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A guide to biking in the rain and darkness

A protected bike lane downtown in the dark with lights reflecting in the puddles.

As darkness once again descends around us, your bicycle is a torch to illuminate the path and keep the monsters away.

It’s brutal to end daylight savings time the same week as we hold an election with foreboding implications. Nightfall has suddenly jumped an hour earlier, matching my emotional state. Though it is not the solution to the core causes of these problems, your bicycle could at least be medicine to help you through it all.

Even in non-election years, the annual fall time change is a shock for many people who find their moods affected by the sudden change in seasons (can we please stop the clock changes already?). For many, bike rides home from work have been plunged into darkness, and with the change in seasons comes more rain. Every year, some people choose to leave their bikes in storage around this time. I am here to urge you to try doing the opposite. Try embracing fall and winter biking as seasonal therapy. Getting outside no matter the conditions is empowering, especially once you have figured out all the gear solutions you need to make a rainy and dark bike ride not just manageable but enjoyable.


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As the saying goes, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.” You do not need to suffer in order to bike through the winter. Finding the gear that actually works for you is an investment that will pay off as you save money by biking.

Every person’s body and sense of style is different, so there’s no single solution to suggest for you. Below is a list of rainy season biking gear, ranked roughly in order of importance in my opinion. Got advice I left out? Share it in the comments below.

  • Reliable, rechargeable bike lights. More on that in this post.
  • A rain jacket that is actually good at being waterproof. If your old jacket soaks through, you can try rehabbing it by cleaning and washing with a product like Nikwax (consult your tags or the manufacturer’s website for tips). But if that still doesn’t do it, it’s time for a new one. Don’t let a leaky jacket keep you from biking. Wool clothing typically wicks water decently well, and a warm wool layer (or two) is often enough for misting and light drizzles. But it will soak through in medium to heavy rain. A lightweight waterproof jacket is my favorite because it packs up small in whatever bag I have and I can wear whatever layers I want underneath. A heavy coat is great for the coldest rainy days, but it may be too warm for most days.
  • Fenders. Pro tip: If you buy fenders from a local bike shop, they will likely install them for you for free or at a discount. Fenders not only save your feet, shins and back, but the person biking behind you will be grateful you aren’t spraying them with your rooster tail.
  • Gloves that work for you. My fingers get cold easily, so I have found many gloves marketed toward cycling to be too breathable and not waterproof enough. “Water-resistant” is not good enough, trust me. I do like gloves with a removable waterproof shell you can use only when you need it (something like Outdoor Research’s Versaliner gloves). As readers helpfully noted in this post from a few years back, you may have better luck and save some money by looking for gloves marketed for work rather than recreation. If your hands aren’t comfortable in the rain, keep trying new things. Snow gloves work very well to keep you warm and dry on the coldest rainy days, but you might find them too warm for much of the winter.
  • A water-resistant bag. There are many options out there, and your existing bag might be up to the task already. It doesn’t need to be submersible like a kayaking bag, just something that won’t easily soak through.
  • Rain-ready pants. I have slowly started to come around on rain pants. Most days you can get by without anything special on your legs. In the light rain or mist, it doesn’t really matter. This is especially true if your pants are wool or make of a material that at least wicks water a little bit. Many pairs of rain pants are annoying to take on and off and get too hot when pedaling. I have found that thinner rain pants sized a little up work well for me, especially for longer rides in medium to heavy rain.
  • Keeping your feet dry. I have found that fenders will do most of the heavy lifting to keep your feet dry most days because it’s the spray from the front wheel that really gets you. But your shoes also matter, of course. Most lightweight athletic shoes will have essentially no water protection at all. I’m not going to try to tell you what kind of shoe to buy since there are so many vastly different styles with vastly different levels of water resistance. There are many people who swear by cycling booties. I find myself wearing my regular shoes most days, but then wearing my hiking boots if the rain is heavy. Don’t accept soggy socks and drenched shoe soles as part of rainy weather biking.

Beyond gear, riders new to rainy weather biking should be extra cautious on metal surfaces like grates and smooth surfaces like some painted lines and stripes. They are not always super slick, but if they have any oil or organic material on them, they can become very slick. The trick is so avoid making turns or using your brakes while on any surface that might be extra slick. Slow down before you reach the potential problem spot, then keep your weight centered on the bike and make only gentle movements until you are clear. You will pick it up pretty quickly, but it’s a lesson you don’t want to learn the hard way.



