What waterproof gear to use, and what bike to use? :)

[obinice]

Good evening ladies and gentlemen!

I have a few varied questions for you (well okay, two, kinda...)

I've just moved house and begun cycling to work daily. It's a 50 minute trip along the wonderful Fallowfield Loop, and I love it. Plus, it saves so much money on travel that I really can't afford to waste, and is the only exercise I get because I am usually too lazy for my own good!

The problem is, I don't think I've got the right gear. See, when it's not raining and it's not cold, a t-shirt and some jogging bottoms are fine. I get a little sweatty, but not enough that it matters.

I work in an office, so I have to change into my suit when I get to work, and look/smell presentable. I'd rather not take extra time having a shower at work unless I have to! So far the weather's been quite nice except for a day or two, but it won't be decent forever (I'm looking at black skies right now....).

On the days that it rains, I've got a waterproof cycling jacket and trousers that I picked up a few years ago from some big outdoor retailer (I forget their name right now....if you're in the UK you can probably guess who I mean anyway!).

They're light and thin and made of some sort of plasticy material, and so they keep the rain out excellently. The only problem is, they keep the heat and sweat in just as well! And by the time I get to work, I'm drenched in sweat. It's literally pouring out of the wrists of the jacket.

So, to my first question! What sort of cycling clothing is waterproof, but also allow heat and moisture to escape so that I'm in a decent state by the time I get to work (and also not super uncomfortable on my cycle, I don't want to spend 2 hours a day feeling like crap, lol)?

My second question is a bit simpler. I have a mountain bike, the same one I've had since high school, about 11 years ago. I've looked after it as best I know how and it runs just fine, but I see everybody else whizzing past me on thinner lighter looking bikes. What sort of bike may best benefit me on this commute? There is one caveat, I have to be able to mount my somewhat sizeable laptop bag on the back of the bike, I've been using bungee cords, they're great for attaching stuff!

Thanks folks

 

[djmc]

Starting almost any sport / physical activity one tends to wear generic sports gear (t-shirt and shorts or training bottoms). After a while one comes to realise why each sport has quite specific gear which a priori may seem exceedingly weird. This is very much the case with cycling. Technical cycling wear is much more comfortable. As far as to what bike you need, look around. Road or hybrid bikes are lighter and easier to ride on the road than mountain bikes. Buying through the net is cheaper as is buying second hand. However it is far more important to have something which is appropriate for what one wants to do and which fits. Try and see if there is a local bike shop and ask. If there is a local cycling club or branch of the CTC you could try asking. Cyclists are often mesmerised by the latest, sportiest or lightest equipment, but it is worth asking for opinions before shelling out the money. If you know what you are doing buying a frame and building it up is possible, however buying a bike which is already built is cheaper. A real bike shop (and not Halfords) is probably the best. Again the most important aspect is to have something which fits. It is very easy to persuade oneself that something is just what one needs because it is is a nice colour or because it is cheap for what it is, but if it is too large or too small or the wrong proportions one would be wrong. I speak with experience here. When I had a bike built to measure the builder laughed at the current bike I had. He thought it was not at all to my fit. When I tried my new bike (which has some very strange dimensions) I realised he was right.

 

[srw]

For the waterproof wear, what you've got is absolutely fine. It rains on a bike commuter about 12 times in a typical year (the last couple haven't been typical). You might have to accept that once in a while you'll need a shower when you arrive, but I suspect that'll get rarer as you get fitter.

For the bike, since you're on tarmac, anything at all will be better than a mountain bike - even just a mountain bike with better tyres.

 

[Jimmy Doug]

I don't think there's anything more miserable than cycling in the cold and wet. So I'd advise you to get some decent breathable waterproofs. The investment will very quickly be paid off if you cycle to work rather than take the car. I have a light-weight Berghaus Gore-tex shell - but to be honest you don't really need to spend so much. Most alternative breathable fabrics seem to be very good these days. Take a trip to Décathlon or look on Wiggle and see what you can afford.