Staying Dry

Classic yellow poncho protection

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Look for rain gear in most catalogs and bike shops today and chances are good that you will find only rain suits. They will differ in price — from hundreds of dollars for the Gore-Tex models to far less for other fabrics — but close-fitting suits are what fit the modern efficiency-minded cyclist. After all, speed is all, right?

Not so long ago, however, a similar search would have yielded what now is very hard to find: the"biker's poncho," a hooded, tentlike affair tied around one's waist in back and, through the use of thumb loops affixed on the inside of the front flap, stretched out to the handlebars when one is pedaling. Yes, they flap about a bit when the wind is whipping. Yes, they do indeed increase one's wind resistance and thus will slow you down. But when the rain is falling vertically they do a wonderful job of keeping both your top and bottom halves dry. And all for about a tenth of the cost of one of the Gore-Tex marvels.

Cyclists should, therefore, realize that they have a choice when it comes to staying dry. This is especially important when riding on a day that's both rainy and warm, a day when even the most expensive rain suit will soak you with your own perspiration — perspiration produced by our literally millions of sweat glands that pour out quarts of the stuff.

Rain Suits

I do wear a rain suit at times, but only during my midwinter commutes and on cold-weather tours, when I perspire far less. Plus, on tour, it is sometimes absolutely essential to keep the cold rain from my body. My suit of choice is the superb one built by Burley, a company whose claim of products "Designed by Cyclists for Cyclists" is to be believed — at least by this cyclist. The suits are non-Gore-Tex beauties that with relatively inexpensive but perfectly placed zippers and flap openings engulf the body with an air flow sufficient to keep one's trunk cool (at least in cool weather) by evaporating the sweat produced. For reasons discussed later, the miracle fabrics of Gore-Tex and others, for me, don't work nearly as well.

Ponchos

When it isn't cold, I'm in a poncho. Ponchos avoid the heat-buildup problem by being completely open at the bottom, thus allowing air to circulate around the body while still shedding rain. Heat can still build up beneath the hood, however, which is why I often employ the waterproof helmet cover that I use with my hoodless rain suit.

Note: With ponchos or hooded suits it is critical that the hood be (1) large enough to fit over your helmet easily so as not to restrict your ability to turn around when checking for traffic, and (2) constructed in such a way that you can cinch it tightly enough around the face so you won't be staring at the inside of the hood when you turn your head to look for traffic.