Wet Weather Essentials

In the days leading up to this year’s Paris Brest Paris, my wife and I strolled the streets of Paris, riding La Grande Roue, ducking in and out of ice cream shops and patisseries. Life was sweet.

But as we did the museum circuit, I was slightly alarmed by how unsettled the French weather seemed. Yes there were patches of sun, but there were also heavy purple clouds, thick and low, sweeping across the sky. Twice we got caught in afternoon downpours.

Meantime, the weather predictions for PBP had turned from glorious to gloomy. Initially, various forecasts called for a slight chance of rain on Day 1, with lots of sun for days 2, 3 and 4. The sun icons were now gone, replaced by ominous rain clouds and a call for gusty winds.

Having ridden through the sun-filled days of PPB 03, I was hoping for the same this year. But as the start drew near, it was clear the ideal weather of four years ago would not be replayed.

I began preparing for the worst.

I’d brought half fenders, the kind that attach with rubber straps. I put them on about six hours before the start, followed by a quick shakedown ride to make sure nothing rubbed.

Next, I laid out my wet weather accessories. I had decided not to carry an extra bag on my bike for clothes. Simply put, I’d overpacked in ’03 and this time arond I opted for the minimalist approach. My plan was to either wear or carry what I needed in my jersey pockets, or in a Camelbak with its bladder removed.

My goal was to stay reasonably warm. I’ve largely given up on trying to stay dry on rainy rides.

Here’s what I wore or packed:

* Wool long sleeve undershirt. I consider my medium weight merino wool shirt by Smartwool essential cycling clothing for cool weather riding. Even when I was soaked to the bone during PBP, the wool kept me warm.

* Arm warmers. I carried the same pair of Campy arm warmers that I used in PBP 03. A no-brainer: they’re easy to carry, light and warm, and they can be pushed down around the wrists when the weather dries out or heats up. I often wore them under my wool shirt for added warmth.

* Leg warmers. I carried two pairs -- REI knee warmers and Campagnolo full leg warmers. There were times when I wore both pairs. They’re a good option because, like arm warmers, they can be pushed out of the way when not needed.

* Wind vest. I tend to get chilled when riding, even in warm weather. I wore a wind vest for most of the ride, even on the sunny portions of Day 2.

* O2 rain jacket. This thing is worth its weight in gold. It folds up small in its own little pouch, costs about $30 and weighs next to nothing. I pulled it out every time the rain turned heavy.

* Rain paints. I debated whether to carry a pair of goofy Performance rain paints. In the end I rolled them up really small and stuck them inside my Camelbak (I’d removed the bladder). Ende laughed when I pulled em out. But the longer it rained, the better they looked. They didn’t keep me very dry, but they did keep me warm, and they kept road grime off of my riding shorts.

* Ear warmers. I’ve gotten in the habit of wearing ear warmers to keep my neck warm. I don’t like the constricting feel of a balaclava. The ear warmers, in conjunction with a knit cap, produce the same result.

* Knit cap. I carried a knit cap that is essentially a lightweight winter cap that covers the ears. I wore it constantly at night and in the rain, but took it off during the relatively warm Day 2 as we headed out to Brest.

* Wool socks. I typically wore two pairs of thin wool socks. I did this for reasons other than warmth. I’ve found two pairs provide extra padding and help prevent numb toes.

* Neoprene shoe covers. These are not much different than the neoprene socks I sometimes wear for cold water surfing. They velcroed in the back and had an elastic band across the bottom with an opening for shoe cleats.

* Newspaper bags. I carried four newspaper bags -- the ones the carrier puts around your newspaper on rainy days -- and used two for the trip out to Brest and two for the inbound leg. At their very best, they managed to keep my feet relatively dry during the heavy rainstorm as we neared Loudeac on Day 2.

* Long-fingered gloves. Besides regular cycling gloves, I also carried a pair of light fleece gloves. They kept the hands warm, if not dry, during rainstorms.

The weather and the distance took its toll on the long-fingered gloves and the neoprene booties. Both were tossed at the hotel. I’ll replace both before the next long ride in similar weather.