My Marmot rain jacket has a hood that comfortably fits over my helmet AND, at the same time, you can close the opening so that most of your face is protected from driving rain. You can get it in bright orange. It also zips open under your arm pits for ventilation. I find these vents to be very effective AND they do not admit rain. In an emergency, I once protected my feet by wearing non-cotton socks covered with plastic produce bags. I wore these with open sandals. I stuffed the bags up inside the ankle cuffs of my rain pants. The plastic bags didn't breathe, but my feet were warm and comfortable.
Nobody mentioned the Rainlegs. Cool product. Maybe not the prettiest, but it's easier to put on than a full pair of rain trousers. They only cover up your lap and the upwards facing part of the thigh and knee. I use them for winter commuting, not only in the (light) rain, but also against cold as it blocks out the wind too.
Things have changed so much since I started touring as a teenager in the early '70s. Back then it was a genuine US Army surplus poncho covering me and my handlebar bag. It flapped horribly in the wind, and I sweated profusely underneath it. We are so fortunate today to have the high-tech fabrics that are available to us. I now use a Showers Pass lightweight jacket that keeps the rain out, yet lets the sweat out at the same time. What a pleasure.
Ortieb panniers are really the best. With a simple release mechanism and roll top for waterproofing. Worth the extra bucks, especially if you liked your handlebar bag that much.
A very important waterproofing item is a fender set. I like Portland Design but there are several good fender manufacturers. As to panniers, I have been using Arkel panniers for over 20 years without a failure of any kind. I normally tour for over 4 months every year in all seasons. Arkels are not a big "bucket" but rather a well designed touring bag set. Outside pockets allow for access to "on the road" needs while protecting water sensitive items from the elements. They are side loading, so when open they are not forming a funnel for the rain to follow. I have never had wet item that was stored in the main packing area. Last their attachment system is amazing. I have shipped my bike on planes with the panniers attached several times and the bags stay attached. On the note of panniers, you might have a serious look at balancing your bike load by adding front bags. You will achieve better handling, better braking. and better a stress load on your bike.
Thank you so much William! I was leaning towards ortlieb but after hearing so many good things about Arkels, I may go that direction! And yes, some new girl bags should help balance me out a little next tour :) thank you so much for sharing your experience!
I have been using Ortlieb Pannier for years. Nothing inside has gotten a drop of water. Carry a laptop and other electronics on commute. Easy to put on or off. Thanks for the video. Will check the socks out.
I second this. Arkel panniers. Waterproof AND a Canadian brand. The cam-lock system has never let me down. Fully adjustable and will fit a wide variety of racks. I ride with Orcas and just go the Dolphins. Both waterproof.
@@WheelsonaBike When I tour I use the Dolphins 48 (the second side pocket is a killer feature for touring) but on a daily basis I have one of the Arkel shopping pannier and Urban panniers which I prefer for grocery shopping as it is bigger and has a roll top to keep the water out.
Excellent tips! I have to look into the waterproof socks, I'm always on a fence about their effectiveness, but yours is yet another testimony to how effective they are. I'm a big pit zip fan on all my riding jackets, including my winter jacket (a snowboarding jacket). Having that added point of ventilation is a game-changer for me. I replied to someone else's comment re: panniers. I ride with Arkel panniers - Orcas and Dolphins. They are fully waterproof and the attachment system is amazing.
I totally felt the same about waterproof socks! I need to test them for longer to see their longevity but so far I am a big fan! And thank you so much for seconding the Arkels bags - I’m going to watch your pannier video now!
No you need pit zips for ventilation. No hood. If want a head cover then get one that attaches to your helmet with a neck flap. The over pants have zips on the sides with an over flap which I wear over civilian clothes. The bottom has a elastic snap closure so nothing loose. I have always struggled with shoe covers where I stopped using them. A solid tip from a local outdoor store which came from Patagonia, dry your gortex type gear in a drier because its' life of being waterproof will last longer. The best cycling touring jacket I ever own was a M.E.C. Bernoulli Jacket. I spent three weeks cycling in Scotland where I had three sunny days and the rest of the time it rained. I never felt clammy or wet. It had a vent over the rear pocket and stiff cuffs and pit zips. Sadly they stopped producing it a long time ago and they were quite expensive. When I tour I wear tights where the front is covered with a breathable waterproof layer. When I did Scotland I had Sugoi Entrant Extremes. I wore them to death cycling and cross-country skiing. In the winter I wear insulated waterproof cycling gloves but I have found that none of them never last long. My current pair are made my Sugoi. I typically wear full fingered gloves as they protect them from the sun (if you cycle in places like New Zealand this is super important) and maintain their grip when my hands get wet (sweat or rain) as I have twist shifters on Rohloffs. I do have the ultimate rain system now that unfortunately most people cannot use. I have a Veltop on my tadpole trike. I have done a couple of big tours as my bigest problem is that most rain gear is not made for recumbents. For socks and underlayers I have long ago switched over to wearing merino. On tour I wear a brightly colour jacket with a merino zip-t, tights and cold days I will add merino longs, merino socks and full fingered gloves.
Thank you for sharing all your experience! So helpful to hear!! And that is such a good point about recumbents - I’m glad you were able to find something that worked in the end 😊
Hi, i really love your videos, im thinking alot about bike touring and doing wild camping through europe, im from Portugal, and my goal is the pyrenees, (sorry if my english isn´t the best) its my first time doing it !!! And i also will bring my experience in video for youtube
Thanks for this amazing video! Another problem with shoe covers I'm having all the time is that they are not realliy designed for walking, especially when you wear bike shoes... don't get me wrong, I also use shoe covers but after 2 to 3 years they're ripped in the front because of the walking in it you normally do even on a bike journey...
Ugh you are so right! Mine are still doing okay after a couple of tours but I've had to push my bike a lot lately in the mountains so we'll see how they are after this!
Hello! thank you so much for the vid! if you don't mind me asking, what's the specific brand of the rain pants? I went on decathlon and couldn't find the pair you had but Im curious to see if the specific brand is on the tag!
Nothing is really waterproof unfortunately. If it is a real downpour I will wear a light rain jacket under my heavy duty rain jacket. (Yes, I carry two) . I use Ortlieb panniers which are good but I am on my second set, wore out the first. I have several "waterproof" gloves and as you pointed out keeping the wind out is key to comfortable hands.
I'm gradually coming around to a jacket, at first I was thinking cape/poncho, but I think a jacket might be more practical for bike touring. Do you use the same gear in warm weather?
I love that capes reduce the amount of seams, but I like being able to undo my zipper when the rain eases up and then zip it back up when the rain pick up again. I use the same in warm weather - I run pretty cold and so far I’ve found that with the chill of the rain I’m never too hot - but I haven’t ridden anywhere suuuuper humid yet so I may change my tune 😂
@@SheelaghDaly Thanks for getting back to me. For my legs I have light weight ex army trousers, they are very comfortable and dry really quickly. (I really hate waterproof trousers) Just need to decide what to do about my feet.
I took a rain jacket on my EV6 &15 ride, I found it to be too hot. I also took a orange poncho, for rain while riding hard, the poncho was better for me. It also served as a bike cover when I had to park the bike outside. I never used my rain pants. They were okay for keeping me warm off the bike but too hot on the bike.
