Reflector Rain Capes - Where to Find?

I would like some kind of outerwear for cycling in the rain. Ideally
this would be something like a hooded poncho, short enough not to get in
the gears but large enough to go over my outerclothes and backpack, in
an extremely garish, dayglow color with reflector patches on all sides.
It should be completely waterproof and windbreaking but sufficiently
breathable not to create a sauna around me.

Alternatively, this could be a great big one-piece overall with a front
zip long enough to step in and out of, with remaining features similar.
Or even a 2-piece rainsuit, large enough to go over my day-clothes
(since this will be for cycling to work and at work I wear long skirt
and Victorian blouse). But this solution is less attractive because it
might have trouble getting over my outerwear and bag.

I've been scouring the Internet for such garments and am surprised to
find that they practically do not exist. Why not? Why is there such a
paucity of designs with reflector features? I have been looking at
industrial reflector rainclothes and finding that they tend to be in
PVC! The rainsuits in Illuminite or Gore-Tex are navy blue or black,
really intelligent for visibility in gloomy weather!

Yet the sites I've been visiting on the subject of safe riding in the
rain all describe the kind of garments I have in mind, and it seems
obvious that there would be a market among cycling commuters for such
things.

Anyone have any pointers? I'm an excellent seamstress, so if even I
could find a source of raw materials - lime-green Gore-tex or Illuminite
by the yard or stitch-on, velcro-on reflector patches, I could fabricate
something myself.

I'd find it hard to believe I'm the first to be having this problem?

Elisa Roselli
Paris, France

In article ,
Elisa Francesca Roselli
wrote:

I would like some kind of outerwear for cycling in the rain. Ideally
this would be something like a hooded poncho, short enough not to get in
the gears but large enough to go over my outerclothes and backpack, in
an extremely garish, dayglow color with reflector patches on all sides.
It should be completely waterproof and windbreaking but sufficiently
breathable not to create a sauna around me.
[...]
I'd find it hard to believe I'm the first to be having this problem?



Basically, you're imagining a problem where there is none; so, no
wonder you can't find what you're looking for.

Jeantex is selling a yellow rain cap which will do quite well.
You can find it in general sport store (Go-Sport (for sure)
or Decathlon (most lokely)) and in bike shops.

Now, for the details :
- with a cape, there is absoletuly no need for breathable fabric.
In fact, you want the most waterproof possible fabric.
By design, air circulates very well as the bottom is totally open.
Breathable fabric do not work for cyclists: we generate too much
heat and sweat.

- for the reflectors. There is no magic in them! Contrary to popular
belief, "invisible cyclists" are both a myth and an excuse for
criminal motorists to get away. Covering yourself in reflective tape
will not make you more visible or safe. The most important thing is to
stand where motorists look: on the road, well into the lane
(1m off the gutter is a good rule of thumb).
The second important thing is an active front light. The third one
is an active back light (of the steady kind). Remember that most
of the dangers will come from the front of you, not from the back.

My personal rain cape is 25 year old, dark grey, bougth before
reflectite (or even light:-) was invented. I use it to commute when it
rains or snows, and I've never been hit.

Jean-Pierre
Nancy, France too:-)

Elisa wrote:
I would like some kind of outerwear for cycling in the rain. Ideally
this would be something like a hooded poncho, short enough not to get in
the gears but large enough to go over my outerclothes and backpack, in
an extremely garish, dayglow color with reflector patches on all sides.
It should be completely waterproof and windbreaking but sufficiently
breathable not to create a sauna around me.

Alternatively, this could be a great big one-piece overall with a front
zip long enough to step in and out of, with remaining features similar.
Or even a 2-piece rainsuit, large enough to go over my day-clothes
(since this will be for cycling to work and at work I wear long skirt
and Victorian blouse). But this solution is less attractive because it
might have trouble getting over my outerwear and bag.

I've been scouring the Internet for such garments and am surprised to
find that they practically do not exist. Why not? Why is there such a
paucity of designs with reflector features? I have been looking at
industrial reflector rainclothes and finding that they tend to be in
PVC! The rainsuits in Illuminite or Gore-Tex are navy blue or black,
really intelligent for visibility in gloomy weather!

Yet the sites I've been visiting on the subject of safe riding in the
rain all describe the kind of garments I have in mind, and it seems
obvious that there would be a market among cycling commuters for such
things.

Anyone have any pointers? I'm an excellent seamstress, so if even I
could find a source of raw materials - lime-green Gore-tex or Illuminite
by the yard or stitch-on, velcro-on reflector patches, I could fabricate
something myself.

I'd find it hard to believe I'm the first to be having this problem?

