Trench coat for biking in the rain?
 

Has anyone ever tried biking in a trench coat? I'm thinking this might be a reasonable option for biking in light to moderate rain to keep my thighs dry. I'd certainly want to get a "skirt guard" to prevent the coat from getting caught in the spokes of the rear wheel.

http://i.imgur.com/61tKE5im.png

Depends on how much wind there is and the wind speed can vary by location as well as the intensity of the rainfall. I eventually went with a 2-piece motorcycle rain suit. It has reflective striping sewn in which was great. since I often end up going home at night. Plus if drivers are using their lights. which they should, during daytime hours, I'm more visible.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0018ETWJ2/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1475287574&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=motorcycle%2Brain%2Bsuit&dpPl=1&dpID=41eTa8tOARL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1

Cycle rain cape FTW.. example: https://www.carradice.co.uk/index.ph...&product_id=70

It's all about trade offs, and conditions. This might work for short rides with light winds. But I can see it becoming impractical for longer rides, or if it's windy or even just a bit warm.

Even in the most miserable, coldest November and winter rains, I've given up and adapted to wet legs. I do all I can to keep my torso warm, because that seems to have the biggest effect on me. I try to keep arms dry if it's really cold, but otherwise I don't worry about them.

As for the legs, I wear layers that offer some insulation even when wet, and find that they produce enough heat that I can live with them being cooled.

In fact, I've found that the key isn't to be dry, but to separate the warm water inside from the cold water outside.

Lastly keep in mind, that trench coats aren't designed to resist driving rain. When you ride, the rain blasts against your body driven by your speed (you hit the drops, instead of them hitting you), and I,m not sure a trench coat won't soak through pretty quickly, having ride not only wet, but weighed by a bulky sodden coat.

I Own this one Grunden's Bike Poncho..
Its A Relatively heavy duty material, which keeps it from flapping about.

haven't checked shipping, but here's a steal for somebody - my daughter and I have this Vaude poncho and it covers you and your bars
https://www.blinq.com/detail/clothin...x-large/882961

The traditional bike rain layer is the Hilltrek Ventile
Hilltrek Outdoor Clothing Greenspot Double Ventile® Jacket

If you have a good shell, layering underneath is what you need to keep warm.

Before I started cycling, yes. I had a trench coat with straps that secured it to each leg (presumably for riding a horse or motorcycle). It worked, but...
Now I'd recommend good cycling-specific rain pants such as those made by O2. Ones that aren't meant for cycling tend to fail rapidly in the saddle region.

I've done it. It's not difficult, but to keep your thighs dry you need one with a low button, otherwise it will slip of your thighs. You don't really need coat guards, because you can sit on your coat. Anyway, when closed it won't blow into the spokes very easily, but the coat guards are nice when you're getting a bit hot and you want to ride with the trench coat open. But if you don't do that, a chain guard is probably more useful.

But usually when I wear I trench coat I'm in suit, which makes a mud flap a highly appreciated accessory. Most of the time I ride with an umbrella and in a jacket or < 3/4 coat, also then the mud flap is helpful because with the wind on the umbrella, one hand at the handlebar and lifting your legs off the pedals through puddles is not the way to ride very fast.

This umbrella has a bike option:

Senz

The British know cycling in the wet: Full mudguards & raincape not a flapping sodden trench coat as FB notes.

PS: You'll need a fedora w/ that trench coat if doing a Sam Spade imitation.

-Bandera

or re enacting columbine

I chose a poncho over a long coat for the ease of riding the bike. It's state of the art, reflective, waterproof, and stays well vented in warm wet weather.

https://www.cleverhood.com/shop/rain...c-houndstooth/

Hopefully, the original poster has it all figured out by now.
I tried a rain cape early on. It is the bicycling equivalent of an umbrella. Meaning that if you go slow and it's not windy and you have fenders, it works great. If it's windy or you try to ride fast or don't have fenders, then not so good, and you're going to get wet.
Reading of the British cycling experience mentioned above, I wonder if perhaps they don't have more rain and less wind than in some other places, which would shift the preference around.

I have ridden all over and live in the Pacific NW so I know about rain and wind. The Cleverhood has arm openings with magnetic closures that work well allowing me to ride in heavy winds without being pushed around (too much). Most of the time I wear something else underneath for temperature and rain (whatever I was wearing before I pulled out the Cleverhood) that keeps my arms dry. A few self-placed strategic magnets let me keep it from flapping in any wind yet. Being highly reflective is also a great bonus in low visibility. Ride safe, and dry.

By contrast I routinely use rain capes in rain and unless there is a typhoon level downpour I don't get much wet anywhere. However, there are no fenderless bikes in my household and I can't even count how many there are, 10+ or something. These bikes are meant to be practical means of everyday transportation and weather is variable in our area.

Concerning the original, by now rhetorical, question, in the countries where bikes are widely used in everyday life, people tend to use anything at hand for rain, when in need, including umbrellas and coats. Those who must ride no matter what, commuting or working on a bike, end up using dedicated attire which tends to be also widely available in those countries. Skirt guards tend to be available there too. In fulfilling my family's requests I found it, though, notoriously hard to find a skirt guard fitting a particular bike with the situation being somewhat similar to that with chainguards.

A duster. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duster_(clothing) I've worn mine while riding but I really prefer my hooded raincoat and rain pants on the bike.

Really a worthy post, as seen by your link. Ahhhhhhhh, thanks? Cowboys wore duster on horse because they don't have spokes or wheels to get tangled in.

Keeping the duster buttoned fully seemed keep the flaps out of my spokes but then I'm pretty tall. Might not work for everyone but as I said it wasn't an improvement on rain pants and a rain coat.

I just keep thinking of the bathroom trench coat scene in High Anxiety.

Ok, so we have riding in the Arctic, in winter, covered.

Another vote for the vaude rain cape. The open bottom keeps you cool and dry...water proof jackets end up as wet inside as outside with even moderate pedaling effort. Also it self-stores into it's front kangaroo pocket, so it is easy to keep in the pannier for unexpected showers.

The aerodynamics are pretty poor, so it is not ideal for wind+rain, but at least you are dry while you fight the wind.

Unfortunately most European brands such as Vaude are hard to find here in the US. I actually tried the cheap IKEA poncho/cape this weekend. I did not initially purchase it for the bike but used it on my last vacation for hiking. Not perfect but it is light enough to keep it wrapped around the handlebars since there are no loops for the fingers. It kept me dry for quite a while. Unfortunately there is no strap to keep the rear end down in the wind. But I my find a solution here. Anyhow for an $7 poncho it is not bad. I just wish they would sell one in more of a bright safety color.
KNALLA Rain poncho - black - IKEA

In my vague memory they had more colors at our local Ikea. In any case you can find Knalla patterned in red on Ebay.

I picked up an Australian Oilskin duster at a garage sale for rain riding. The coat itself seems to be made out of an infinite amount of fabric and can be kind of intimidating to put on, but once you button down all of the straps (it has straps on the interior to loop around one's thighs) it stays on well and provides a lot of rain protection. I kind of wish it had a proper hood though, it just has one giant cowl. I've never taken it on a very long ride either. For $20 it was a good investment.

Marmot rain pants and super light rain jacket. Designed to hike in inclement weather conditions, works great on a bike. Slip pants over merino wool leggings or cycling pants, and put the jacket on over a merino wool jersey. Warm, breathable, dry. Rolls up small, too. No problems with wind. Now if I could just find a way to keep the damned rain off my glasses...