Belts and Suspenders, So to Speak

The Ocean Shores Ace Hardware has LOTS of Belts AND Suspenders!

This post was INSPIRED by the notion of belts and suspenders, shown above by the “belt and suspender” department of the Ocean Shores Ace Hardware store. The implementation was mine alone.

Over time, I’ve concluded that the most effective and serious cycling raingear today is made by the “Showers Pass” company. That title was formerly held by Burley, and companies such as REI would like to assume that title, but Showers Pass (of Oregon) is IT at the moment. I’ve accumulated a fair amount of their items. For me the weak points of cycling rain protection are head and hand dryness. THIS post addresses head dryness.

Rain Hat, Designed to Work With Showers Pass Rain Jacket - No Helmet Needed or Intended

Showers Pass has two approaches to head dryness. The first is a hat that velcros on to some of their raincoats, as shown in the photo above. It works well, except that you wind up with the choice of one of two fatal flaws. In the first way to use this first hat, you cinch down the elastic to hold the hat securely on your head. In THAT case, the edge gradually creeps below your eyebrows and you lose the ability to see the whole picture up ahead. BAD - while I'm not in fear of cars killing me, who knows what a frightened deer up ahead might do? In the second way you use this first hat, you abandon the elastic. In that case, the hat drips all over and blows off before too long. ALSO BAD. If Showers Pass added a second elastic strap that would pull the hat UP when the main elastic is cinched down, this problem would be dramatically lessened, but neither they, nor anybody, else has come up with that idea yet.

Showers Pass Helmet Cover Rain Protection

Fortunately, Showers Pass also has a rain hat that is designed to cover the typical CPSC helmet available today. I used it in preference to the first hat when I was commuting to work in DFW. It works OK, except that stuff leaks through on to your head. It also only works WITH a helmet. FWIW, that strap at the back is apparently intended to hold a light. Odd to have a light holder in combination with a BLACK helmet cover. Said by someone who just bought the stuff to stay dry and has few dogs in the "style versus visibility" contest.

For "Best" Protection, Use BOTH Hats at the Same Time!

Inspired by the Ace hardware “belt and suspenders” Department, I tried using BOTH Showers Pass hats at the same time. With a helmet/hat on, the elastic was not needed on the first hat, and my head arrived back at home perfectly dry. Rain, however, never sleeps. As shown below, it got my “IGA Pink Espresso Card” wet while I waited, and THAT wet card stained my “high vis” rain jacket pocket. My saddle also got wet while I waited behind the motorists, but a rain cape recently mentioned by Chandra, could probably help that problem. Improvements continue…

Head May be Dry, but Wetness Seeps Through! Perhaps adding a Rain Cape?

 

Butts on Bikes

More Butt on the Saddle While in Line for Coffee Would Have Avoided a Wet Rear End!

Perhaps things have a way of evening out. It was just a couple of days ago that I opined on “Citizen Rider” that “butts on bikes” types are rarely cyclists. Yesterday, I realized that perhaps we DO need more “butts on bikes.” At least we need more “butts on saddles” for those cyclists waiting in a line of motorists to get their daily coffee on Labor Day weekend, in the rain, in the Ocean Shores tourist trap. That saddle got real wet during the time I got off the saddle while stopped. Perhaps a rain cape would have avoided the wetness due to time the butt was OFF the saddle.

In addition to more “butts on bikes,” I realized that the flimsy plastic bags grocery stores offer should not be sneered at when you are getting pasta to bring home when the backpack isn’t totally waterproof. What’s more, I developed more appreciation for the benefits of combining “belts and suspenders” in the rain for head protection. More on that later.

Finishing, Richard of “Suburban Assault” opined that it rains harder in North Texas thanin the Pacific Northwest. Perhaps he merely remembers all the LIGHT rain in the Northwest and not the occasional HARD rain. I can testify that it DOES rain hard in the Northwest and not just in North Texas. It just also rains lightly a LOT more so memory might not be totally accurate for someone getting soaked in Texas.

BREAK that Drought!

Steady Rain this Evening

North Texas has been in a drought. That means I have some rain gear that has not yet been properly tested. This afternoon, as per our local forecast, we got rain. Unfortunately we didn't get the "two to four inches" that was promised so it was not a thorough test. Seal Skinz gloves - marginal since they get wet from the inside out instead of the outside in, but still an improvement. Showers Pass - shoe covers not tried since my boots were more than adequate - rain hat needs a balaclava - helmet cover ditto (cold ears).

