:
Electrical Bicycle Rain Awning Electric Bike Cover Sunproof Platform - Buy Bicycle Rain Awning,Bicycle Rain Cover,Rain Cover For Electrical Bicycle Product on Alibaba.com
Scaphotrapezial electric bicycle awning sun protection umbrella rain shed sun shading awning-inTents from Sports & Entertainment on Aliexpress.com
Cloud 3 awning new arrival folding electric bicycle sun shelter umbrella awning canopy rain gear-inOther Sports & Entertainment Products from Sports & Entertainment on Aliexpress.com

Any thought of which one of these may work best?

 

[peerjay56]

I came back home today under the rain and I FELT SOOO MISERABLE!!!

Previously I tried a cycle umbrella and it was NOT WORKING due to the speed:

But I've seen full bike cover that might make sense:
Electrical Bicycle Rain Awning Electric Bike Cover Sunproof Platform - Buy Bicycle Rain Awning,Bicycle Rain Cover,Rain Cover For Electrical Bicycle Product on Alibaba.com
Scaphotrapezial electric bicycle awning sun protection umbrella rain shed sun shading awning-inTents from Sports & Entertainment on Aliexpress.com
Cloud 3 awning new arrival folding electric bicycle sun shelter umbrella awning canopy rain gear-inOther Sports & Entertainment Products from Sports & Entertainment on Aliexpress.com

Any thought of which one of these may work best?

I think I'd rather wear waterproofs! At least they would keep you warm too (based on the fact that more often than not, rain = cold, at least here in northern England )

 

[Deleted member 4366]

When i visited China recently, nearly everybody wore a cape when it rained.

 

[eHomer]

I'm with the Trad cycle cape supporters on this !

One of the fairly rare instances where something to do with cycling from a bygone age has never been bettered (IMHO).

Fifty years ago I used to cycle a heavy trade bike through all weathers with crates of Beer and Schweppes on the front.

A simple cycle cape was 100% practical. Completely waterproof, fully open underneath so minimal sweating, even before exotic fabrics like gore-tex was invented !

It was very similar to the Chinamen in the red cape in Dave's pic.


The umbrella bike might have some fun in it on a hard beach though, it could be angled like a Spinnaker....

 

[Gringo]

I'm quite new to this forum and have just been through most of the last 11 pages of posts.
If the problem is how to avoid getting wet when cycling in London, I think your all missing an obvious solution, ride inbetween the trains on the underground

 

[cwah]

Aahhh... I hate raincoat.

It also doesn't protect the face from rain and my face gets all wet...

Is it possible to ride between the train? Lol

 

[eHomer]

Aahhh... I hate raincoat.

It also doesn't protect the face from rain and my face gets all wet...

Is it possible to ride between the train? Lol

I knew I'd seen it somewhere....

 

[superDove]

If it's light rain, man up and enjoy. If it's heavy rain with poor visibility and generally poor cycling conditions then it's going to be safer and more comfortable to go multi-modal. Of course a lighter Bike makes this easier. I don't know how you carry your bike Cwah. My vanilla M6L is heavy enough on the tube for me to think about swapping it for a M2L-X (maybe with a double chainring with a bailout gear), let alone with your motor and battery.

 

[cwah]

Titanium brompton is obviously the lightest, but this is also a premium I can't really afford. Especially when it's only 1 kg difference..

My thought for multi-modal is on the rolling ability. It needs something better than the current easy wheel and be more like a supermarket trolley

 

[Ajax]

I'm with the Trad cycle cape supporters on this !

One of the fairly rare instances where something to do with cycling from a bygone age has never been bettered (IMHO).

Fifty years ago I used to cycle a heavy trade bike through all weathers with crates of Beer and Schweppes on the front.

A simple cycle cape was 100% practical. Completely waterproof, fully open underneath so minimal sweating, even before exotic fabrics like gore-tex was invented !

The trouble with those cycle capes, is you'll still need water proof trousers. On the other hand
you could try..

Lightweight 2 Piece Rain Suit - Jacket & Jackets - Unisex | eBay

Its light enough to stash in a rucksack, and probably the same size of that cycle cape.

 

[Streethawk]

And the trouble with basic waterproofs is they don't allow your sweat to escape and seem to promote condensation as soon as you generate some body heat inside them. You end up wet inside, despite them not leaking. High end breathables are a little better, but they still suffer from this effect.

 

[flecc]

The trouble with those cycle capes, is you'll still need water proof trousers

The best sort of cycle capes don't have that problem, they sit right over the handlebars and hang down a little towards the front wheel. At bike speeds trousers stay dry and you stay cool:

 

[Deleted member 4366]

That's right. You should try one Alex.Much better than waterproofs, but no good for going fast in a gale - except in one direction.

 

[superDove]

I'm guessing that the cycle capes that work best are of the heavier fabric and therefore less influenced by high winds? Would love to use one for the simplicity, durability and ventilation but can't make the leap from full waterproofs, just can't get my head around creating any more wind resistance for cycling than you need to.

I'm looking at the new Pertex Shield fabric garments by Montane and Rab as my summer waterproofs for cycling and hiking. Unbelievably lightweight fabric, will need looking after though. I'm trying to make all my kit as light as possible so I can always have it with me. Would also love to do some touring /Bike packing one day soon.

Cwah, if you don't like the rain in your face, have you tried wearing a baseball cap, cycling cap or a visor under the hood of your waterproof jacket? Would of course work with a cape hood.

 

[superDove]

And the trouble with basic waterproofs is they don't allow your sweat to escape and seem to promote condensation as soon as you generate some body heat inside them. You end up wet inside, despite them not leaking. High end breathables are a little better, but they still suffer from this effect.

Cwah, How much are you pedalling when it rains versus using throttle? Is it enough to get condensation on the inside of your waterproofs, if so this can make it really uncomfortable because a lot of the time when we stop this makes us cold as well.

 

[MikeyBikey]

Cape (& Baseball cap) probably best but lot of wind drag, the bane of upright cycling.
A jacket and chaps of waterproof parasail-like sections and ventilating mesh sides would go partway. The wind-inflating sections might however make one look like a Michelin man advert and with mesh might seem..ahh..like a cartoon hero outfit ;-) to put it mildly!
Helmet of overlapping , louvered sections would keep off rain, ventilate, and even fold, front louvre would form full peak.

 

[cwah]

Cwah, How much are you pedalling when it rains versus using throttle? Is it enough to get condensation on the inside of your waterproofs, if so this can make it really uncomfortable because a lot of the time when we stop this makes us cold as well.

I never pedale unless I have no batteries. So when it rains I transform myself into cocoon mode and go slowly home....

 

[superDove]

Did you get anywhere with this Cwah?


Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[cwah]

No, not yet. Haven't solved the rain issue :/

 

[timidtom]

No, not yet. Haven't solved the rain issue :/

Find a cake shop and wait till the rain stops? Works for me!
Tom