All I ever needed in the winter around Seattle was a Wind proof vest over a jacket and thick head band leaving the top open for vapor. But now that I can't use my legs, and depend on a motor I had to get a wind proof Balaclava, a fur cap and insulated vest over my wind resistant jacket. It all depends on how much heat you generate with your muscles. I know some people are such wimps that they cannot even rife in the rain no matter how warm it is. Yet it is easy to wear a rain coat w/rain pants and water resistant cap-n-gloves. How ever it is easier to to not be drenched in sweat with an electric bike [which is easy to rain proof with silicon].
Hard work but better than staying at home.
Giant tires, about 3" with 100mm forks
A dangerous snow and ice tire I made.
This is my sleeveless rain jacket very good for cold wind!!!.
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/855883-Best-Winter-Jacket-search?p=14909916#post14909916
There's no bad weather, only bad clothing !
http://www.thirdwave-websites.com/bike/rain-capes.cfm
Rain capes are essential for the pacific north west.
Water proof gloves are hard to find. I tried these
wet-suit gloves and discovered that they do not stop the wind chill when my
hands were wet. So I sprayed varnish into the neoprene several times; that made
them water proof enough. But dry suit gloves would be better. They still have a
problem with lack of insulation, but they work fine for cold spring rains.
My mittens work so much better in the winter
because I used wet suit material inside to cut the ice cold wind. I believe
that wet suit gloves would be best if used inside a wind proof shell. There is
no wind chill under water!
http://www.thirdwave-websites.com/bike/rain-capes.cfm
Rain capes are essential for the pacific north west.
Duxback spats
Riding in the rain can be unbearable!
Cold wet rain will suck the heat right
out of you! I thought I had good rain wear, like a bright yellow rain poncho
and rain pants; both “coated nylon”. Well it sounded good, but now I am sure
that the coating was nothing more than Scotch Guard! After having used them
several times, the rain just soaks right through!!! I finally sprayed flat
acrylic varnish on both sides, much cheaper than Scotch Guard.
Goretex is a rubber coating with pin
holes. No matter what brand, it does not breathe like they lead you to believe!
But I would rather be wet from hot sweat than cold rain.
“O2” rain wear does not have larger holes, but
it does have less cloth to hold in the heat. But do not expect miracles! It
does not last long.
I really need good rain pants and
jacket with plenty of ventilation openings, on the back of my legs, and
under arms down the sides. All the vents would have flaps over them in the
right direction to keep water from flowing in.
Why isn't there someone making them? Because
there is not enough bicycles commuters demanding the right thing? Capitalism
promotes ignorance.
Rain capes breathe very well, but you
need rain pants with them.
Some people wear polypropylene tights
as a wet suit. I think I would need two layers. And some long shorts to keep
from being attacked by rednecks for looking too weird.
Maybe if I sew in some zippers on the
bottom of my pant legs so that I could remove the bottom half. Letting my
thermal under wear get wet does not sound like a good idea in 35 degree
weather.
I should try Scotch Guard on my pants.
I used pine-tar on my boots, it
actually works good. But do not let oiled leather heat up much; the protein of
the leather will shrink!
Goretex mittens or gloves are
essential also! Even if the outside of them collects water because they were
made for snow! Find some that have removable liner gloves.
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