Perhaps we'll get a more robust rain tomorrow morning...

Has Fall Arrived?

Six Months of Rain Started Today

I was fortunate to depart from DFW immediately before record October cold hit and we had a little Indian Summer with it sunny and nearly 75 at the beach. That ended this morning with the obligatory rain.

I miss my bikes with fenders!

Doubling Down in Texas

And More Winter Gear Arrived Today!

In my last post about rainwear, some commenters noted that during summer, getting wet isn't so bad. Mostly, I agree, but I take a longer view when I'm "doubling down." Illustrative of that is my tendency to stock up on winter wear round about this time of year. And this summer, I'm looking at feet and hands above all else.

You see, I have dual motivations. The first is the never-ending quest to "expand the riding envelope." In Texas, summer is the affordable time to stock up on winter and wet weather gear. The second motivation is that I DO plan to go back home (Washington State) again. Home gets a LOT of wet and chilly weather. It won't happen tomorrow or even the day after, but to be a Texan, really, you not only have to be born in Texas, but you ought to be placing flowers on the grave of your confederate ancestors. My own ancestors fought on the other side - the side that called it "The War of the Rebellion."

But I digress. Right now, Showers Pass has a "half off closeout" going on to sell off touring shoe covers. These puppies are the sort of SERIOUS rainwear that Burley once offered, but doesn't any more. I'm not sure my feet would stay dry in these covers in the pool, but they'll work for pretty much anything short of that. Even at half off, they aren't cheap, but they aren't ridiculous.

Next up - more rain jackets and, even perhaps handwear...

Rain Repellant

Rain Repellant in ACTION!

This week has been a bit odder than usual for July in North Texas. Rain has been in the forecast. I imagine that the rain forecast has partly been prompted by my working on our sprinkler system. While I haven’t washed any of the family cars, that might clinch the deal.

However, I’ve been employing some rain repellant on my daily commute.

A while back, I took a cue from one of my motoring coworkers and stashed some rain gear at work. Since then, I’ve been trying to order up an improved rain jacket, but the outfit, “Department of Goods” via Amazon has pooped out on me twice now. So I’ve still got my old “O2” jacket which is plenty good enough for occasional wet weather such as we get around here.

Two days in a row I’ve carried that jacket in with rain in the forecast. Two days in a row not a single drop has fallen. Do others find carrying rain gear effective at keeping rain away?

Today, it was a "20%" chance of rain. In my book, that is weatherperson speak for "I don't really think it's going to rain, but don't blame me if you get wet." Weather jacket left at home. Broken skies on the way home so the weatherperson was revalidated...

My Youngest, Modelling Rain Repelling Gear
Now a PROUD CHHS Graduate and ON HER WAY to College

Simple Motorist Wisdom

THESE Tattered Pants Now Reside on my LH Bookshelf for the NEXT Time the Weather Goes BAD While I'm at Work
Thanks, Jerry C!

Mostly stuff I hear from motorists at work regarding cycling is pretty silly, irrelevant, or even almost threatening if I were inclined toward paranoia. I really do NOT need to hear fantasies about cyclists as "hood ornaments." On rare occasions, however, a pearl will come my way from a motoring co-worker. Yesterday was such a day.

Yesterday, I bet on the come that I would not need rain gear. I lost that bet. In the process, however, some simple motorist wisdom came my way. Without any intention of insulting my loyal reader, my own experience is that engineers have an unusual level of insights about things compared to "regular people." As it turned out, this observation came from an engineer. Actually, from one of my engineers. More details would confuse y'all so I'll avoid them.

The wisdom? Leave a set of the "less best" rainwear at work for those days when the weather goes bad when it shouldn't. Duh. Why didn't I think of that? Basic rainwear is almost as cheap as the electricity costs of running the drier to dry out soaked clothes nowadays. Why keep all THREE pairs of my rain pants at home?

Now, all I need is an obvious way to not have to worry about lightning, hail, tornados, or deep snow and I'll be completely set.

Thanks, Jerry C. A set of rain pants now reside in my LH upper bookshelf, and I'm shopping for a second waterproof jacket. The old one was getting a bit tattered anyway, so duplication makes sense. Now, stop patting yourself on the back and finish getting that roofbeam sized!



From Wikipedia - "Up and at em!" One MORE Step Past "Fair Weather Cyclist." BUT I Still Need Lightning Strike Protection...

