Conference noted::bicycle

I wouldn't recommend a poncho for bike riding. They're great for other
stuff but a friend of mine was riding with one and one of the loose
ends got tangled up in the chain. Not a pretty picture.

Bahama Mama

Get gear that fits relatively closely, i.e. not a poncho. Baggy stuff makes
you feel like you're sailing a sailboat against the wind. Good ventilation
is important to keep you from wetting yourself with sweat. My preference
runs to GoreTex mountain parkas with underarm zippers, and GoreTex runner's
pants....
                                              ken

I'm a big fan of Goretex.  I've heard that there are similar products now 
available, but I've never tried them.  I have Descente goretex jacket and 
Campmor goretex pants.  They both work quite well.  The other possibility for
pants is to just wear polypropolene tights.  I have a heavy pair of polypro 
tights, and am comfortable wearing them in rain down to about 40 degrees.
It is important that the clothing not flap excessively, so I don't think a 
poncho could work.

Some people I know are quite happy with the Performance Rain gear ~$165.
for a suit last time I checked.

Good Riding,

--David 

    There are lots of ways to look at this problem, so please excuse
    me if mine is too fatalistic.
    
    It just does not matter what you wear, you are going to get wet,
    soaked.  What you want to try to do is keep warm so you don't get
    hypothermic.
    
    When I rode to Buffalo last June, I had a Performance rain suit.
    It rained 5 of the 7 days that we took to get there.  I used the
    pants the first day.  It poured all day.  I was wet and toasty,
    ok, soggy toasty.  After that I only used the jacket.  Since then
    I have carried a much simpler plastic jacket with a velcro closure
    with me and found it to be sufficient.  It will double as a windbreaker
    and provide some protection in the case of sudden cold blasts of
    long downhill freezes.   The plastic jacket is nice because you
    can tuck it into a pocket (bulgy pocket).
    
    It all depends on how much you "have to ride" once it starts raining.
    If you're going to be there for days and days regardless, you need
    more comfort.  If the jacket is an emergency measure, then something
    a little less elaborate will suffice.  If you're never more than
    a phone call away from home, a dime is a good tool (my pride is
    too extreme for me to call for a ride home, but ....)
    
    ed

    	The above contain some good advise.  To elaborate:
    Primary objective is to keep your skin as dry as possible. For this
    you want poly underwear. Tops and bottoms.  You will be able to
    overwhelm the moisture transport ability of Gore-Tex by vigorous
    exercise, so cooling is important - I demand underarm zippers!
    	Foot protection is also important. I've got some Gore-Tex
    booties (kind of like a gaiter) from Early Winters that do fine.
    Hands get chilled, so protect them too.  The best rain protection
    that I know of is a Zzipper fairing, really. You kind of hide behind
    the sucker, with your hands out of the breeze.  Works good in cold
    weather too.  
    	I'm not giving my Cold and Wet Weather Clothing workshop at
    NEAR (maybe at GEAR-UP '88) since they want me to talk about recumbents
    instead. (that really upsets me :-)).  It looks like we should have
    the following for test rides: Avatar, Linear, DeFelice, Tour Easy,
    and Infinity.  Garry, want to add the Counterpoint?  - Chris

>    and Infinity.  Garry, want to add the Counterpoint?  - Chris

 Reg, do you believe these people? Calling my CounterPoint a RECUMBANT!!!
Chris, it is a SEMIrecumbant.....;-)

Actually, I have been debating within about attending. I'll be better able
to let you know in a month. Sounds like a great time, tho, and I DO like
your idea.

    
    	OOOps, it seems every day I learn how to spell another word
    properly.   I had always thought it was RE_CUM_BENT (underscores
    for sylabic separation only).
    
    	Reg
    
    (an' how do you shoulder one o' dem tings in a 'cross event anyway ?)

>     I had always thought it was RE_CUM_BENT (underscores

 I an really sorry for that, Reg. I humbly request your forgiveness.
    Please?
    
>        (an' how do you shoulder one o' dem tings in a 'cross event anyway ?)

 
    You've asked this question before, and I didn't respond because
    I actually thought you were joking around. But I guess you really
    want to learn something. It's not very often we get you in this
    frame of mind, so I think I will take advantage of that.
    One doesn't shoulder SemiRecumbEnt tandems. One could ride them,
    but two shoulder them. The picture would be reminiscent of a
    Middle-Eastern potentate being carried by porters, with one shoulder
    in the front and another in the rear (of the machine, Reg, of the
    machine).
    Another method of porting the machine, provided you've strayed into
    areas not suitable for biking, would be to winch yourself along
    using the timing chain and the built in boom. Actually, the bicycle
    is very efficient in this mode. However one (or two, as the case
    may be) is limited to the length of the chain for wach portage...In
    our case, that's 17.5 yards. 
    I really think it's silly to think one (o t a t c m b) would need
    more length, however, since one (or t a  etc) will realize within the
    first 15 feet the undesirability of following you, or others into
    the muck.                             
    
    And that's the end of today's lesson. Any questions, Reg?

    Seriously, to carry a low-handlebar recumbent, you just grab the
    top tube just in front of the seat, like you'd grab a suitcase handle.
    It's low enough so's when you are carrying it with your arm straight
    (assuming you have a non-knuckle-dragging build), the wheels are
    several inches clear of the ground.
    
    This was a raingear note... Anybody been trying out their's recently?
    	- Chris

>    This was a raingear note... Anybody been trying out their's recently?
 
       Rain? Whats that?
       Rain? Whats that?
       Rain? Whats that?
       Rain? Whats that?
       Rain? Whats that?
       Rain? Whats that?
       Rain? Whats that?

    There have been a lot of changes in Gortex and Rain gear of the
    recent years.  Are there any current recommendations around raingear,
    Gortex or otherwise.
    
    Thanks
    Frank Ferreira

    If you want to stay dry, ride when you don't need it.  :-)
    
    Seriously, I have tried everything and the last few years gave up
    totally on miracle fabrics and use a nylon shell, I still get wet
    but it takes up less space when I don't need it and it isn't
    that bad when I do use it.  AND I've ridden at time when I could
    pour a pint of water out of the arm when I tug at the elastic on
    my wrist.
    
    Anyone have any more joyous experiences?
    
    ed

    thanks Ed
    
    riding when you don't need it is desirable ;^)
    
    What has put me in the market?  Last week on a pleasantly cool day,
    took a 35-45 minute arobic ride wearing a nylon windbreaker.  I got
    soaked from the inside-out.  Today, also pleasantly cool, took the 
    same ride wearing a Gortex shell, closed to the neck and snug at the
    wrists.  When finished, I was dry inside and felt great...  I've had
    the shell for awhile.  I'm considering the purchase of Gortex pants
    and wondering if they will provide the same positive results as the
    shell.  Natch for the money they will be multi-functional and used
    on a Motorcycle, Canoeing, hiking and walking, as well as, bicycling.
    
    I look forward to hearing other opinions...
    
    Frank

    I simply wear nylon as well and just arrive wet.  I have Gortex, but
    sweat so much that it doesn't really matter.  The nylon jacket/pants
    keeps the road grit off the clothes underneath, which in turn keeps the
    washing machine from seeing a ton of sand, which in turn keeps the
    Maytag man away.  _Kratz