Elisa Roselli
Paris, France

Hey Elisa--
I'm crossposting this query to my other favorite NG. Someone there
will provide a source of high-vis rainwear fabric within hours.
Add your own reflector stripes. I found an fabulous selection
on-line and now have enough sew-on Reflexite (r)(tm) to trim all my
outerwear, each bike bag, my riding partner nieces' outerwear, and a
couple of car covers.
Yes, it is depressing that manufacturers believe we should wear
dark colored outerwear. I jazz mine up, even the winter coats that get
worn only for auto travel. (Don't want to get hit in a parking lot by
some cretin juggling a fast food order and a cell phone.)

HTH
--Karen M.

Elisa Francesca Roselli scribbled :
"Penny S." wrote:

if you visit my tips for gear making site
www.specialtyoutdoors.com/tips.htm you will find a full list of
outdoors fabrics retailers for the WORLD ( Europe, Canada, US)
where you can get more fabircs that you ever dreamed of, plus some
cycling patterns.

Neat! Thanks for the pointer. We might end up having another hobby in
common (apart from cycling : ) )

Elisa Roselli
Ile de France

here's just some of the cycle gear I have made
http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/pgallery.htm
http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/ima...owerjersey.jpg
http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/wildjerseyf.jpg

Penny S

--
me and my bike:
www.specialtyoutdoors.com/biking.htm

In article ,
Elisa Francesca Roselli
wrote:
I would like some kind of outerwear for cycling in the rain. Ideally
this would be something like a hooded poncho, short enough not to get in
the gears but large enough to go over my outerclothes and backpack, in
an extremely garish, dayglow color with reflector patches on all sides.
It should be completely waterproof and windbreaking but sufficiently
breathable not to create a sauna around me.

A bicycle cape for $30:

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/commer...&prrfnbr=10130

I don't think the material is anything particularly breathable, but it's
designed to stay open at the bottom and keep you ventilated that way.
I've never used this of thing, but people who have seem to like it. My
typical ride being less than 15 minutes, I avoid carrying around
clothing that seems overly bike-specific, so I use a jacket like this:

http://www.rei.com/online/store/Prod...8000&langId=-1

Bright obnoxious yellow color, no hood (my head can get kinda wet but so
far it hasn't bothered me enough to do anything about it). No gore-tex
or anything, but it has underarm vents and such. Works OK. I've seen a
lot of people claim that vents and such are more important than
breathable material for cyclists, but never having put up the money for
any of those gold-plated breathable materials, I wouldn't know.

I'm skeptical of hoods as I don't want something that'd obstruct my
side-to-side vision, but maybe someone with a hood can explain how they
work around that problem.

--b.

Jean-Pierre Jacquot wrote in message ...


- for the reflectors. There is no magic in them! Contrary to popular
belief, "invisible cyclists" are both a myth and an excuse for
criminal motorists to get away. Covering yourself in reflective tape
will not make you more visible or safe. The most important thing is to
stand where motorists look: on the road, well into the lane
(1m off the gutter is a good rule of thumb).
The second important thing is an active front light. The third one
is an active back light (of the steady kind). Remember that most
of the dangers will come from the front of you, not from the back.

Although lighting yourself up like a christmas tree can't hurt.
Should the unfortunate ever happen, you can then show the judge what
you were wearing at the time--thereby giving a motorist *no chance* of
escape from justice.

-Luigi
dum spiro, spero

In article ,
Elisa Francesca Roselli writes:

Anyone have any pointers?

All kinds of outdoor clothing patterns & fabrics:
http://www.justmakeit.com

I'm an excellent seamstress,

How I envy your sewing prowess :-) That's one skill I've
never been able to acquire.

so if even I
could find a source of raw materials - lime-green Gore-tex or Illuminite
by the yard or stitch-on, velcro-on reflector patches, I could fabricate
something myself.

I'd find it hard to believe I'm the first to be having this problem?

I'm using a cycling rain cape that I obtained locally. It has
a hood (it stuffs into a pocket in the collar), but I never use
it. Hoods obscure sideways vision, and funnel rain right into
one's face. If tightened with a drawstring, they're restrictive,
hot, and they look funny. So I use a separate helmet cover with
a flap down the back. To this day I haven't found anything that
really keeps hair "nice" after a ride of any length in the rain.

The rain cape itself is amply vented in the back, and has an
inner, "draw string" sort of belt -- it's stitched to the back,
and ties around the waist (inside the cape). Thumb loops on
inside of the front nap can be hooked around one's thumbs, or
on the brake levers. Both the inside belt and the thumb loops
help keep the cape from getting wind-blown into one's face. An
occasional application of ScotchGard (the green label version)
keeps it more-or-less rainproof.