All Washed Up

Lightning - From Wikipedia

In North Texas, we have to take our opportunities for inclement weather when they arrive. While we get lots of practice with "hot and dry" in the summer, wet don't get a lot of opportunity to explore the finer points of cold weather. It DOES rain around here, but it isn't the kind of rain I grew up with. In Seattle, the rain takes a week or more to accumulate to an inch or two. A little drizzle and a lot of gray clouds is the rule around this time of year.

Around DFW, on the other hand, the rain REALLY lets you know it is serious stuff. Lightning, thunder, flash floods and more. And then, as quickly as the rain arrived, it is past and drenching Louisiana or Oklahoma. I think the term around these parts is the rain comes down as a "frog strangler," but I'm not from around here. Regardless, it'll come down as several inches in an hour.

Last week, however, we got lucky. It actually rained THREE DAYS IN A ROW! Multiple rain days tests a cyclist's ability to not only stay dry on the commute, but also to keep stuff dry over multiple days. Any fair weather cyclist can ride ONE day in the rain. After all, the shoes and gloves and stuff can dry out and things will be back to normal. I was doubly lucky, because, after the first rain day, on Monday, my new "waterproof winter boots" showed up.

Fortunately, Chandra has a DIFFERENT Salomon Shoe

On Monday, rain had been forecast, but I was prepared with my yellow rain outfit, and the blue booties I carry along to cover my cycling shoes. Things went pretty smoothly. On the way home, to keep my "not too cold" full fingered gloves dry, I rode barehanded. Wet gloves are not a lot of fun, but puckered up fingers dry out quickly.

Early the next morning, before I realized theyd snuck onto my doorstep the previous evening, I received a text from Chandra. THAT is shown at left. Chandra put up a post about HIS Salomons, but took it back down. Perhaps it'll be back up by the time my loyal reader reads this.

Well, as it transpired, I had gotten Salomon boots. I picked them over the North Face Snow Sneakers because I wanted something a little higher cut than the North Face product and I'd read quite a few good reviews.

Half way through this text exchange, I went out and the shoes were there, in a giant box. It wasn't as bad as Jon's box, but it WAS pretty big. And it was raining. HARD. It turned out we got three or four inches that day. It was a good test of new boots that claim to be waterproof.

Well, they WERE waterproof, as long as you do not try to emulate a powerboat while riding your bike. I do not recommend riding through deep standing water in Salomon Deemax 2 Winter Boots. The water will splash up and under your rain gear and come in through the top of the boot. Or at least it happened to me with my right foot. The left stayed nice and toasty and dry. Even the right didn't get very wet. It was dried out during the day and suffered no further dampness. In my own defense, there were a couple of lightning strikes on the way to work and that was a bit distracting. The closest one was about a mile away. That seemed a little cozier, but reading up on lightning again from Wikipedia reminded me that lightning can strike ten miles away, and it was also a bit disconcerting to hear about DFW flight delays because the ground crews were not allowed out when potential lightning conditions existed. Of course, by THAT time, I was more than half way to work and there was nothing to do but complete the journey and plan on some further lightning research.

Salomon Deemax 2 Winter Boots with Canari Rain Pants

To futher test out the rain stuff, I wore my Canari rain pants that I'd bought last summer at 70% off. The Showers Pass pants seemed entirely too overkill. The Canaris worked well enough, though cold hard rain created the illusion of wetness, while the reality was that they stopped the rain and I was feeling the coldness of the drops.

I also tried using plastic grocery bags to keep my gloves dry. It didn't work real well the first day, but some fiddling gave better success the second. I really can't bring myself to put those tight latex gloves over winter gloves.

Unfortunately, by Wednesday afternoon, things were drying out, so I only got three wet days, but it was a lot of fun, except I felt a little sorry for my coworkers who had to walk in from their parking lot without proper weather protection. I also discovered on Wednesday afternoon that 60F is about as warm as you'd want to cycle in the boots. Rumor has it they'll be good down to zero with wool socks. Maybe even a little colder with shoe covers. Our all-time record cold in North Texas was -8, so I think these puppies will work VERY well for the half dozen times I need them - and being cleatless, they'll also work well for walking in cold or wet weather.

Boots Have Sealed Soles and Tongue, with Thinsulate Insulation

Home in Time

Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. Today I gambled it would not rain before I got home, so I left the rain gear at home. Going home, I even used my free coffee coupon, gained via taking the "major coffee chain based in Seattle survey."

Nary a drop touched me or Buddy. Now, we've got rain and tornado warnings.

