Biking Seattle

It seems that the rain really will just continue to come down, but now I have a partial defense against Seattle’s drearier elements.

My previous attempt at biking in a proper rain (getting around in the more usual misty conditions isn’t really an issue – even a couple months in, I barely notice any moisture in the air that isn’t actually falling, but instead hanging there, waiting for you to run into it) left me with the unpleasantness of sitting around in wet jeans for hours after the ride.

This time, however, I added one crucial piece of gear to my arsenal.  Last week, I picked up a pair of rain pants at REI, which were worth every penny I paid. They are loose enough to be comfortable to move and pedal in, and fit easily over my jeans. But they also have fasteners at the bottom, not only to keep rain from getting in underneath, but which also serve to keep them well out of the way of my chain (which is a better solution in the rain than rolling up my right leg to avoid the disaster of having my pants caught in the gear at high speed). Continue reading…

I’m well aware that it rains in Seattle, although so far my time in this city has been mostly dry. Even on rainy days, the sky has politely stopped dropping precipitation when I venture outside.

Until last week, when I had to get to class and the rain was definitely coming down. With actual drops, even, instead of simply misting. So I decided to see how I’d fare on the bike. I still don’t have much in the way of rain gear (not just for biking – I don’t have much rain gear for simply being outside in wet weather) but I made do. My laptop went into a plastic zip-lock in my backpack for the ride, a dry shirt was wrapped up and off I went.

As soon as I started, I understood why adding after-market fenders is a cottage industry for the bike shops in town. My fender-less bike threw up water ahead and behind me, although my backpack didn’t seem to have a problem taking the brunt of the spray.

Once again, I arrived at 45th Street right as a bus pulled up. And again, I wrestled with my desire to simply hop on (understandable, I feel, as it was raining) before decided to stick with the bike. On one hand, this was a wise choice, as I handily beat the bus to the U District. On the other, I did end up getting fairly soaked.

Not completely soaked – my non-rain coat handled the rain better than expected, and even though it was wet on the outside, it didn’t seep through and my lower top layers stayed dry. And my new gore-tex shoes worked even better than expected, keeping my feet dry despite the constant spray from the tires.

But wearing jeans isn’t really the best option for wet weather, and even on a short ride of a couple miles they were completely soaked through. On the plus side, the brisk day of around 50 degrees wasn’t so cold to be a major issue, but it was cold enough to still be slightly uncomfortable.

To be fair, this outfit would have left me fairly wet even if I was walking – the bike only accelerated the process. But it did reinforce a few things I’d already guessed:

1. Biking in the rain is certainly doable, if you understand there is water involved and you’ll likely get slightly wet.
2. I need to figure out a proper rain outfit, so I don’t spend an entire Seattle winter in wet jeans.

Thanks to reader AJL for pointing out that the day after I asked what equipment I’d need to survive Seattle’s rainy season, Seattle Bike Blog went ahead and answered my question.

After asking the question here and offline, a few people let me know there wasn’t any must-have equipment for biking, beyond what is must-have for doing anything in the rain.

From Seattle Bike Blog’s post:

Do you own warm clothes that you wear when walking in the rain? Then you already own everything you need to bike in the rain.

Most city bike trips do not require special clothing, even in the rain. Over time, you will discover outfits and items of clothing that make rainy biking more comfortable. But don’t get intimidated by your lack of bike-specific clothing. If what you own keeps you dry enough to wait for a bus or to walk a few blocks from a parked car to your destination, then it is good enough for a quick bike trip across town.

So far, I’ve gotten lucky. Even when the day has been rainy, when I’ve headed out on my bike there have been breaks in the rain. The worst I’ve had to deal with so far is the light mist, or, as it’s known in Seattle, “the air.”

But I’ve realized I’m not quite ready for a long, wet winter. The cold I’m prepared for. The soaking wet, not so much. Tops on my want list: good gloves that will dry quickly, and a better rain jacket. I’ve got a thin rain coat, but it looks like a warm, water-resistant jacket will be more than welcome in the coming months.

Also, I like this description from the SBB post. I don’t know if I’ll find rainy biking will be quite as much of a pick-me-up as this, but I’m willing to try.

Especially once days get really short and gray, biking is my best defense against seasonal affective disorder. Pedaling is like generating your own sunshine. It keeps you feeling energized and in touch with Seattle’s natural rainy whimsy that you might miss otherwise.

I sit here with the rain dripping outside my window, and I realize I’m not equipped for this at all. At least not to take on this weather with my bike.

Since I mostly use my bike for relatively short (five mile) commuting or errand runs, I’ve usually been a fair-weather biker. If it’s nice enough to jump on and go in jeans, I’m there. Perhaps toss a shirt in the bag to change into at the other end. I’ve never bothered to get proper gear even for slightly longer recreational rides, figuring my athletic shorts and a T-shirt would work well enough.

But now I’m trying to get a little more serious about this bike thing, and use it to get around even when the weather doesn’t cooperate. I might even become more adventurous and try to push into the dozens of miles on pleasure rides instead of being happy to break double digits. So I’m aware there are some necessary items I’m missing, but I’m less sure what exactly they are.

So for those of you who are used to hopping on a bike throughout the Seattle winter – how do you equip yourself for the elements? What are the must-haves for a wet biker’s wardrobe?