The rain has arrived - practical advice for the wet and cold.

carlbiker

🛡️🚵🛡️
Sep 15, 2020
1,047
455
leeds england
Gloves?


This was below -15


disclaimer: I'm Scottish, absolutely hate riding in gloves and most of my friends think I'm mental.
Is it not a bit like going to the gym with girlie gloves and long term makes training harder? Granted there isn’t the freezing fingers, wet or scraping of flesh when you fly off, broken finger joints xyz (if using spiny type ones)
 

JoeBlow

Active member
Jul 7, 2019
729
448
South West, UK
It's my feet I have to worry about. I once got frostbite and was lucky to keep my toes but it has left me being a little more vulnerable in that area i.e. my feet now feel the cold much more than they used to and I seem to be susceptible to chilblains.
 

Rob Rides EMTB

Administrator
Staff member
Subscriber
Jan 14, 2018
6,257
13,692
Surrey, UK
I just got this Decathlon jacket after seeing @R120 recommend their range. Went for a walk today and got caught out this afternoon in some heavy rain.

Jacket seems very good quality so far and I’m impressed, at this price it seems like it could be a cheap decent waterproof (and breathable) biking jacket too.




24D33987-2A9A-4273-B7E8-39C494D57CEF.jpeg


A0F3224C-3DF3-4E27-A3F9-3CB8C6F4E030.jpeg
 
Last edited:

Hobo Mikey

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Subscriber
May 22, 2020
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Where ever
These might interest you?


I find the stiffer soles made for SPD cleated shoes absolutely horrible on a flat pedal. No feel.
I did think about that so will see how I get on, properly end up using the 5/10s and sealskinz socks and wait for next summer for them to dry out. ?
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
8,929
9,266
Lincolnshire, UK
I just got this Decathlon jacket after seeing @R120 recommend their range. Went for a walk today and got caught out this afternoon in some heavy rain.

Jacket seems very good quality so far and I’m impressed, at this price it seems like it could be a cheap decent waterproof (and breathable) biking jacket too.




View attachment 41847

View attachment 41848
I am always suspicious about waterproof jackets that do not quote the breathability in numbers I've seen before. The jacket has an OK but not outstanding waterproof resistance at 15,000 mm of water (ie the fabric will support a water column 15m high without leaking). But it does not quote the standard measure of breathability which is how much water vapour in grams will pass through one square meter of fabric in 24 hours. This is known as the Moisture Vapour Transmission Rate (MVTR). An MVTR of 20,000 gm/m2/24hr is good for active use, 30,000 or more is good for highly aerobic use. For comparison, some of the Endura MT500 fabrics have an MVTR of 60,000! But of course they are much ore expensive than this Decathlon jacket.

Goretex use a different method known as Resistance to Evaporative Heat Loss (or RET), which is what Decathlon appear to be using. In this method the lower the number, the more breathable a fabric is. Six will give you a good level of breathability for more active use. While four or less will give you the best level of breathability for highly aerobic use. It looks like a good jacket for walking in the rain. :)
 

JoeBlow

Active member
Jul 7, 2019
729
448
South West, UK
The Endura MT500 overshoes are significantly under sized. I bought the recommended model for size 8, in fact it said up to 8.5, but I cannot get them over my size 8 shoes. I can't even get them over some size 7.5's I own. I did manage to get them over a size 8 lightweight canvas shoe I own which suggests the sole is OK but the upper isn't. I've managed to arrange it so that this shoe is permanently in the overshoe making it much easier to put on as a single unit. If I wear a normal sock my foot will not go in so I have to wear lightweight socks. I don't know how this combination will work out but as it stands I cannot recommend them. In the meantime I've ordered some Shimano GR9's and sealskin socks.

Al
 

Waynemarlow

E*POWAH Master
Dec 6, 2019
1,105
888
Bucks
Do as a lot of sailors do in the winter, put 1 or 2 pairs of cheapo latex gloves on before your actual gloves, nice and waterproof and seem for all the wrong scientific reasons to keep your fingers warm. In really cold condition mitts are always warmer ( remember as kids how your mum had a piece of string through the arms to the other mitt ) ?
 

Rob Rides EMTB

Administrator
Staff member
Subscriber
Jan 14, 2018
6,257
13,692
Surrey, UK
I am always suspicious about waterproof jackets that do not quote the breathability in numbers I've seen before. The jacket has an OK but not outstanding waterproof resistance at 15,000 mm of water (ie the fabric will support a water column 15m high without leaking). But it does not quote the standard measure of breathability which is how much water vapour in grams will pass through one square meter of fabric in 24 hours. This is known as the Moisture Vapour Transmission Rate (MVTR). An MVTR of 20,000 gm/m2/24hr is good for active use, 30,000 or more is good for highly aerobic use. For comparison, some of the Endura MT500 fabrics have an MVTR of 60,000! But of course they are much ore expensive than this Decathlon jacket.

Goretex use a different method known as Resistance to Evaporative Heat Loss (or RET), which is what Decathlon appear to be using. In this method the lower the number, the more breathable a fabric is. Six will give you a good level of breathability for more active use. While four or less will give you the best level of breathability for highly aerobic use. It looks like a good jacket for walking in the rain. :)
Never realised there was so much to the different levels of waterproofing!

I just checked the detail and according to the spec sheet of the jacket:


COMPONENT WATERPROOFING
The resistance of a fabric to water pressure is expressed in terms of the height in mm of a water column (test based on the ISO 811 standard). The higher the pressure, the more waterproof the fabric. A component with a 15,000 mm waterproof rating is therefore resistant to the pressure exerted by a 15,000 mm column of water (which roughly corresponds to a 4-hour thunderstorm).”