Couch Potato

Stand-In for a Dog that Chased Me.
I Suspect Both are Couch Potatoes at Heart

It's really nice to be back in Northeast Tarrant County after a week off the bike while in Montreal. It's extra nice since Autumn is now in full swing and things change daily. I even got to try something I've been pondering for a while. Namely, what I'd do the next time a dog came after me. Well, at least it was SORT of a dog. It looked a lot like the little guy that's become my buddy, in the photo below. Well, the scofflaw in question was a bit bigger, but he was after blood. Or so it seemed. Instead of waiting for a bite, so I'd have to call animal control, I tried an alternate tactic.

No Need for the Speed Dial With My Effective Warning

THIS TIME, I tried something I think I remember Doohickie suggesting. Namely, I shouted out: "GET OFF THE COUCH!" Confused, the dog backed off. Afterwards, I concluded that I should make things even simpler for the NEXT potential attacker. I'm training myself so my automatic reaction will be: "BAD DOG OFF THE COUCH!"

But, there was even MORE excitement this week. As a matter of fact, it rained today. As in REAL rain. Checking back, this hasn't happened since last May. Unlike during our summer heat, people at work were amazed once again that I rode in to work. Even more amazing is that I stayed dry - UNTIL the walk in to the building from the parking lot bike rack. Those mud puddles without shoe covers can be treacherous. My shoes got sopping wet simply because those blue covers come off for the last little walk to inside. My motoring friends had the same risk. Some avoided the puddles. Some shared my fate.

Blue Booties Only Work Until You Take Them Off!

I've forgotten some of the finer points about wet weather commute cycling. Like the gloves will NOT be dry by the ride home, so it is a wise cyclist that takes an extra pair of gloves along when it's raining out. The change of seasons brings lessons to be learned once again.

Still, there's a taste of summer about. The ride home was mid 80's and sunny. The only remnant of the predawn rainstorm was the rain gear stuffed into my man purse.

Enjoy the Afternoon Warmth - It'll Be Gone Soon!

North Texas Endless Winter

75% Off at LBS was Irresistible to Me. The stuff in the Photo Cost Well Under $100 - Total

Yesterday, I noted that we'll soon be getting 100F+ temperatures around these parts. My cycle computer thinks we're there already. What does all that mean in the larger scheme of things? Well, it means it is time to SHOP SHOP SHOP for winter gear!

While I've not mentioned it on this blog since I stocked up on winter stuff at the Hotter 'N Hell 100 last summer, I keep an eye open for clothing that "expands the envelope" for cycling. Mostly, I get stuff that will work here in North Texas, but eventually, it'll come in even handier when we all return home again. Not long ago, I got a pair of Showers Pass rain pants with my REI dividend. The immortal Tracy Wilkins swears by them.

This weekend, as noted here, a LBS has winter wear on sale for 75% off. Their Hurst store still has a lot of "M" wool socks. The "L" ones are all gone. Gloves and shoe covers vary. They have quite a few balaclavas and skull caps because I couldn't see buying a lifetime supply. The guys at the cash register told me that someone from Mexico came and bought $1400 worth of winter wear - and that was AFTER the discount. Apparently, on rare occasions, it even gets cold in Mexico...

A Day Without Flats...

A day without a flat is like a day without sunshine. So it rained today. Sometimes it rained hard. I got to see lightning and hear thunder on the way home. Fortunately, nothing was too close at hand, so I didn't have to experience a "near strike" situation. ON THE OTHER HAND, it was nasty enough for me to forgo the "on the way home" cup of coffee. Sometimes, we have to make mighty sacrifices for the bike commute.

Still, valuable items were learned on the quest to become "more than just a fair weather cyclist."

First off, I validated my new approach of "double bagging" my saddle to withstand the rain and using those same bags to keep things bone dry in the trunk. While I didn't take a photo, I demonstrated once again that a used plastic sandwich bag makes a dandy bag to keep a cell phone and wallet in and dry.

Double Bagging the Saddle and Keeping the Goodies Dry - Double Duty

I also tested the polyethylene booty "keep the shoes dry" strategy. It worked, though I discovered that commuting puts a much higher toll on my right one than on my left. I also suggest that anyone considering this approach will want to match the cut of the booty with the cut of the shoe. A little higher cuts would have been better for "Costco Court Classic" shoes. Still,  today's experience suggests I'll get at least two commutes out of each pair of booties and maybe three with some selected duct tape reinforcement.

