I'm that guy

Every workplace has one or two, okay, every large workplace.  That nut job who arrives at the office in spandex or some other clothing that makes everyone else slightly uncomfortable.  They do this rain or shine and the coworkers like the rain -or even snow days better because it means more layers, leaving more to their imagination.

As a cyclist commuting to work -or even going for a rainy day road ride, having the right gear takes what could be a miserable experience and makes it something that is at the least tolerable and at best fun.  This morning I woke to fairly heavy rain and did the usually denial routine (a couple snooze button taps). got up and put on the layers that would keep me warm and then most importantly the layers that would keep me dry.

By the time I got to work my face was soaked.  yup that's it.

The following is the technobabble about what I chose to wear for today's ride…

Under the helmet was a Gore cap and an Icebreaker ear band thingy.  I love this combo for the really rainy days Keeps my lid nice and dry and warm.

Over my winter club jacket I had my recently acquired Sugoi RPM jacket.  This came via a friend from the Sugoi factory sale and was chosen specifically because it is almost my size and was just that -on sale.  the reviews on this jacket are spot on.  It's good for cold rain and thats it.  if its warm out you'll sweat like a pig in it.  Its hi vis green and stands out fairly well assisted by its ample 3M reflective trim.

The hands… well I could write a whole post on gloves.  I went thru a pair of gore waterproof gloves in about a year.  They are pricy and they work well enough but like everything (even my knees) they do wear out.  This year I'm running a pair of Giro Proof gloves and so far I'm loving them, and at less than half the price of the Gore gloves my wife probably loves them too.  They are a 3 way glove set.  You could wear just the liner or just the shell , but I'm reserving them just to use as the set and only in the nasty wet weather.  I have several pairs of gloves that suit many different conditions.  It also means sometimes carrying an extra set of gloves in my backpack to work as the weather can change a lot in 9 hours

I have a couple options for the legs but today was my MEC cycling specific rain pants.  Note I said pants not tights.  They are bulky but they do the job well.  I do have rain tights but stretchy and waterproof don't mix well

At the bottom of the list and me is the shoes.  I bought some discontinued Lake shoes that are drilled for  mountain cleats and look like a neoprene sock with a sandal built around it.  Sorry don't know the model but you can still find them on ebay for about $50.  Great for commuting, but not stiff enough for longer  rides where I switch to road peddles and waterproof road shoes.

Really the point of this post is once you have the gear and get past the snooze button, riding to work or for fun through inclement weather really isn't uncomfortable.  Staying warm and dry really does make it fun, but the best part is the looks from drivers as they pull up beside you at a stoplight.

I'll get onto lights, fenders, etc sometime in the weeks to come.  There are lots of other things we could probably get into with this topic as well.  Bike routes, traffic, Ninjas, Salmon & the dreaded Ninja-Salmon in the bike lane.  -Almost hit one of those today.

For those following on the Team Coastal feeds, you'll get some links to product reviews for different wet season gear over the next few days.

Before I go,  yes I said snow up at the top.  I'll do a write up on that too when it seems appropriate.  My friends in Alberta who commute year round make my efforts in this seem laughable.

Cheers!
Trevor