DIY masochist

I am a hearing aid user, and I get very worried when I get caught out in the rain on my bike. I have a Patagonia stretch rainshadow jacket that works to a point, but it wets through very fast. I can't trust it to keep my head dry in heavy rain, and it is really not as breathable as it claims to be, so I usually end up sweaty AND wet when I wear it cycling. I've tried cheap plastic ponchos, which keep the rain out, but are even less breathable and generally don't have a cinch to tighten the front of the hood, which means that water could get in from the front. A few very desperate times, I've put a plastic shopping bag underneath my helmet and tied it under my chin. I feel like there must be a better way.

Some things I have been pondering:

• Are there any portable options for something that I could keep in my seat bag to cover my head in an emergency?
• Why don't cycling jackets have hoods?
• Is "breathable waterproof" an oxymoron?

PS, I know there is an adaptive cycling forum, but I figured this would get more views if I posted it here. There must be someone else out there that doesn't like to get their head wet when riding in the rain!

Baboo

fietsbob

Cycling jackets don't have hoods because you have a bike helmet, on your head.
Get a helmet rain cover.

and with a hood attached, turning your head inside the hood won't help you see behind you,
a separate one will turn with your head...

a cycling rain cape gives coverage, over your arms and thus, feet,
and can use waterproof fabrics,
because they have airflow ventilation on the underside..

but the speed you ride will be slower, not racing..




....

DIY masochist

What kind of jacket? And how severe is your hearing loss if you don't mind me asking? Mine is moderate to severe, so I wear the aids all the time and heavily rely on them. I feel like not wearing them on my bike would really negatively impact my safety, hence the question about trying to find a way to wear them and have them protected while riding. Thanks for replying!

Baboo

PaulRivers

Showers Pass makes a lot of waterproof breathable jackets, here's one with a hood built in:
https://www.showerspass.com/collecti...-refuge-jacket

Keep in mind that "waterproof breathable" typically means:
- You can ride at full effort at 50f and colder
- Warmer temps than that require biking less strenously, the warmer it gets the easier it is to overwhelm the breathability of the jacket

1nterceptor

Don't hoods block some of your periphery/side view?

Maybe?: Da Brim :: Products :: Cycling :: Classic

Eds0123

Hair Shower Cap?

bigbenaugust 

I moved to a humid climate and quit riding with my hearing aids altogether. But then, I only have unilateral hearing loss, so it's not really essential.

BobbyG

Clever! (and cheap!)

Google "plastic rain bonnet". It looks like there are a few main designs, and one recurring design seems to have a strap that goes in front of the ear. I don't really know, but they can't be too expensive.

srestrepo

Not to be nosy but, what type of hearing aids are they? Do they go in your ears or are they like those implants (cochlear I believe) that are just behind the ear?

I would say if they're in your ear, probably best to get a good jacket that has two cords of adjustability in the hood. One to cinch down in the face and the other to pull the edges of the hood back to maintain peripheral vision. I think this might be called a storm hood.

otherwise, I keep a cycling cap that keeps the rain off of my face, but I'd try and find a cycling cap that is waterproof or at least offers some coverage over the ears. The only ones I've seen like that are winter style caps from Giro which you might wanna check out if interested. Good luck!

phughes

My cycling jacket has a hood, that fits over my helmet...

DIY masochist

They're behind the ear hearing aids. The part that goes into my actual ear canal is just molded plastic, but the electronics are all up behind my ear.

I like the plastic bonnet idea. Maybe I could roll one of those up and keep it in my seat bag...

And on the breathability thing... Even if I commute down into the mid 30s F, I still end up taking the rain jacket off because I'm heating up too much. I usually end up just starting cold in a t shirt, that way I make it to work barely sweaty at all, no matter how hard I ride.

FBOATSB

I wear over the ear aids and your audiologist should be taking care of this for you. Lots of products like this out there. Putting plastic bags over your head is just going to make your head sweat and run down right behind your ears. I take my aids out and put them in a pocket case if in the rain even for a short time. I've burned them before in just a couple minutes. YMMV
https://www.gearforears.com
ABOUT - Protect your hearing aid from the damaging effects of moisture, dust & dirt - Plus, extend your battery life too with the ORIGINAL Hearing Aid Sweat Band?

Aubergine 

srestrepo

i feel for you on this problem. i tried to come up with a solution that was decent after you answered but i came up short.

sorry, but keep me posted, i'm curious to see what ends up being the end result for you.

DIY masochist

I was looking at the plastic bonnet and the shower cap comments, thinking "if only there was something like this but tight and stretchy so it could go underneath my helmet without a hassle." Then I had an idea. What about a swim cap? It looks like certain ones go partially or completely over the ears, which would be perfect. I might try to find a sports store and grab one. I'll let you know how it goes next time I get caught in the rain.

bigbenaugust 

Call me crazy, but wouldn't the cap covering the ears invalidate the wearing of hearing aids?

DIY masochist

I doubt it will be thick enough to block out all the sound, but we shall see.

BobbyG

Clever!

frogman

I also wear hearing aids, over the ear type. The rain bonnet idea looks good to me. Maybe we can find one or have one made by our better half :-)
that uses GoreTex fabric like water proof cycling clothes use. Then it would block the rain and also breath. Just thinking.............

NewATBikeComute

I have behind the ear aids myself, sweat a lot, and have trouble keeping them clean and dry.

Ironically, was in Costco (where I purchased my aids), and ended up buying a 'drying box'. It's a small box with both UV and heat that runs a 30 minute disinfect / drying cycle. There may be other brands, this one is a "PerfectDry Lux", and cost $40. Powered by a microUSB cable and adapter, identical to a phone charger.

Used it last night for the first time, so no long term report yet.

acidfast7

See, my new thread.

I'll be walking my child to nursery in the rain (1-1.5mi and then cycling into work from there ... another 1-1.5mi). So I picked up a jacket that will tolerate the wet rain both while pushing the pram/buggy and while cycling in afterward.

Can't wait to get some use of it.

https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting...l#post20544794

alan s 

N2deep

I put mine in a baggie if it starts to rain or it's too humid and that's only if I decide to wear them at all. It's difficult to hear conversations in the best of conditions and when you add in the wind and background noise of a ride hearing is impossible. I've thought about the cochlear implants, but they are not perfect either, carve out voids for the implants/mechanisms in your helmet, etc.....

Being deaf has its perks and difficulties, as a rider you need to be extremely aware of your surroundings, be a great defensive rider and flexible enough to see what's is behind you when riding.

Moral to the story, why risk the hearing aids at 2K a pop.