Alligator

I have a rain jacket and pants, but fully expect to get wet during my 45 minute commute. I'll keep a change of clothes at work.

However, I haven't figured out what to do about my shoes. Wear a pair that will get soaked? If so, how do you dry them fast so you are not wearing wet shoes on the next commute? Shoe covers seem kind of pointless, but maybe that's what people do?

Any other advice for the rain?

wphamilton

Only one thing has ever worked for me to keep my shoes completely dry. I use the shoe covers, but a heavy rain soaks through them and around the edges, so I wear plastic bags underneath them, which does work 100%.

For the rest, if it's warm I wear (loose) swim trunks and get soaked

dabac

It's not about keeping dry, its about keeping warm.
I don't like shoe covers much. The tiniest bit of regular walking tends to kill them off disappointingly fast.
After awhile, water tend to run down your legs and into your shoes anyhow.
When it rains, I prefer to use My neoprene lined winter boots instead. Possibly with neoprene socks.
Moderate rain, I prefer clothes with waterproof panels front, and more ventilation to the rear. Rain chaps, vests with mesh backs etc.
A helmet cover to keep some from running down My neck.
Bar mitts/pogies are nice too.

79pmooney

With all our wildfires here in Oregon, I think we would "handle" the rain by stripping off our clothes, standing in the downpour and offering up thanks.

And to get serious - #1, fenders. They keep you and the bike clean, save work and make the ride far more pleasant. Put on full length fenders with a deep front flap. I pull the toy flaps off the Planet Bike fenders and make my own deep ones. That good, deep flap stops as much dirty water as the rest of your two fenders.

I commute in cycling shoes and keep work shoes at work. If I couldn't, work shoes would go into my Ortleib panniers. (Ortleibs because the contents stay dry, always. Now others make good waterproof panniers but Ortleib paved the way. They also hold up so well they are a good $$ value. Replacement parts are readily available. (My 18 yo pair is still up to daily use though they are now my seconds. Primaries are 8 years old.)

If sweating is an issue for you, you might want to look at jackets like the Showers Pass. The expensive, lined jackets hold up really well and make great Oregon winter commuter jackets. It will not stuff into jersey pockets; that takes the much lighter and nowhere near as sturdy un-lined jackets. (Both have the "magic" breathable waterproof film. The lined ones protect that film from outside contact so it holds up far longer and those jackets do not have to be handled with care.) Showers Pass is far from the only maker of high quality breathable jackets, but they are designed and made by folks who live in and commute in a rainy city. The details of their jackets are very well thought out. Double zippers. (I won't buy a jacket without.) Well thought out cuff velcro. Zippered underarm vents. Etc.

Ben

fietsbob

It comes in the Winter, here.... LL Bean rubber bottom shoes.. step in moccasins..

Mudguards and a Rain Cape.. or just my Parka if its not that heavy.

Yea waiting for the fire quenching rains here..

mcours2006

+1 for full fenders with mudflaps, especially. Many fenders I've seen neglect this. SKS Longboards have a flat that reaches almost the ground on the front.

Shoe covers will help, but in a heavy downpour you'll still get wet from the water coming down from your legs. I haven't figured out a way to keep the water out of the shoe covers yet, but I do have a dryer at work that I can use to dry the insoles. The shoes I just keep out to air dry. It's not perfect, but better than nothing.

acidfast7

LL Bean top
ALDI rain pants
ADIDAS Nordic Walking Gor-Tex waterproof trainer (sneakers)
ARC'TERYX spear 20 rucksack
Lill Sport XC ski gloves

change in the loo at work

wphamilton

Tuck the plastic bag in over the top of your socks all the way around, underneath the shoe covers, and your shoes will remain dry, guaranteed. You might need a change of socks though.

Kedosto

-High quality, FULL COVERAGE fenders.

-Waterproof panniers, backpack, frame pack... whatever works for you.

-Breathable rain jacket. Remember, sealing out the rain seals in the sweat -- you need something breathable.