If you can't find a real cycling rain cape, an army surplus rain
poncho might be adaptable, with the thumb loops and inner belt
thing added on, and a vent cut across the back where the shoulder
blades would be.

Rain capes are nice & cool, cheap, and very portable. They also
helps keep much of the bike cleaner than it would otherwise be
in the rain.

On the downside, they inhibit hand signals, catch headwinds,
make mounting/dismounting one's bike a little awkward, and
can be a bit of a nuisance if going into a shop -- if left on,
they get in the way when reaching for stuff, and it makes one
look like a shoplifter. If taken off, you're stuck with a wet,
drippy sheet of plastic draped over your arm, and then you've
got to put this wet thing back on for the return trip.

But they're well worth their price.


cheers,
Tom

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"Elisa Francesca Roselli"
wrote in message ...
I would like some kind of outerwear for cycling in the rain. Ideally
this would be something like a hooded poncho, short enough not to get in
the gears but large enough to go over my outerclothes and backpack, in
an extremely garish, dayglow color with reflector patches on all sides.
It should be completely waterproof and windbreaking but sufficiently
breathable not to create a sauna around me.

Alternatively, this could be a great big one-piece overall with a front
zip long enough to step in and out of, with remaining features similar.
Or even a 2-piece rainsuit, large enough to go over my day-clothes
(since this will be for cycling to work and at work I wear long skirt
and Victorian blouse). But this solution is less attractive because it
might have trouble getting over my outerwear and bag.

I've been scouring the Internet for such garments and am surprised to
find that they practically do not exist. Why not? Why is there such a
paucity of designs with reflector features? I have been looking at
industrial reflector rainclothes and finding that they tend to be in
PVC! The rainsuits in Illuminite or Gore-Tex are navy blue or black,
really intelligent for visibility in gloomy weather!

Yet the sites I've been visiting on the subject of safe riding in the
rain all describe the kind of garments I have in mind, and it seems
obvious that there would be a market among cycling commuters for such
things.

Anyone have any pointers? I'm an excellent seamstress, so if even I
could find a source of raw materials - lime-green Gore-tex or Illuminite
by the yard or stitch-on, velcro-on reflector patches, I could fabricate
something myself.

I'd find it hard to believe I'm the first to be having this problem?

Elisa Roselli
Paris, France


Motorcycle shops sell stuff like this; lots of bikers get caught in the
rain, and like to have something when it happens. When I had my Kawasaki,
I kept a jacket and pants, and they had some venting scheme where they
wouldn't make you sweat like a pig. Probably find some useful items at
www.jcwhitney.com in the motorcycle section, or check this site out
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/str...val/wetriding/ for info on a variety
of rainsuits.
Hope this helps . . .
--Tock

In article ,
says...
Thu, 17 Jul 2003 17:42:53 GMT, ,
(John Bartley K7AAY (ex-KGH2126)) wrote:

The second important thing is an active front light. The third one
is an active back light (of the steady kind).

Why steady and not blinkies?

Blinkies aren't legal in some European countries, like France.
Secondly, they don't allow drivers to judge distance accurately.
They've great for attracting attention but a steady light, in addition
to the blinked is safer and may be required by local laws.

Recently our MVA has been amended to permit blinkies with integral
reflectors as legally fulfilling the requirement for bicycle to
display a red reflector and a tail light to the rear.

Who are these IDIOTS that put them on the front too?

Remember that most
of the dangers will come from the front of you, not from the back.

Can you source proof of that? We've had an awful lot of 'hit from behind'
instances lately, enough for me to replace my rearview with a larger
mirror.

Figure it out. There can only be one direction for the strike to
occur, whereas the three remaining directions hold more potential
conflicts.
http://www.usroads.com/journals/rilj/9708/ri970805.htm

Most commonly a cyclist struck from behind is travelling without
adequate lighting on unlit roads.

Which is exactly why he wants reflectors on the back of his cape.
Things coming from the sides and the front have a much better chance of
being seen and avoided by the rider than someone coming up from behind.


--
Dave Kerber
Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

I had a bicycle poncho once. I was in a parking lot
somewhere, it started to rain, I got the poncho out of my
pannier and put it on, rode ten feet, got off the bike and
put it back into the pannier.

When I turned my head to look back, all I saw was the inside
of the hood.

But it *was* bright yellow. This was back when you could
assemble a custom assortment of cogs on your freewheel, and
trade parts back and forth between different bicycles, and
wheels were measured in inches.

(I switched to dressing in silk and wool from the skin out
so I wouldn't mind getting wet.)

Joy Beeson, who now regards fifteen miles as a long ride.
--
http://home.earthlink.net/~joybeeson/ -- needlework
http://home.earthlink.net/~beeson_n3f/ -- Writers' Exchange
joy beeson at earthlink dot net