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31 responses to “A guide to biking in the rain and darkness”

  1. Aaron B

    I feel like I’ve never found a rain jacket that holds up to multiple hours of strong rain. My coping mechanism has been to just wear something “good enough” that I can take off and dry out a bit when indoors or under shelter. Most of my winter riding is for errands, etc so usually I’m only out in it for 30-45 minutes before getting a break.

    Maybe I need to look for something newer/better though. I just don’t know where to look.

    1. EBike Douche

      I ride with all Showers Pass gear and haven’t had an issue. I’ve got a 30-35 minute each way commute all year long and the only times I’ve gotten wet is when I should have washed everything a couple weeks prior!

      1. Aaron B

        Nice. I have their gloves but might have to check out some of their other gear.

      2. Tom

        I have a coat from them and two pairs of gloves and they all soak through. my Arc’teryx coat is the best but even it wets through eventually, mostly around the cuffs.

      3. NickS

        Another vote for Showers Pass. They’re a small company based in Portland and make quality gear. I have a pair of “Crosspoint” waterproof knit wool gloves and a “Refuge” jacket from them. The gloves are great and the jacket is fantastic — I got a bright orange (“goldenrod”) that really stands out on grey days, it has good venting, and even a fold down flap in the rear to keep your butt dry if you need to sit down on something wet. The hood is sized so that it will fit over a helmet.

        Their gear is not cheap, but it’s high quality and should last for many seasons. I just checked their website and they’re currently offering a 15% off your first order discount. No stake in the company, just very happy with their products.

  2. Rob Harrison

    I’ve been happy with RainLegs. They are basically inexpensive waterproof chaps that extend from waist to just beyond your knees. Yah, they’re dorky, but they work! I wore them for years of daily commutes from Mt Baker or Capitol Hill to downtown Seattle and back and they worked well. On longer rides in full-on downpours not so much.

    1. patrick donnelly

      Ditto RainLegs. I’ve been using them for many years. The benefits are many: easy to take on and off, no overheating, added wind protection, minimal excessive flapping, easy to store and carry, quick drying. I highly recommend them!

  3. Ash M

    Also make sure you watch out for the edges of the bike path when it’s wet and dark out! I was out with my friend a few nights ago and she didn’t see the edge of the path because it was wet and covered in leaves and poorly lit and she ended up riding right into a mud pit, lost all her momentum and promptly toppled over. She was good to finish the rest of the ride but she got scraped up and bruised and her bike sustained a bit of damage as well

    1. Al Dimond

      In case any public officials are reading this:
      – Reflectors along the edges of bike paths would help avoid problems like this. There’s a reason unlit highways just about always have reflectors.
      – Imagine something like this happening on 43rd in the U District, heading east approaching 15th. Where the right edge of the bike lane just drops off into a planted area. The edge with the drop-off is easy to see, maybe even obvious, on a sunny day. On a rainy night, not so much. We have a lot of rainy nights in Seattle. We need to think about that in our designs.

  4. John B

    I’m a year-round sandal cyclist, so my feet are *exposed*. My solution for dry feet is GoreTex socks. I’ve tried several brands, but Showers Pass (unsurprisingly) has the best long-term durability and waterproofness of any I’ve tried.

    One plus for the sandals is that I can add heavier socks as a first layer as it gets colder and easily loosen the straps to be able to ensure good circulation to my toes.

    1. DB

      So there are two of us year-round sandal riders!

      1. Tom Fucoloro

        I have never considered sandals all year. But I do have a pair of waterproof socks that are too thick for my shoes so I never wear them… I guess I could try this.

  5. patrick donnelly

    This is an important post, and all the advice is spot on. The only think I would like to add is that bicycling in the rain (in my case, that means mostly commuting and trips to the grocery store) is almost always still enjoyable. The idea that one should avoid the rain is just plain wrong. You live in the PNW. Get out there and enjoy the weather!

  6. George Harvey

    I was an everyday year round bicycle commuter through downtown for 10 years.

    3 Niterider 650 lumen lights. Two on the handlebars, one on the helmet. Steady, not flashing. The helmet one will move a lot which makes you lots more visible in a rear view or side mirror.

