Rain gear

Who says no riding in the rain? Riding in the rain is fun! You learn a lot about braking and leaning, and it's fun to look at cagers staring at the idiot on his bike in the rain! See our article: Riding in the rain.

It's important to have good gear to wear if you're riding in the rain. When your crotch, feet, and hands are soaking wet, your muscles cramp and shiver. This is bad for being smooth with the controls, which is what you need to ride well in the rain. Get a sturdy pair of rain pants or a suit, waterproof boots, and rain gloves or covers. XXX-L dishwashing gloves are good to pull over your regular gloves for short distances. Two plastic grocery bags make great emergency rain booties- they're tougher than they look, and free.

For longer rides, here are some member comments about frogg toggs:

• I live in Florida where it is frequently raining with 90F and 90% humidity. I use FroggToggs. They are perforated so that you get good ventilation, yet you stay dry in them.
• I will recommend FrogToggs, too. You can find good deals for new sets on eBay. Ive been using them for a few years now commuting in the rain. The stuff works!!
• Fish USA has good deals on frogg toggs, too. I got a Pro Angler suit that I really like.

Most of the major gear manufacturers make rain gear. Take a look at your favorite local or online retailer.

Ride like you usually do, just smoother and a little slower. You'd be amazed at how far you can actually lean on wet pavement, and modern brakes work fine once they heat up. The important thing is to practice. Sell your car and ride every day!

Gloves in the rain

There's no such thing as a waterproof glove; they have too many seams. It's best to just use your normal gloves and add a layer over the top. The cheapest are latex or nitrile gloves, or regular old rubber gloves from a grocery or hardware store. You can also go to Aerostich and get their Triple Digit Rain Covers. Hippo Hands fit on the bike and are another solution.

It doesn't hurt anything to get your gloves wet. You can just air-dry them, or use a fan (not a clothes dryer). Wet gloves shouldn't be really uncomfortable unless you're on a long ride in very cold weather.