Now that you have a set of bags, carry a light-duty rainsuit with you. I keep one in my bags all the time, just in case. Get the kind that rolls up tight and folds up into the jacket's hood.
What burt said, although I'd try to get a rain jacket that doesn't have a hood. You can't wear a hood with a helmet, and leaving the hood down just catches water and channels it down the back of your neck.
Ah, that was my problem. Instead of just nylon I had a rubberized (actually I think it was vinyl coated) fabric jacket and the hood wouldn't go under the helmet.
Yeh, if you get one of the very light-duty waterproof nylon riding jackets, the hood should easily fit under your helmet.
I have two wet-weather riding suits: a light-duty two-piece that I carry in my bags all the time (mostly for commuting), and the heavy-duty Harley riding suit that I use when I'm going on long distance rides.
The light-duty one is thin water-impermeable nylon and folds up into a packet about 8" in diameter and 3" thick. It does a very respectable job keeping me dry from those occasional "where the heck did THOSE clouds come from??" rains. But it's a short-distance suit *only*. It would probably protect you long distance... but it's really designed to just to get you home in a light/medium rain.
OTOH, the heavy-duty Harley rain gear is an all-day heavy-to-monsoon long-distance wet weather all-activity suit. Suspenders as well as stirrups, rubber butt pad (to keep you from sliding around on the seat), plenty of pockets, *VENTS* under flaps so you stay dry while still getting air, a removable heavy-duty hood that fits *over and around* the helmet and velcro-closes pretty tightly over my 3/4 helmet, neck-fit velcro-closure collar to keep the rain off your neck, etc. This is SERIOUS gear for all-day riding in the rain: if you get stuck in the rain and still have a few hundred miles to go, this is the suit for you.
Now that you have a set of bags, carry a light-duty rainsuit with you. I keep one in my bags all the time, just in case. Get the kind that rolls up tight and folds up into the jacket's hood.
ReplyDeleteI hide under an overpass when it gets bad...
FrogTogs
ReplyDeleteWhat burt said, although I'd try to get a rain jacket that doesn't have a hood. You can't wear a hood with a helmet, and leaving the hood down just catches water and channels it down the back of your neck.
ReplyDeleteDave H: you put the nylon hood on your head UNDER the helmet. That way, your head stays dry even if the helmet gets wet.
ReplyDeleteWorks for me. Every time.
Ah, that was my problem. Instead of just nylon I had a rubberized (actually I think it was vinyl coated) fabric jacket and the hood wouldn't go under the helmet.
ReplyDeleteDave H:
ReplyDeleteYeh, if you get one of the very light-duty waterproof nylon riding jackets, the hood should easily fit under your helmet.
I have two wet-weather riding suits: a light-duty two-piece that I carry in my bags all the time (mostly for commuting), and the heavy-duty Harley riding suit that I use when I'm going on long distance rides.
The light-duty one is thin water-impermeable nylon and folds up into a packet about 8" in diameter and 3" thick. It does a very respectable job keeping me dry from those occasional "where the heck did THOSE clouds come from??" rains. But it's a short-distance suit *only*. It would probably protect you long distance... but it's really designed to just to get you home in a light/medium rain.
OTOH, the heavy-duty Harley rain gear is an all-day heavy-to-monsoon long-distance wet weather all-activity suit. Suspenders as well as stirrups, rubber butt pad (to keep you from sliding around on the seat), plenty of pockets, *VENTS* under flaps so you stay dry while still getting air, a removable heavy-duty hood that fits *over and around* the helmet and velcro-closes pretty tightly over my 3/4 helmet, neck-fit velcro-closure collar to keep the rain off your neck, etc. This is SERIOUS gear for all-day riding in the rain: if you get stuck in the rain and still have a few hundred miles to go, this is the suit for you.