    Two taillights, like a Cygolight Hypershot. One on the bike, one on the helmet. I can’t count the number of cyclists who put the taillight on their backpack, not knowing that when they bend over and cycle the light is invisible from behind, but very visible to airplane pilots and monorail drivers.

    Yellow Eddie Bauer Rainfoil jacket and Goretex pants worked for me.

    Neoprene booties kept my feet warm and dry. Goretex socks kept them dry when it wasn’t too cold. Goretex gloves were all I needed on my hands.

    Cycling hat under my helmet so I could draw the brim down and see in the rain.

  7. Roberto

    Lights, lights, lights! I cannot emphasize how important it is to BE SEEN. My favorite lights are made by Shred Gear and can be scaled up to 1000 lumens (although 400-600 lumens works great). I have 15 different light switches on my winter bike setup, and it is a Zen thing when I am getting ready to go out in the winter. It does start with proper clothing, akin to putting on armor. But once my “armor” is on, I turn on my Noxgear light vest, my helmet headlamp and back of helmet red blinky. Then my handlebar headlamp, the rear rack taillight, the Red Shift pedal lights (4 of them), the three glow bar lights (seat post, down post and under pedals) and the Glowy Zoey wheel lights (front and back) and my glow bracelet on my left wrist for turn signals. Best of all, each one is powered by USB-rechargeable batteries – Oh, and I almost forgot my dynamo-powered built-in bike head and tail lights for a total of 17 separate lights. I don’t mind looking like an Xmas tree because then distracted drivers can’t miss me. Better safe than sorry!

  8. Rob Snyder

    LIGHTS, they are essential but many are TOO bright &/or aimed too high, especially on trails like the BG.
    Wool or Fleece because no rain wear really breaths.
    Pogies or Bar Mitts. My hands used to get cold but not since I switched to covering my hands & wrists.

  9. Kevin Henderson

    Thank you for posting this! When I was commuting more often, I found that the dark, wet weather was never as bad to be out in as it looked from indoors. Often, riding home in the inclement weather felt like an adventure. So much nicer than being cooped up in a bus with steamed over windows. :)

  10. Don Brubeck

    Lots of good info in post and comments. Three other things I like:
    – Goretex mountaineering shell mitts for heavy rain, over whatever gloves suit the temperature. They ar lightweight and fold up compactly when not needed.
    – Motorcycle riding waterproof boot or shoe covers. They fit over any shoe or boot, riding on flat pedals. Under $20. BMX or MTB pedals with pegs work with most any sandal, shoe, or boot, and with this type of shoe cover, but the pegs puncture neoprene bicycle booties and the neoprene bicycle booties don’t fit over many shoes or boots.
    – Ski helmet instead of bike helmet when it is really cold.

  11. Leo N Egashira

    I agree with Rob Snyder: Neoprene Bar mitts keep your hands dry and warmer, so that regular gloves will suffice except on the coldest days. My bar mitts are already in place for tomorrow’s (11/09) forecasted rains.
    I also wear Sperry brand waterproof boots.

  12. Bob Rees

    kind of a fun odyssey to tinker with rain/winter PNW commuting – gloves continue to be a source of frustration no way to stay 100% dry, but yeah, comfortable

    thinking about trying this Endura singletrack onesie, seems interesting (one piece designed for mtn biking and commuting by a reputable brand) honestly, it doesn’t 100% downpour that often, but when it does, this seems like it might be nice

    for cold mornings, I throw pogies on my dropbars – you can almost wear them with no gloves, they offer a little rain protection too

  13. Ed

    I rank fenders as the number one essential. Also, all the spray that comes off the road is dirty while all the water falling out of the sky is clean.

  14. Ahmed Noor

    Shoutout to Rainlegs! For those who dislike wearing rain pants, they are a functional and convenient option when needed. I’ve had mine for almost a year, and they work great.

  15. dave

    Yep – it’s all about having the right gear. It only took me about 20 years of bike commuting to dial it in. After many years with my old REI Novara bike jacket, I recently got a new Gore brand jacket and love it. Showers Pass rainpants. Gore brand booties. Helmet cover (super old Sugoi brand, but still works), plus thin beanie under the helmet for warmth). Endura waterproof bike gloves. Rechargable Knog bike lights. Fenders of course. And an Ortlieb waterproof pannier to keep my stuff dry. They’re expensive, but they’re built to last — I’ve had mine for 25 years. With all of this gear at the ready, I have no hesitation when I look out the window and see rain. I just start put on my gear, head out in the world, get a good workout, and arrive at work with a ridiculous smile on my face. :)

    1. Breadbaker

      Since I wear glasses, I usually put a sunhat with a double-side brim (about eight inches) on under my helmet, which keeps all but the worst windblown rain off my glasses.

