How are you holding up so far this winter?

I’ve had some trials! I snapped a belt on my one-year old belt drive bike! Plus the front gear was worn- LBS blames road grit. I was expecting this to last a long time, so pretty disappointed. I have had a few flats recently and finding lost of tiny shards of brown glass in my tires. I think it is time to add mudflaps (I’ve been reading Jan Heine’s blog). I have also been trying to remind myself what a relatively easy fall winter we had so far, and to be happy there is no ice! Cold and wet is just our winter conditions- we are not made of sugar!

New rain gear this year. Life is warm and dry. I am back to enjoying the feeling of riding in the rain. Props to Helly Hansen Odin. I am super impressed.

Just biked up East Broadway yesterday during rush hour and the Blazers game and it was a bit terrifying. Should’ve switched my front light to flasher mode. Get that high-vis on and just assume every driver is trying to kill. Welcome to winter.

Piece of cake, to be honest. Compared with last winter, it has been warm, almost no snow or ice, so I’m happy

With good rain gear, I don’t mind getting caught in the rain. But it’s hard to start riding a 45 minute commute to Vancouver in the dark when it’s raining hard. The car is right there, dry and beckoning.

But I’ve still managed to hold my driving to about a day a week, and to ride my bike (or, if working downtown, the bus) four days a week. When you need to charge the car battery because it’s not being driven enough to stay charged, I call that a sort of victory.

I’ve learned, or rather relearned, the importance of bike maintenance and equipment. When you get a flat on the I-5 bridge, find your pump is broken, and have to walk miles in the rain to get to work, that qualifies as a teachable moment.

Keep riding, everyone! Invest in a rain jacket, rain pants, and booties. Put good, meaning bright, lights on your bike. Take care, just like I have trouble seeing with rain streaming down my glasses, drivers can’t see as well with rain pelting on their windshields.

Keep riding! Come spring, we’ll feel a lot better, fitter and readier to welcome the sunshine, than if we sit on our asses all winter. Plus, the more we ride, the more beer we can drink.

Hope I see you on the road! White jacket, white helmet, white Peugeot, gray backpack. Say hi as you pass me!

The Showers Pass Amsterdam jacket I got for Christmas has proven to be a champ. Fat tires, ugly commuter bike with good fenders and gore tex over booties make weather just an item of passing conversation.

My car had some problems and I’ve endured my long bus commute many times before, so I finally decided to get to work by bike regularly. I was surprised at how warm I get in 35-40 degree rainy weather with just a shirt, Showers Pass jacket, Gore-Tex pants, and padded tights. The rain isn’t that bad for me, as long as I have clothing that isn’t going to multiply in weight by absorbing water. I’d rather be following a leaky molasses truck than pedaling into some of the wind that we’ve had lately. It would probably take ice or deep snow to stop me.

Flu, more flu, rhinovirus, something unknown and oh the sinus pain has been horrid. Two young grand-daughters have kept me supplied with any and all respiratory tract infections available. I’ve managed to ride to the store, work and to pick up the girls from pre-school, but all joy-riding came to a halt two months ago.

Gawd, I hope I’m done being ill for the year. I normally love riding in the rain. The air is less polluted, there are fewer cars and for some strange reason motorists seem to give me more of a break. Here’s to a wet February, March and April.

I ride almost every day, and while I am not a fan of the rain, I almost prefer it to the sunny winter days with a strong east wind. My commute is east over the sylvan hill via the bike path. It can be a long slog home with 15+ mph head winds. To stay dry in the rainy weather I wear good rain gear, lightweight hiking boots with a gore-tex membrane, and short gaiters. I get a little damp from the condensation inside, but the wool under layer helps with that. I really like my dynamo light set up as well for the dark and a helmet light to “spotlight” drivers from side streets.

Honestly, this is the least amount of rainy winter day rides Ive had in 20 years! Here’s to going into the spring fit!

I’ve put on 5,800 miles on my e-bike since last January and ride every day unless it is icy. Daily bike commuting in Portland during the winter does take planning and discipline, but it is a lot of fun! For example, the bike and lights need to be charged every night, the weather needs to be monitored to see what gear and supplies are needed for the day, and the bike needs more care.

