With the right wet weather cycling clothing and a determined attitude, riding in the rain can be less of a chore, though few cyclists say they enjoy it. If you're commuting on a daily basis, or just keen to stick to a training schedule to prepare for the summer, here's a selection of the best gear to help you handle the rain. Got your own favourites? Tell us about them in the comments.
There are lots of very good rain-specific cycling products available, from waterproof jackets to mudguards and overshoes. We've rounded up some of the best wet weather clothing and gear that will hopefully make riding in the rain a little less unpleasant.
Waterproof jacket
A good waterproof jacket is your first line of defence against the wet. With high tech fabrics getting better all the time, you can now get a lightweight jacket that will keep you dry and that's breathable enough to prevent the 'boil in the bag' effect of waterproof jackets from years ago.
B'Twin 500 High Visibility Waterproof Cycling Jacket — £11.99
The B'Twin 500 High Visibility Waterproof Cycling Jacket provides excellent rain protection with a coated membrane material and taped seams plus plenty of reflective details to help you been seen on the commute to work. There are vents and breathability is very good. We reviewed it at £19.99 and were impressed; for its current £12 it's an amazing bargain.
Read our review of the B'Twin 500 jacket
Find a B'Twin dealer
dhb Cosmo waterproof jacket — £55
Available in gender specific cuts and neutral colours, the DHB Cosmo waterproof jacket is a nifty little shell, compact enough to fit in a jersey pocket. Boasting waterproof and breathability ratings of 20,000mm and 30,000 m2/24, it's a specially crafted polyamide (nylon) fabric with taped seams conceived to resist moderate to heavy downpours.
Read our review of the dhb Cosmo Waterproof Jacket
POC Essential Rain Jacket — £174.99
POC's Essential Rain Jacket is pretty much the pinnacle of hi-viz cycling kit thanks to its fit and performance but at is £250 RRP it's also the most expensive. The POC is a three-layer waterproof. The outer layer of fabric has been treated with a DWR (durable water repellent) coating to give an added layer of water resistance. Next up is a membrane that keeps water out but has holes small enough to allow sweat out as vapour. Finally you get an internal layer for comfort.
Read our review of the POC Essential Rain Jacket
Find a POC dealer
>>Read more: the full archive of cycling jacket reviews on road.cc
>>Read more: Buyer's Guide to Waterproof jackets
Mudguards
It's not just rain that gets you soaked, your own spray from the road can, without mudguards, ensure you'll be soaked very quickly. Mudguards are available in wide range to fit just about every model of road bike, from full-length traditional 'guards to simple and cheap clip-ons.
The mudguards you can fit depends on your bike. If you have eyelets at the fork and rear dropouts and clearance in the frame, you can fit full-length traditional mudguards. They are light and offer the best protection from the spray as they nearly fully enclose both wheels.
Worry not if your frame isn't compatible, there are many mudguards that can be fitted to almost any bike. Using clips and zip ties these 'guards can be attached, and removed easily, to any road bike. While they don't quite give the same level of protection as traditional mudguards, they're better than not having any at all.
SKS S-Blade — £9.99
The SKS S-Blade will fit seatpost diameters between 25.4 and 35mm. It works best with 18-26mm tyres. 28mm upwards shows signs of compromise with tell-tale spatter congregating along the peripheries. Getting everything aboard is effortlessly simple; you'll just need a 4mm Allen key for tweaking the angle.
Read our review of the SKS S-Blade mudguard
SKS Chromoplastic — £21.99
The SKS Chromoplastic mudguards are one of the best known, and very highly regarded, full-length options. They’re made by sandwiching aluminium strips inside a plastic housing. The resulting profile is quite deep which makes it stiff and sturdy. Stainless steel stays fix them in place and the Secu-Clips on the front means they pop out of the mount if somehting gets caught between the mudguard and tyre, rather than locking teh wheel and putting you on your face. You get a generous mudflap on the front mudguard and a reflector on the rear. They’re available in several sizes to fit tyres from 20 to 45mm.
Read our review of SKS Chromoplastic mudguards
Find an SKS dealer
Crud Roadracer Mk II — £19.96
The other popular option is the Crud Roadracer. As long as you've got 4mm between the top of your tyre and the inside of your brake caliper, the Roadracers will slide in. The Mk2 version is the longest of any clip-on mudguard, almost as long as full-length mudguards, and has a front mech protector too.
Read our review of the Crud Roadracer Mk II mudguards
Find a Crud Products dealer
>>Read more: Buyer's Guide to mudguards
>>Read more: Full archive of mudguard reviews on road.cc
Overshoes and waterproof socks
Ride a bicycle without mudguards and soon your feet will be very wet from front wheel spray. Most cycling shoes are far from waterproof, the large majority have lots of vents. Great in the summer, just let in water during the winter.
