--- adyard <adyard@...> wrote:

> Hey gang!
> I would like your expertise on rain jackets. I ride
> about 10 miles
> each way, and I would like to ride regardless of the
> precipitation.
> I'd like to hear your recommendations for a 3-season
> rain jacket. If
> it's roomy enough, I can layer underneath it, but
> I'd like it to be
> versitile enough to use in the rain on those
> 70-degree days, too.
> Thanks!
> Al
>
Hi Al:
My recommendation would be to use something
lightweight, very water repellent, but not necessarily
waterproof. Pearl Izumi, Bellweather, and lots of
companies make jackets like these. I'm sure you'll
get a whole range of opinions, but that's mine.
I've been consistently commuting by bicycle for about
15 years, and there are no truly "waterproof"
raincoats that do the trick. Most of the time, when
you are cycling, your body is producing so much
moisture through perspiration that even very high end
(and very expensive) waterproof/breathable fabrics
don't work well, even in cool temperatures, much less
the 70 degree days you mentioned; the "storm within"
will get you every bit as wet as the rain will. I
have tried many kinds of waterproof breathable
materials, which generally break down into two types:
materials which are not themselves waterproof, but are
coated with a waterproof substance (less expensive but
less durable), and materials which are inherently
waterproof. Gore-Tex is the best known example of the
inherently waterproof materials, made of teflon (PTFE,
the same stuff in your non-stick frying pan) which is
expanded, resulting in a material that looks like a
tangled spiderweb under a microscope. The holes in
the Gore-Tex are bigger than molecules of water vapor,
but smaller than molecules of water, so it keeps you
dry, but you can still sweat through it. And while it
is not the most breathable material out there, it is
probably the most durable. I've also used Marmot's
Membrain (a waterproof fabric), Lowe's Triple-point
Ceramic (a solution applied to a polyester or nylon
jacket), and many others. All of these are great for
activities like walking, hiking or standing around
outside, but cycling is just too aerobic an activity
for completely waterproof materials to work well. If
you do get a water-repellent jacket, look for a
wash-in DWR (durable water repellent) solution like
Nikwax, which will really help keep you more dry,
especially after several seasons of riding.
Good luck, hope this helps.
-M