I bought a Bouclier visor this year which has made my rides far more comfortable because it keeps the rain out of my face during the day, but unfortunately it is too dark to wear at night and they don’t sell a clear one. My Showers Pass waterproof knit gloves are also great unless it is a total downpour because my hands get cold. Rain pants or at least water resistant pants are a must, along with a hat that covers your ears. Other than that, my rides are pretty comfortable despite the weather.

I ride rain or shine… in my mind it’s all about the gear (being comfortable). I have the typical rain gear, but found I actually prefer my snowboarding gear! That includes mittens, ski goggles, and Sorel boots. They’re warm, windproof, and like to be wet. I have a leisurely 3.5 mile ride from SE over the Tillikum bridge so don’t break much of a sweat. It makes me really enjoy being outside!

Rubber boots, wool pants, and a rain cape if my legs are getting wet/cold. I’ve only worn rain pants once for a deluge. The 3-mile school run is too unpleasant in a car (especially in the rain), and the kids stay dry under a poncho on the back of the Xtracycle. Electric assist keeps me riding through colds and other tough days.

I haven’t found waterproof gloves that don’t get sweaty, but can stay warm enough with silk liners under synthetic gloves with a wind mitt flap. The neoprene bar mitts (pogies) are great, if a bit clumsy.

I seem to be finding more reasons why I need to haul something down to the shop in our old Previa these days. Coincidence?

Here’s a somewhat drier photo of Joel, your model, I took the other day:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnandrewbennett/26035934448/in/dateposted-public/

I’m new in town. Can some of you please tell me where you get your rain gear and what brands you like. I’m. Having a hard time finding bike specific rain clothes that don’t cost hundreds of dollars. This winter I’ve been riding in a pair of old rain proof jigging pants. Help.

I’m taking a break here and there from my long commute to do some weight lifting. It’s been a while since I have been hitting the weights, and the older I get the more I realize that I can’t just ride to stay healthy. The breaks help me stay motivated to ride as my commute is long and early. Way too early. I have been doing long rides on the weekend on the road and gravel and have been really enjoying those. Been riding the West Hills out to Sauvie Island a lot and the birdwatching has been great.

A bit of rain and cool is inherent to riding in the PNW — acccording to the National Weather Service, Portland is experiencing its 4th warmest January on record.

42 degree rain is good riding. Cool enough that it’s easy to stay cool, warm enough that it’s easy to not get chilled. Flats are more common due to wet and darkness hiding water lubricated debris that gets driven in more easily, but I’ll take spending a few minutes changing a flat to much longer sitting in traffic or slow moving transit any day (plus the flats are much less common)

Commuting is more fun if you don’t have to don cold wet gear at the end of the day. Doing something as simple as bringing in a small fan to work so it can blow on your gear in some hidden area during the day makes the beginning of the ride home more fun.

Rain gear is a sweaty, joyless hassle. Bring a cape for truly wet rides, wear wool outer layers, and don’t be afraid of a little drizzle!

My office moved from NW to SE this year, bringing my bike commute down to under 3 miles, so I can’t complain!

My one tip is the Dark Sky weather app. It is surprisingly accurate in estimating things like “light rain stopping in 12 minutes, starting again in 40”, even on days when little squalls are all about. I open it up as end of work day approaches and hit the first weather gap I see. I feel like I’ve completely dodged some the rain on some days!!

Jonathan, have you ever done a piece on maintaining the bike lanes in Portland? – how often they are swept? Who does this work? Who are the unsung heroes of bike-lane maintenance? (and the villains, of course). Where I live in SW Portland, sweeping seems pretty hit or miss, and I feel fortunate when Barbur is swept monthly-ish. Does the city do this work, or do they sub-contract? Seems like a good story here. Thanks.

Winter is the very best time of year to ride. No overheating, air polution much better when it’s raining, visibility is better if you have good lights, the excercise fixes winter blues. 40s is not cold weather. There is a region in Russia that got down to -88F recently. That’s cold. 40s is mild and refreshing. Love it!

I wear multiple layers of merino, from Goodwill, and the thinnest packable windbreaker with DNR. Winter knickers, wool hunting socks, lace up rubber boots. If there is heavy rain or mechanical, I have a packable emergancy parka, but so far have not had to use it this winter. I’m always comfy.