4 hours is more than enough for me?
 

stiv674

E*POWAH Elite
Mar 4, 2019
777
600
Wiltshire
Thanks mate. sounds perfect. I don't use 5:10s but ordinary skate shoes. They're fairly quick drying but my home waterheating system has just been changed so I no longer have the same boiler cubpoard set-up which used to be perfect for drying them.
what happens with the other two hoses when you're only drying one pair? is there a switch or something to choose how many blowers are operating?
been looking at this one too


Mine arrived yesterday, my shoes weren't wet but slightly moist inside due to sweat, I put two hoses in each shoe as you can't turn any off, it got warmer than I thought it would, only set timer for twenty minutes to try it, nice warm dry shoes afterwards though, not bad for £25 (y)
 

Nicho

Captain Caption
Subscriber
Jan 4, 2020
1,048
1,923
Furness, South Cumbria.
Never realised there was so much to the different levels of waterproofing!

I just checked the detail and according to the spec sheet of the jacket:


COMPONENT WATERPROOFING
The resistance of a fabric to water pressure is expressed in terms of the height in mm of a water column (test based on the ISO 811 standard). The higher the pressure, the more waterproof the fabric. A component with a 15,000 mm waterproof rating is therefore resistant to the pressure exerted by a 15,000 mm column of water (which roughly corresponds to a 4-hour thunderstorm).”

4 hours is more than enough for me?

You have to remember that these tests are carried out in labs with perfect conditions and new, clean fabric.
In real-life conditions such as dirt, sweat, abrasion, rubbing against you, rubbing against your saddle, humid conditions, etc, the 4 hour rating will be reduced dramatically in parts of your garment and you could easily find your waterproofs leaking in places within minutes rather than hours.

If you want to keep your waterproofs working efficiently and for a long time you need to be careful how you treat them and wash / re-proof them them regularly according to the manufacturer's instructions.
 

Pyr0

E*POWAH Master
Sep 22, 2019
533
387
Wirral, UK
Just found Leisure Lakes have stock of the MT500 waterproof trousers (everywhere seems sold out of small)
Purchased a pair and some endura reproofing spray
Went through topcashback for 4.95% back and a £2 bonus today Log in to TopCashback - the UK's #1 free cashback site works out at an extra £9.44 off :)
Have to return the (small) MT500 waterproof pants.
I think they've changed the cut or something for the new season.
The waist is fine, but the bum and calves are smaller/tighter than the mt500 spray trousers I already have and they seem to ride up too far when bending my knee.
I don't think I could even fit a clickfast liner.
I'd try the mediums, but fear the waist will be too large and they have no adjustment unlike the spray trousers.

Does anyone know if the Hummvee waterproof pants are any looser?
 

Fingerpuk

Member
Apr 8, 2020
250
197
Kent
Just decided to embrace it. Went out in my new waterproof jacket with the hood up under the helmet. Shower resistant trousers and everything else normal.

Got soaked. Was epic. Loved it. I think it’s mental attitude more than anything. When I got cold i pedalled harder. When I got wet I laughed.

I do think what happens when I drive to trails then arrive back at the car looking like a mud ball. Need to change before I get in the car, no way is the mud allowed on the seats. Yes I’m a tart.

anyone make pop up changing rooms? Or are they just called tents?
 

Tonytank

Member
Jun 5, 2019
100
77
London
Just decided to embrace it. Went out in my new waterproof jacket with the hood up under the helmet. Shower resistant trousers and everything else normal.

Got soaked. Was epic. Loved it. I think it’s mental attitude more than anything. When I got cold i pedalled harder. When I got wet I laughed.

I do think what happens when I drive to trails then arrive back at the car looking like a mud ball. Need to change before I get in the car, no way is the mud allowed on the seats. Yes I’m a tart.

anyone make pop up changing rooms? Or are they just called tents?
My sister is an openwater swimmer and they use a changing mat and iirc a changing smock its like a huge towelling hoodie type thing
 

Wilf102

New Member
Oct 7, 2020
3
0
West Sussex
Just decided to embrace it. Went out in my new waterproof jacket with the hood up under the helmet. Shower resistant trousers and everything else normal.

Got soaked. Was epic. Loved it. I think it’s mental attitude more than anything. When I got cold i pedalled harder. When I got wet I laughed.

I do think what happens when I drive to trails then arrive back at the car looking like a mud ball. Need to change before I get in the car, no way is the mud allowed on the seats. Yes I’m a tart.

anyone make pop up changing rooms? Or are they just called tents?

Try this.
Used by open water swimmers, surfers etc. Plus, they are warm as toast!
 

jlnevill

New Member
Jul 27, 2020
13
7
UK
40 years riding motorcycles, adventure toured most of Europe for the last 10 years using KLIM. Jackets were great, trousers were crap. Moved to eMTB this year and needed a decent jacket. Did lots of research and tried a few brands. Settled on a Leatt DBX 5.0. Not cheap and not that packable but it works for me, totally waterproof, vented and breathable. Just wish they did trousers to suit.
 

The Hodge

Mystic Meg
Subscriber
Sep 9, 2020
3,928
8,351
North West Northumberland
If you can find a stockist then the best re-proofer I have used is a spray on from Ballistol called Pluvonin ..works on all technical garments also leather..even wool !
There is a YouTube video which shows one side of a piece of kitchen roll coated then held under a running tap with not a drop of water leaking through...
I've used over the years pretty much everything out there and nothing else comes close..but as a starting point for any reproofer would always recommend a spray on product rather than a wash -in ..
UK stockists are pretty thin on the ground ..and if buying online from overseas ( its a German company) then be prepared to pay through the nose !
 

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