cbike

I'm going to ride the Oregon coast line this August for 4 days (camping 5 nights). Starting near Astoria going south however far it gets me. Maybe 60 miles a day but am quite flexible since I will be riding a Brompton folder (M6R with reduced gearing) and anticipate some hills.

Since I need to pack quite light I wanted to check on what clothing people are wearing while cycling the Oregon coast. I can't really afford to take extra unused clothing along. From the weather forecast it will be most likely wet and cool. But I'm having a hard time remembering what these temperature feels like with temperatures well above 90 degrees and no rain.

I'm thinking of two sets of clothing, one I wear and one I carry. Maybe something like this:
- nylon long sleeve button down shirt
- long sleeve base layer shirt (wool mid-weight or light-weight)
- nylon long pants
- long underwear (wool mid-weight or light-weight)
- regular 40/60 blend socks from big box store or wool
- rain coat
- rain pants
With a couple of extra socks. The nylon pants and shirts are easy to wash and quick to dry that's why I like them but don't offer much warmth. So I'm not sure how much sense these make on this trip. I also have some bicycle specific lycra clothing but they are all short and I rarely wear that for bicycling anyway. I'm thinking of taking the Chaco sandals along with my sports shoes (trail runners) that I wear usually.

Any tips form rider that have experienced the Oregon coast is greatly appreciated. Also, do you think it's OK not to carry food and eat along the way while staying in the state parks?

Newspaperguy

I can't speak to cycling Oregon specifically, but I've done tours in cool and wet weather in British Columbia, so I hope you can draw something from my suggestions.

1. I'd start with the same clothing as I'd use for any other tour, namely shorts, cycling jerseys and socks for cycling. Consider packing a long-sleeved cycling jersey.
2. For warmth, I'd also have a pair of sweat pants and a polar fleece sweater. These are easy to wash and provide warmth on a cool day.
3. For wet weather, I'd add a rain jacket and rain pants.
4. I'd add some wool or acrylic knit socks since they are warm and comfortable.

I've often worn a jacket over a cycling jersey and shorts in cool and wet weather. If I'm wearing the rain pants, I'll soon be wet from sweat because my legs are generating heat while I'm pedaling, so I've found I'm more comfortable with the jacket and bare legs. Of course if it's raining hard and getting cold, then I'll wear the rain pants to add a bit of warmth. It's more important to have the jacket since the upper body will chill faster than the legs when cycling in cool weather.

Cool and wet weather can be an advantage too. I recently did a one-week tour with temperatures close to 40C or 104F on several days. Such heat can drain energy quickly. Cooler temperatures are much more comfortable.

If you're going to be camping along the way, take some time now to ensure your tent is properly sealed and protected. Waking up to a soggy tent and sleeping bag at 3:30 a.m. is not a lot of fun.

Shifty

August is the driest month of the year, and very comfortable temps too, I doubt you'll see much, if any rain. You'll be climbing a fair amount and it will warm up fast as the coast highway goes inland. I'd have a pair of shorts and a couple tee shirts, maybe ditch the long undies. If the nylon pans are zip off pants/shorts all the better. It's summer here too, just not like the mid-west.

AsanaCycles

I also plan on being in Astoria near the middle of August. I've ridden the coast a few times at this time of the year. At some point it usually drizzles at Fort Stevens, if its not actually drizzle, at some point during the early morning the trees collect enough moisture to drip (pretty much like the frequency of rain).

it is usually foggy in the morning.

some type of safety/reflective bright jacket, etc... lights, is smiled upon by local authorities. in the past I've had a comment or two.

typically i just carry 1 set of crocs.

fietsbob

A variety of layers and do changes..

Seems OK now, is cool at morning and night and the air is damp at night
takes a few hours after sunrise to dry ..
fog does not settle in the windy periods.. sun drives the winds

Hot interior air mass,east of the Cascades draws in
cooler moist air off the sea.

summer pattern.. winds out of the NW.

1st week in sept, jet stream still sent upto Ak by High P.

Doug64

The items on your list sound more like an off the bike wardrobe than one for riding. Mornings and evenings are usually cool, and often foggy.

This is my usual wardrobe for most of my coast trips: warm long sleeve jersey, ultra light wind breaker, riding shorts, and long tights for riding. Rain jacket is good for cool evenings and mornings. I sometimes take a short sleeved jersey, but often end up wearing arm warmers with it.

Off the bike I use long zip-off pants, a T-shirt or mid-weight zip-neck base layer. The zip-neck shirt can be worn as an extra layer while riding if needed.

And of course my rain gear

Typical dress for most of my rides on the coast. Sometimes you can actually wear shorts!

cbike

Thanks Doug for your detailed wardrobe. That helps a lot. My list may sound like it's for off bike but I end up dressed differently than most cyclist. I like riding with long pants and shirt and do even in 100 degree weather, then I just make sure it's loose fitting lightweight nylon. That kind of clothing keeps me cooler than shorts and protects me from the sun. I dislike having sun lotion on me as well. Not having lather up on sun lotion is also nice when you can't take a shower at your camp. I also haven't found any added comfort by wearing bicycle shorts so far. So yeah, my outfit on my bicycle tour are quite similar like to my hikes and not just clothing but nearly all the gear I take.



This is what I wore during my Seattle Puget Sound 2.5 day tour. I only encountered a wet road and no rain which is probably quite unusual for that region. Bike was a rental.

AsanaCycles

you might be amazed how much friction (energy) goes on between your clothing and body. especially in the quads/knee.

Doug64

We use the same type of shirt quite often. It is a good all around garment. Based on your preferences, you should do fine with what you listed. As Fietsbob said, "A variety of layers".



Welcome to Oregon, and enjoy your ride.

I am just a little biased, but I think we have the best state parks in the U.S. There are usually grocery stores or restaurants in towns near most state parks. Food can generally be picked up at the end of the day, and does not need to be carried very far. Or you can forget about cooking and just utilize the numerous cafes.

cbike

The ride was great besides the traffic on 101.

I took two sets nylon long sleeve pants, shirt and underwear. Rotated and washed underwear daily. Shirts and pants after two days. So every day there was underwear drying while I rode. The foggy climate doesn't allow any drying overnight. Since I was using wool socks I carried four pairs. Overnight I wore silk long underwear as pajamas as they pack light and compact. At the last minute I decided to take a fleece jacked along and I used it quite a bit. Didn't need the wool base layer shirts (two) or long underwear. I also was lucky again and didn't need to use the rain gear.

I ate out for lunch and most breakfast. Dinner were the freeze dried Mountain House meal supplemented an apple or cucumber. Worked out pretty well.

Six blog post cover this trip starting with https://adventurelaus.blogspot.com/20...hed-coast.html . (click on "Newer Post" to see the next page in sequence)

Again, thanks for your feedback and help.

mdilthey

Glad you had fun! I had a similar experience. I managed to absolutely pare down my clothing to 2 socks, 2 underwear, merino wool pajamas, bike shorts, Under Armour shirt. Nothing extra, completely spartan.

Then I grabbed a fleece jacket at the last minute because it fit in the drybag, and wore it every night to set up camp, lived in it on mountaintops, and used it as a pillow. Favorite piece of clothing and it took up more space than every other item I wore!