-Breathable rain pants. Same reason as above.

-Shoes get wet. Pack some dry socks for your workday and wear 'em on the ride home inside your already wet shoes. Wet shoes? Who cares, you're going home anyway.

-It's a total waste of time, money, and energy to try to stay completely dry while riding in the rain. Accept an amount of wetness you feel comfortable with and go with it. Or, bundle up tight and dry and arrive just as wet, dripping with sweat.


-Kedosto

mcours2006

Usually my shoes get wet from the inside out--i.e. socks get wet, then the rest of the shoe.

Waterproof pants over the shoe covers would do the trick, but then there's the problem of wearing pants.

wphamilton

Don't write it off. Most of what I thought was sweat was actually soaking in down from the ankles, and sealing it off like that is much more tolerable for me than the wet shoes. It's enough better that I'll do it without fail for anything more than a light rain.

I change my socks anyway when I get to work, if I think about it, because they are always a bit damp regardless of the weather.

mcours2006

Something like this might work for me:
https://www.amazon.ca/Sobike-Cycling...+cycling+pants

Putting the cuffs over the shoe covers would solve the problem of wet shoes, in theory.

sweeks

My commute is relatively short: 2.5 miles after I get the folder off the train. I wear a waterproof shell jacket and pants. I used to put straps around the cuffs of the pants to keep them from getting caught in the chain. My shoes, thus exposed, would get soaked by all the water running down my legs.

I realized that since the bike has a chainguard, I didn't need to strap the pants. Once I stopped the strapping, the pants hang down over the shoes and the water runs off without getting into my socks. I've ridden in some pretty heavy downpours and arrived at work dry; haven't had to use my back-up dry socks all year!
Steve

Bizman

When riding in the rain I use Frogg Toggs as a rain suit on my body. I use 2 plastic bags (or more depending on temp) on each foot with 2 rubber bands for each foot to hold the bags in place (I also use flat pedals).

I then put the bottoms of the Frogg Toggs down over the bags. It has worked well and my feet don't sweat nearly like they would if I would put them under my shoes. Recycle the bags after the get "holey" and repeat with new ones!

pdlamb

I presume the OP's question is about cycling shoes, and he or she changes into dry shoes at work.


Fenders help some, but in a downpour, the rain sluices down my calves and into my shoes. Take the insoles out, stuff the shoe full of newspaper. Remove and replace the newspaper after an hour. Then take the newspaper out, put the shoes near the vent of a computer, and they'll be mostly dry (or at least acceptably so) six hours later.

Korina

+12!

ItsJustMe

Learn to embrace being wet. Just like when camping, once you're completely soaked, it's not really bad anymore.

Andy_K 

Note, this doesn't work with online editions!

Seriously though, the newspaper trick is like magic. I don't bother with removing the insoles or putting the shoes next to a vent. I keep a bag of old newspaper in my desk (and a box of it in my garage at home). If your shoes are really soaked, changing the newspaper midday is worthwhile. If the shoes are only moderately wet one stuffing of newspaper should do. Keep the used, wadded up, newspaper in an open plastic bag. It'll be ready to use again in a day or two.

For light rain, I do find that shoe covers and fenders help. Definitely keep a change of shoes in the office if possible.

Also, and IMO much more importantly, wear wool socks. With wool socks you won't mind if your feet are wet. Severely soaked shoes won't dry out in eight hours no matter what you do, but if you have dry wool socks on when you put on the wet shoes, it'll be OK.

Archwhorides 

If it is warm and raining hard:
- merino wool t-shirt
- Goretex Active breathable shell
- Lixado lightweight shoe covers
- wool liner socks

It is is cooler, add Shower's Pass shell pants.

PaulH

Neos overshoes. Good for winter, too.

liampboyle

Right now, I'm fenderless and just have an emergency poncho I throw on when it rains. I need better rain gear myself. I didn't mind so much during the summer (I changed clothes as soon as I got to work) but now that cooler weather is hitting I need to improve my rain readiness.