Overshoes are simple items that slip over your shoes, with zip or Velcro fastener at the rear to seal them up. While not always completely impenetrable by the rain, they can go a long way to preventing your shoes from becoming paddling pools for your feet.
Shimano S3000R Overshoes — £27.99
The Shimano S3000R NPU overshoes are a good, very typical example of the breed. With their thick neoprene construction and water resistant coating, they provide the necessary barrier to the elements and insulation to keep you pedalling happy circles and not frozen squares. The thick neoprene construction provides excellent insulation for colder rides, and with taped seams, the S3000R NPU overshoes seal out most of the rain, puddle splashes and spray.
Read our review of the Shimano S3000R Overshoes
Find a Shimano dealer
SealSkinz Mid Weight Mid Length Socks — £25.28
An alternative to overshoes are waterproof socks. Often when it's really wet, we'll pair them with overshoes or oversocks for an extra layer of defence against the rain. Sealskinz is the name you'll come across most often, and its Mid Weight Mid Length Socks are a good thing to have in the drawer once the cold and wet weather draws in. There are some UK conditions that will breach any foot fortifications, but these socks are a great last line of defence.
Read our review of the SealSkinz Mid Weight Mid Length Socks
Find a SealSkinz dealer
>>Read more: Buyer's guide to overshoes
>>Read more: Full archive of overshoes reviews on road.cc
Gloves
Perched out on your handlebars your hands face the brunt of the weather. As your hands become sodden from the constant rain, their temperature quickly cools, and before too long you can have some very frozen fingers to deal with. Frozen fingers aren't much good at changing gear, braking or clinging to the handlebars, and they're agonisingly uncomfortable. Here are three typical options.
SealSkinz Ultra Grip Gauntlets — £25
SealSkinz Ultra Grip Gauntlets have been designed to cope with cold and wet conditions, offering protection from water and wind as well as being breathable, all in a knit, stretch glove. They deal with the elements competently, keeping your hands protected and dry. They can get a little warm on the inside but rather that than cold, wet hands.
Read our review of the SealSkinz Ultra Grip Gauntlets
Find a SealSkinz dealer
Pearl Izumi ELITE Softshell Gloves — £39.99
Excellent gloves for really cold weather, with a great fit and padded palm. Pearl Izumi ELITE Softshell Gloves are stupendously warm thanks to the Primaloft insulation, which provides good insulation for sub-zero temperatures without being too bulky.
Read our review of the Pearl Izumi ELITE Softshell Gloves
Find a Pearl Izumi dealer
Showers Pass Men's Crosspoint Softshell WP gloves — £58.00
Showers Pass Crosspoint Softshell WP gloves will keep your hands dry and toasty even in a hard winter, but if it's mild they might be a shade too warm.
Read our review of the Showers Pass Crosspoint Softshell WP gloves
Find a Showers Pass dealer
>>Read more: Full archive of full-finger glove reviews on road.cc
>>Read more: Buyer's guide to winter gloves
Waterproof tights/trousers
You've got a good jacket, now you need to think about the lower half. Trousers or tights, depending on your preference, are available in waterproof varieties. Waterproof trousers are ideal for commuting and short rides, they can be worn over regular clothing. There's less choice for waterproof tights, but some brands do add a waterproof finish, like Castelli's No Rain treatment, which encourages the water to bead off the surface. Here's a great example of each.
Sportful Fiandre NoRain Bib Tights — £112.50
Sportful's Fiandre bib tights combine the inherently water repellant NoRain with strategic panels of waterproof silicone to make these ideal tights for riding in the British winter. This version of the NoRain tights takes the protection to another level, for the truly ghastly weather that will properly test your motivation.
Read our review of the Sportful Fiandre NoRain Bib Tights
Showers Pass Transit Pants — £69
Better fabrics and more careful tailoring mean we've seen a substantial improvement in waterproof overtrousers in the last few years. Made from waterproof and breathable Artex hardshell 3L ripstop fabric, the Showers Pass Transit Pants do a great job of keeping the water out.
Read our review of the Showers Pass Transit Pants
>>Read more: All reviews of Tights and longs on road.cc
>>Read more: All reviews of trousers on road.cc
>>Read more: Buyer's guide to winter tights and trousers
Waterproof boots & shoes
Sometimes, even overshoes aren't enough protection. Waterproof shoes and boots can be a very smart investment, especially if you're determined to ride in the rain. They typically have a neoprene liner and extended ankle, and a fully waterproof exterior that completely seals the feet up. Pair with waterproof socks for the ultimate protection from wet feet.
