I would like to ride more in the rain. What are some of this community’s preferences around rain ponchos?
I use a poncho from decatholon when it rains and it works fine. I also have a couple rain overshoes, because the feet aren’t protected.
All in all i think that for my case this is the best solution, because it doesn’t rain often, the climate here is warm (the poncho is better for sweat than a rain jacket) and we have no strong winds, which would make you fly with a poncho
I have always had relatively short commutes (under 30 minutes) and a warm shower available at both ends, so I just get wet. A few times a year, if the forecast calls for unusually heavy rain or it’s going to be especially cold, I might throw on a rain jacket with pit zips for ventilation.
A poncho seems like it would be annoying. I can imagine it bunching up around my knees, or trying to find its way into the rear wheel.
Your imagination is not serving you well. Ponchos do catch the wind and are very much not aero, but they generally have loops or something for your hands to hold them in place, and are never long enough to go down to your wheels, that would be lethal.
Their biggest downsides is they don’t protect your knees and below, and they flap around in the wind, and may obscure lights and cameras on your handlebars if you’re not careful. They’re also worthless unless you have full fenders/mudguards.
But they’re great in warm weather because ventilation is excellent, even if they’re made of cheap fully waterproof material. Indeed there’s little point in making them out of breathable material because it’ll only make a fractional improvement, and you generally only wear them when it’s actively raining, and when it’s wet, breathable material isn’t breathable any more anyway.
They’re also easy to put on and take off over clothes so for utilitarian/transportation use when you don’t change clothes at either end they’re extra convenient.
I don’t like them, I prefer using a good rain jacket (like breathable fabric) and a cheap rain pant. I end up perfectly dry from toes to head after a rainy commute.
Poncho tends to fly above your knees with speed so your legs and shoes gets wet.
Same, I don’t understand why a poncho would be better than a jacket shell.
I’m seeing many ponchos with hand loops and a waist strap so it doesn’t fly up. AFAIK, they are more breathable.
In torrential rainy Vietnam they are ubiquitous on motor scooters. Literally everybody keeps them under the seat with their helmet. I have used them while it’s raining and I have not used them while it’s raining, and yeah, they make a night and day difference. I’ve never bicycled with them though, just scooted.
I live in the PNW so our rain is usually light enough not to merit them. I have heard people swear by the Clever Hood though.
I had an old waxed cotton bike poncho made by some hippies in Oregon or something that was great, but wore out and they’re shut down their business. I bought a Cleverhood.
Gotta say, it’s adequate, but not particularly good. The hand loops are crude and awkward. Inexplicably it’s made out of breathable fabric, which is pointless in a poncho, as a core poncho upside is plentiful airflow underneath, plus you only wear it when it’s actively raining at which point any breathable fabric ceases breathing. My shoulders get damp where they touch the cloth, and that didn’t happen with my fully waterproof waxed cotton one.
I’m tempted to clean, fix, and rewax my old poncho as it did a better job, albeit it was heavier and more bulky.
Ponchos are wonderful when you don’t want to get wet with the rain but like to get wet with your sweat.
They are wonderful when doing ‘light’ biking in cities. They are really good for short trips on flat land. They are hell when you start to have a moderate or sportive rythm.
If you want to do some sports, invest in a waterproof jacket. The breathability of the materials will keep you dry and comfy.
In any case, with a poncho or a jacket, you will have to invest in waterproof pants.
A proper rain jacket might be better than a poncho. I keep a Patagonia “rain shadow” jacket rolled up in my bike bag. Doesn’t take up a lot of space and has good ventilation for those humid, rainy days.
Decathlon here in Canada sells a great poncho and a set of rain pants, keep me nice and dry for under $60
Especially good in the summer. They allow you to stay very dry but also get great airflow. Feet and lower legs are unprotected, but wearing shorts in summer it’s not much of an issue, and at worst you have to wear waterproof pants. Some long custom open backed gaiters would be ideal.
They aren’t aero though. I wouldn’t want to ride for tens of miles in one. Excellent for the daily commute though.