As miserable as the rain can be, I honestly prefer it over most of those long, hot and dry (and lately smokey) days in August. My daily riding has gone up from ~6-10 miles total to over 20mi total due to a temporary relocation of our kid’s pre-k setup. The only cycling specific “gear” that I use is a rain cape and it has worked just fine. As far as tips: 1) carry a couple of hand towels for your hands/face or spot drying, etc. 2) be multimodal: i did Bike–>MAX–>Biketown–>Walk one day, so I could skip over the long, wet middle part of the commute.

Friends from out of state visited over X-mas and New Years. Their comment, “If this is Portland, where are all the bikers? The bike lanes are empty all over the city.”

40’s and rain is easy, assuming you have your health.

It’s tough, but the 1 or 2 faces I see going the other way along my long brutal commute make it all worth it!

Sure it’s wet, but it’s winter. It’s SUPPOSED to be wet. The past two 39 degrees and raining mornings were not my favorite, but like some of the other posters, I’ll take mid-40s and rain over clear and 20/30 any day.

I do have a Showers Pass jacket that I really like, but the lower half of me just gets wet. Wool socks are very important. I’m fortunate that I can just change at work, so I really don’t mind getting wet (as long as it’s in the 40s) while I get there. And every time I see the long lines of cars waiting to get home and I’m almost there it makes me so glad I’m on my bike!

Summer sucks hot tots. Enjoys this while it lasts.

John Liu
I’ve been thinking about loading my tubes with sealant. class=”recommended”>Recommended 0

I bought some SLIME tubes. heavy, but I figured worth the peace of mind. WRONG.

They will certainly flatten , a small shred of wire did it , but then the problem is the slime that has gotten out of the tube makes the surface so slippery that it’s not patchable until you’ve cleaned every, every last bit of slime off.

even then it doesn’t seal well around the puncture.

I’ve been a 365 rider for the last 10 years or so, but getting a slow start this year.
Had a lingering cold for a while and prefer to recover completely.

Rain & cold don’t much bother me, but WIND … arrgggh. No thanks.

Have lots of rain proof jackets & pants , but my big secret to cold/wet riding is a snowboarding helmet and goggles. dorky looking ? sure, who cares ? My eyes water badly in cold air and after lots of T&E, this was the only combo that truly worked for me. Added benefit is that you can open or close vents depending on conditions.

to the guy who just moved here, now buying rain gear – I would NEVER buy a rain jacket that does NOT have pit zips. Also have seen many SP jackets where the liner is flaking apart. YMMV.

I once loved SP jackets. They seem to be 1 season jackets now though. Even with by the book cleaning and treatment they don’t seem to last like 6 years ago ish.

There are so many puddles to splash through right now.

Simplify, simplify. I used to try to buy all the gear that claims to be “waterproof.” I used to scoff at buying the over shoes to help keep my feet dry but they were crazy expensive so I would try to baby them. Those days are done. A solid pair of 2mm neoprene socks, a Gore Tex helmet cover, and a solid pair of neoprene gloves help make the 7 mile one way more enjoyable. Also I make sure my crazy ass bright lights are charged and my gear gets dry before heading back out. A small office fan does wonders. Happy commuting 🙂

I love all times Not Summer. 🙂

I eat, I sleep, I walk, and I bike every day. The question is annoying.

Still riding daily and the wet hasn’t bothered me much. I have a lightweight rain jacket (not cycling specific but works) which I usually wear with the hood up while it’s actually raining. The real key for me is full fenders front and rear with mud flaps, especially on the front one. This protects my feet and drivetrain from excessive water and grime flying off the wheel. And except when it’s raining really hard, I wear a pair of Rainlegs chaps. They keep my legs from sweating to death, my pants stay mostly dry underneath (fenders keep the bottom of my legs dry), they dry quickly, and they are much more compact that a pair of rain pants. Also saving my bacon this season are mittens and a pair of Keens that are highly water-resistant or just straight galoshes when it’s really nasty. I also carry some old plastic bags to protect my Brooks while I’m parked.

A couple things I’ve found from years past too:
– Wearing a backpack or shoulder bag will cause your rain jacket to wear out significantly faster. Since I switched to panniers, my $40ish jacket is now in its 4th season.
– Most clipless shoes aren’t very good at keeping the water out and need covers to help with this. I got tired of clipless for anything but longer rides and now use double-sided pedals which give me options.
– A cycling cap and hood under my helmet may not be proper, but it keeps a lot of rain out of my eyes and keeps my head a lot more dry.
– Lights on day or night when it’s cloudy and especially when raining.