6.01.2012

Do You Need a Rain Jacket?

Same location and same time as the bright blue photo from Monday. But today it was raining pretty good the entire commute. My rain jacket was nowhere to be found this morning. So I just wore a Prana long sleeve shirt to deflect a little of the wind.

Here's my thoughts on rain jackets: They're not really breathable, no matter how nice it is. When I wear a rain jacket, I'm warm at the beginning of the ride and dripping with sweat by the end of it. When I don't wear one (like today) I'm chilly at the beginning of the ride but I warm up just fine by the end of it. So there is really only one question... Would you rather be a little chilly on the first half of the ride or a little overheated on the second half? If you don't have a rain jacket, go with the first option. That way, you'll still be riding.

For me, I've got the jacket. I make the decision based on the length of the ride and the temps outside. Today it was mid-60's. That's plenty warm enough to keep me going without a jacket. And most of the time, I don't wear it. I would much rather be too cold than too hot.

I'm not sure why I'm sharing this. I think it's to get some of  you to try riding in the rain. You don't need a ton of equipment. Just go for it. It does some damage to your bike, but I'll help you fix it. Just ride.

Get out there.

5 comments:

  1. I hate rain jackets because of the sweat factor. If it's hot I gut it out without a coat., though I would wear one if it's less than 70F. Cold rain is what wears me down.

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  2. @ anniebikes - I'm probably at the 55 degree mark for when I wear a jacket. But, like I said, I'm warm blooded.

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  3. Question to biker: What do you do on rainy days?

    Answer by biker: I get wet.

    Always followed by a long pause.

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