Jaytron

What are your must haves for rain riding?

Do you ride fenders only? Do you wear booties or bring extra shoes? What do you do when the rain comes out?

stryper

Front and rear fenders are on all winter. A windbreaker sprayed with scotch guard will give me 30 minutes of waterproof, it's small enough to keep in my bag at all times. Extra pair of clean socks in the bag. Extra shoes in the bag at all times anyways. I have some rain pants I'll wear over regular pants if it's raining when I leave.

I need to work out a good water solution for shoes though so they don't get so wet. Ideas?

max5480

swrve waterproof knickers.
patagonia stretch element jacket.
when under 40º add a sweater and long undies.
wool socks.
fleece gloves.

well i started to describe my winter stuff, but whatever, winter riding is sick

Cyclomania

Bike poncho , hella cheap and it breaths better than Gortex. Clothes below poncho hardly get wet! It has to be bicycle specific though, a regular poncho doesn't cover your handlebars or your back side as well.

With fenders a must!!!

nuhtowel

I don't have fenders, but I do have a spray flap on the back of my seat and one on my frame also, it gets the job done, doesn't look pretty but i would get way too much toe overlap with fenders.

nightfly

Fenders, full ones, make life much better. My Redline 925 came with a set that I figured I'd remove but 3 years later and they've never come off. Makes riding in the rain so much better. Also great after rain and snow when the ground is wet.

I just keep a marmot mica jacket in my bag for rain. It's small and light and does the job although the hood on it sucks for visibility.

Haven't figured out the shoes yet and if it's pouring my crotch still gets wet from spray somehow.

seau grateau

Your shoes will always get wet, but there's a pretty classic ghetto solution for keeping your feet dry: thin sock, plastic bag, thin sock. Saved my life a couple times in the winter.

himespau 

My front and rear fenders are nice, but my rain poncho (and apparently most bike ponchos) are too small for me especially when I lean forward in my usually riding position.

Leukybear 

I can't stand panchos... I rather ride with a white T shirt out in the rain than wear one.

jimmytango

Fenders, spare clothes, small ziplock bags for my phone and wallet.

homebrewk

+infinity

Cyclomania

To each his/her own...
The cool thing about a bicycle poncho versus a regular back packing poncho is that it drapes over your handle bars and has elastic ties to the hands and gives you a natural cooling effect because of all that draft. Besides your person staying dry your hands stay dry and if you have fenders no need to use water proof pants or water proof shoes.You stay dry!
And when you arrive at your location your able to collapse it quite easily in your pannier.

dookie

dry weather!

Nash Deluxe

Full fenders are a must. I used sks chromo-plastics on my rain bike. I use a thinner weatherproof jacket for rain riding. Still haven't figured out what to do with wet feet besides carrying an extra pair of socks and shoes.

hairnet

I'm going from SoCal to Portland Oregon this winter. I iz scared

LesterOfPuppets

Wear a ballcap under it and that'll keep the hood out of your peripherals better.

Another option I go for when I forget a ballcap - cinch down the hood adjusters a bit and tuck the leading edge of the hood behind your ears while. Probably looks really silly but I've done it a couple of times this past week since I haven't gotten into winter mode enough to remember a cap every day.

My Marmot Precip is still able to keep most of my hair dry while being tucked behind my ears.

PluperfectArson

Expect lots of rain.

I don't even ride with fenders when it's raining, bring on the wetness.

Living in Monterey, I haven't really needed rain protection, seeing as I'm usually busy when it's raining. Right now, it's just hot as ****.

hairnet

I'm going to get my touring bike set up for this and I wanted fenders anyway. I just have to waterproof my DIY panniers

Pinkbullet3

Are there any thin waterproof jackets that you guys recommend (preferably cheap)? I suppose you could always fashion one out of large garbage bags...

jdgesus 

u'll love it.

jimmytango

Go to a thrift store and get an old army jacket. Hit it with Thompson's water seal for decks. Done and done.

Leukybear 

Check out north face's hyvent parkas; I was in your exact same shoes and it was perfect for me. Cheap too compared to the more expensive cycling oriented stuff out there.

mkeHENRY

Finisterre Anabatic

I will own one one day. lol.

PluperfectArson

Damn, I actually really like that jacket.

stonefree

Rain.