Shimano MW81 Winter Boots — £109.99
There's a road-soled version of these shoes, but Shimano have designed the MW81s with a nod to those road warriors who like running SPDs (and being able to walk around) through the wetter and colder months. Commuter-friendly touches include a fully reflective upper strap and other well-positioned details on the sides and back providing 360 degree visibility. The Gore-Tex liner keeps the water out and they're comfortable with mid-weight socks down to low single figure temperatures.
Read our review of the Shimano MW81 Winter Boots
Find a Shimano dealer
Gaerne G.Winter Road Gore-Tex shoes — £169.99
The Gaerne G.Winter Road Gore-Tex road shoes offer the sort of protection you need if you're determined enough — or should that be mad enough? — to keep cycling through really bad weather. There's a Gore-Tex membrane inside the shoe that delivers impressive rain and road spray protection. Your feet stay dry even in prolonged downpours, or riding through flooded roads.
Read our review of the Gaerne G.Winter Road Gore-Tex shoes
Find a Gaerne dealer
>>Read more: All reviews of shoes on road.cc
Headwear
All those vents in your helmet just serve to let the rain in. Wearing a hat or cap underneath will keep some of the rain out, and will stop your head from getting too cold. Simple traditional cotton caps can serve you well, and the peak serves to prevent a lot of rain dripping into your face.
You can buy cycling caps made from waterproof fabric, and there are numerous skull caps made from water resistant and windproof fabrics. A simple Buff-style garment wrapped around your head will go a long way to keeping the cold at bay.
Prendas Sublimated Pro Winter Hat — £19.99
The Prendas Sublimated Pro Winter Hat does a brilliant job of keeping your head and ears warm. The fabric is thin enough that it'll fit comfortably under a helmet, yet provides adequate insulation for temperatures well below freezing.
Read our review of the Prendas Sublimated Pro Winter Hat
Las Victory Vento Helmet — £91.18
Aero helmets, intended to help you go quicker in the summer, also come in handy in the winter, as the lack of vents help to keep out most of the wind and rain compared to a regular helmet. The LAS Victory Vento is one of the least expensive of this new breed of aero designed helmets.
Read our review of the LAS Victory Vento
Find a LAS dealer
>>Read more: All reviews of helmets on road.cc
>>Read more: All reviews of headwear on road.cc
Be seen - lights
The rain can seriously impair visibility out on the road. A set of bright front and rear lights in good working order is another consideration for cycling in the rain.
Exposure Strada front light — £242.96
The Strada from Exposure is a serious light and punches out 1000 lumens onto the road ensuring even on the darkest country lanes you'll be able to see potholes, rabbits, badgers or other road users in plenty of time.
Read our review of the Exposure Strada
Find an Exposure dealer
Lucas KOTR City 25R rear light — £34.99
A good rear light is a must too. The Lucas KOTR City 25R is a compact, lightweight, rechargeable rear light with excellent all-round visibility.
Read our review of the Lucas KOTR City 25R
>>Read more: All reviews of front lights on road.cc
>>Read more: All reviews of rear lights on road.cc
Reflective jacket or gilet
A jacket with reflective panels and details, or a gilet that can be worn over the top of anything, is a good way to boost your presence on the road. You want to make sure you can be seen by other road users ahead and behind, and reflective panels, or even a completely reflective jacket will grab the attention of other road users.
Proviz Reflect 360 Jacket — £63.99
If you ride in the dark reflectives are what you need. UK company Proviz has taken this to the extreme with the Reflect 360 jacket; the outer is made entirely from reflective material.
Read our review of the Proviz Reflect 360
Find a Proviz dealer
Craft Active Safety Vest — £19.95
Craft's Active Safety Vest will help make you visible on the road.
Read our review of the Craft Active Safety Vest
Find a Craft dealer
>>Read more: All reviews of jackets on road.cc
>>Read more: All reviews of gilets on road.cc
Spare tubes and a good pump
Water makes a pretty good cutting lubricant, so you're far more prone to punctures in the wet, especially with the rain washing all the debris, grit and glass out of the gutter into the road. Even more than in summer, then, you want to carry tyre levers, a couple of spare tubes and a decent pump.
Birzman Infinite Road + CO2 pump — £17.50
This pump mounts on a clip under your bottle cage and comes with a couple of CO2 cartridges to get you back on the road as quickly as possible.
Read our review of the Birzman Infinite Road + CO2 pump
Find a Birzman dealer
Slime Lite sealant-filled tubes — £8.99
You can help prevent punctures by fitting a pair of Slime Pro Pre-filled Lite tubes. They're more expensive than regular inner tubes, but you should see a reduction in punctures.
Read our review of Slime Lite tubes
>>Read more: All reviews of pumps and inflators on road.cc
Got any rain essential tips you want to add? Let's hear them below