Cycling in the Rain

I cycle almost every day, running errands, going to jobs and just for fun. Living in Ireland I often cycle in the rain. Down the years I’ve tried a lot of different breathable raingear but I always find that I end up sweaty no matter what the product promises. When it comes to rain gear for cycling, I’m a conservative, I like a cape and wellington boots.

Available in Argos

My current cape was bought in Argos for €12.99, over a year ago. I expect many more years of wear out of it, as it’s still as good as new. Don’t remember where I got my wellies but they are also a low cost and long lasting item.

A cape does have one very big disadvantage, it is not at all aerodynamic, so if you want to cycle fast forget it. I’m happy with a cape as my cruising speed on the bike is about 10 mph. It is a major drag to ride with a cape if you get faster than this or try to ride into a strong head wind. On the other hand it acts like a sail with a strong tail wind.

The beauty of a cape is that while it keeps the rain off it also allows the air to circulate freely underneath. The only exception is on the shoulders where it rests which do get a bit sweaty after a while, but this is a minor inconvenience rather than a major discomfort. I have on occasions ridden for hours in heavy rain wearing my cape and wellies and got off the bike bone dry.

It’s a very old answer to the problem of how to stay dry on the bike and will not suit many cyclists, but for me it's the perfect low cost solution.

Raleigh Bike Cape from Argos