Left Booty, Relatively Good After Six Miles

Right Booty Gets Shredded Faster Due to Stops

Saddle Stays Pretty Dry Despite Heavy Rain

No Wait to Use the Grill Today

Learning Day

Rain Outfit Got Well Used this Morning - No Snow, Despite Record Cold

 North Texas has been in a drought. A SERIOUS drought. Since February, there've been only two days when the roads were even wet, and it wasn't raining either of those mornings. Our last REAL precipitation was the snow back in February. Shown at left.

Today, I got a little opportunity to do some wet weather learning on an unseasonably cold day. Usually, when it's wet around here, it is fairly warm as well. It might not have been cold by northern standards, but a low of 44F in May will have to do around here. Depending on one's location,  it rained between a half inch and three times that amount.  What's more, the lightning was pretty well gone locally before it came time to depart for work. It was a good test. Lots of rain and no electricity.

Yellow Duct Tape Kept the Water Out. Other Colors Would Probably Work, Too

What it meant is that I got to try some stuff out. Well, some things worked well and some worked less well. First off, I decided to try out my "Costco Court Classic" shoes rather than cycling shoes. This is an option because of my hybrid pedals. My cycling shoes get sopping wet if you simply LOOK at them the wrong way. The Costco shoes were considerably more waterproof. They were not waterproof enough to make it all the way to work without getting real wet, but certainly enough to make it three or four miles. Still, I was kind of wishing I'd simply put on the polypropelene booties before I'd left, though sometimes science calls for sacrifices. Luckily enough, I brought along an extra set of socks so I didn't have to clump around at work all day with wet feet. I considered using the booties in between the socks and the shoes to keep my "at work" socks dry for the ride home, but the shoes dried just enough that I elected to ride home sans booties.

Costco Court Classic Shoes DO Get Soggy After a While

Likewise, To ward off wet hands, I wore my heavy winter gloves. They got thoroughly wet and were still wet when it came time to return home, though they did keep things warm even when wet. My regular full finger gloves were warm enough for the trip home, but I'll have to consider ways to keep my hands dry. If it's cold enough to care. Hands dry out quickly.

Heavy Gloves are Warm Even After They Get Wet

I elected not to wear goggles today. I figured that the rain and cold would result in lots of fogging, while going bare-eyed would be simple and wet-friendly. I don't know if I made a good choice or not. It's a problem we often faced skiing. Next time, I'll at least bring the goggles along. One thing that worked well was using a heavy plastic bag to cover the saddle at work and using a grocery bag to tie that in place. Double bagging worked well, and the heavy bag also keeps the stuff in the trunk bag dry.

Blue Booties Should Help Keep Feet Dry

SPEAKING of next time it rains hard, I'll make some adapations. First, I'll skip the "Costco soak test" and simply use the cute, blue booties. Second, I'll bring the goggles along so I can try "with" versus "without." Third, I may try out my "new and improved" rain pants which have never before gotten used. The H2O rain pants are just a bit too delicate for real cycling. Their jacket is fine and its hood is really convenient. Finally, I think I'll bring more plastic bags to store stuff like the cycle computer and lights.

One OTHER thing - it WAS really cool watching all the drops of water flying all over on the way in to work. Perhaps I'll become more than "just a fair weather cyclist" yet...

Beyond Fair Weather



Part of my Commute Route with Moderate Rain we had Today

  Many rainy days in North Texas are not well suited to commuting on a bike or any other vehicle not protected against lightning strikes. However, there are some, and still more where the chance of rain is low enough that riding is practical. My route has a few spots, shown, that tend to flood, but there are detours available that would allow me to ride, and perhaps shed the label of "fair weather cyclist."


Much More and this would be Impassible



Daughter Shows off Rain Gear

 In my post, here, I related some winter booties I purchased. Since then, I've also gotten some lightweight, occasional use raingear. I got to try it out today and it fits the bill between being light enough to carry on occasions when rain MIGHT be expected, and heavy enough to stand up to more than a handful of uses.

However, the worst element of dealing with rain, IMO, is trying to keep one's feet dry in cycling shoes. The heavy booties would keep the water out, but they're much too warm for many of the rainy days we get in North Texas.

I'm hoping that disposable polyethylene, water resistant shoe covers will do the trick. A box of 100 should last a LONG time. My thought process ran thusly: I did not want something heavy or expensive, because I also want to use these with clipless pedals. Disposable shoe covers are light, and at about 15 cents a pair, I won't feel bad about cutting holes in the bottoms to allow me to use the cleats. We shall see.

For colder days, the heavy covers should work fine, though these covers may well improve their water resistance.

Disposable Water Resistant Booties - Will They Stop the Rain?