r/irishbicycling • u/Traditional-Sign-272 • Feb 26 '26

Wetgear

I am a fair weather cyclist. Do my 14 km commute when conditions allow. But haven't got out yet in 2026 so want to get rain gear.

What are my options?

I wear a trackie cycling and when I get into work I have a shower and change. So my trackie can get damp but definitely not wet as I throw it on again for my return commute.

Don't want to spend an arm and a leg.

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u/StartDale Feb 26 '26

I would suggest waterproof jacket and trousers, light material. Wear shorts and a t-shirt underneath when it is raining. As you will build up a load of heat cycling in this gear. Tuck the waterproof trousers into a pair of socks or use hair bobbles to make sure yer trousers don't snag in the chain. This what i do when it is raining for my work commute. It's been working so far.

Bring a change of clothes in yer ruck sack pannier bags.

1

u/VeryAverageAchiever Mar 04 '26

Decathlon have some pretty affordable waterproof gear. You also don't need everything to be cycling specific and can save some money by buying regular polyester workout gear for tops or shorts.

I wear mountain bike shorts, jersey and jacket for commuting as it's a casual fit. I wear padded bib shorts underneath for comfort. My jacket is fully waterproof but is a light shell jacket (Fox MTB, €60 on sale). The shorts are polyester so dry quickly and not too hot. Decathlon have cheap waterproof trousers that have a shoe cover at the bottom which is handy. I think even some of their jackets are €25-30.

Best thing to do is wear layers and polyester material so it dries quickly. Go on all the bike websites and look at stuff on sale. Bike Components, Bike24, BikeInn, Mantel etc. I'd also suggest some sort of workout boxers if you're not wearing them already. I got a 3 pack from BooHoo for €15 although you could probably get a pair of padded cycling shorts for cheap enough.