  16. Dave R

    If you are riding on the BG or other bike trails:
    Please dim your 1000w lights – they are blinding and can cause accidents to riders going the other way.

    Please have a good fender – not one of those flat mountain bike fenders that just divert the spray on the person behind you.

    Get yourself some decent clear goggles – nothing worse than dirty grit kicked up into your eyes.

  17. Al Dimond

    My fingers get cold and lose circulation really easily and I’ve started using some totally non-breathable thin waterproof mitten-shaped shells over my gloves. They aren’t so good when you’re sweating a lot (condensation has nowhere to go, you’re getting wet from the inside) but for transportation riding I need just need to keep wind and water out.

    One way to judge whether lights are aimed high is by reflective stuff. If you’re strongly illuminating a reflective sign you’re putting a lot of light out at that height. So if you’re strongly illuminating a head-height reflective sign on an unlit trail or low-lit neighborhood greenway you are blinding oncoming riders and should stop doing that. If aiming the headlights down enough to not blind people means you can’t see as far ahead … then adjust when there are oncoming trail-users (just as car drivers may drive with high-beams on an empty highway on but lower them when other people are around) and/or slow down. We cyclists don’t have the benefit of headlight standards (insufficient as they are for cars — car headlights are much worse for this than they used to be, and the increased height of cars hasn’t helped)… nor are our most popular routes well-lit like roads for cars typically are. We have to put more thought into how to look out for each other.

    1. NuitsBlanches

      Re “headlight standards”: In Germany, by law bicycle lights have to have the same horizontal cutoff as car headlights do, so as to be respectful of oncoming traffic. Their lights can be pricey, but i find they’re a good investment, as all the light is concentrated where it matters, on the path/road in front of you, with less chance (they still need to be adjusted properly, and a powerful light will still spill some lumens upwards) of blinding pedestrians, riders or drivers coming the other way. Check Peter White for tons of info: https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/

  18. Paul from Cascade

    Check out Cascade Bicycle Club’s winter gear tips video! Shameless plug :)
    https://youtu.be/AI4MBvp-sjo?si=eHphdZzJLMI-k0Vm

  19. NickS

    One thing I didn’t see others mention that I find really useful on cold and dark rides are clear or amber lensed cycling glasses (my cheap pair came with swappable tinted, amber, and clear lenses). Without them, my eyes tend to water when riding in cold air, particularly when going faster down a hill), and the glasses also keep grit and water out of your eyeballs. You might need to swipe them occasionally with the back of your cycling gloves to clear the lenses.

    Bring your Orca card. Changing a flat or dealing with a mechanical issue when it’s dry and warm and light may not be a big deal, but it may be preferable to put the bike on the train or bus and sort that out at home when it’s pitch dark at 5:30pm and cold rain is running down the back of your neck.

    Visibility – lights and bright and/or retroreflective gear.

    I like Light & Motion lights; they’re fantastic for the price. Literally the only thing I don’t like about mine is that they charge via micro-USB instead of USB-C. They seem to be clearing out their inventory, but you’ll find great deals on what’s left.

    I invested in a pair of Redshift ArcLight pedals last year, and I really like them. They make it very clear to other road users that there’s a bike ahead or behind. They have several light modes, switch automatically if the pedal rotates to white or red light, and turn off and back on automatically if you’re stopped for a longer period of time. The light modules charge via USB, snap into the pedals via a very satisfying magnetic attachment system, and they came with a 4 port USB hub to charge all modules simultaneously off a single USB port or charger. Just checked their website and RedShift has a 25% off everything sale going on right now. As with Showers Pass, no stake in the company, but they make great gear.

  20. Breadbaker

    I’m the guy whose hands get really, really cold when wet, so I found waterproof gloves at marine supply places (where fishers get their gear) that work great. YMMV, but they really are waterproof.

    1. Tom Fucoloro

      Oh! I never thought to go to a marine supply store. Of course!

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