I’ve been learning a lot in my short time at Bike Stop; I now know that jeans aren’t very safe to wear on a bike, but that leather jeans are the safest. I’ve also learned that ‘jeans’ doesn’t mean made of denim. Plus there’s some stuff about Dainese being the best, but that might seem a little biased. The point is, I really have learned a lot and it’s all down to the great guys at Bike Stop. I’m used to relying on Google for the answers to even the simplest questions, but I don’t think I’ve had a single bike question that the Bike Stop team couldn’t answer straight off the top of their head. In that vein, I’ve been picking their brains to find out what the drill is now that the weather has turned. So, in what I hope will be the first of many, I present…
Bike Stop Says: a Q&A with the Bike Stop team on all things waterproof.
START READING HERE.
Do leathers provide any water resistance?
Leather offers minimal protection against rain. The natural oils and treatments given to leather will ‘resist’ water for a while but, as a rule, a person who rides wearing only leathers will get wet. There are some treatments that can be applied to the leather to help, but this will generally only help if you get caught out, it’s not a permanent solution.
A good/cheap option is to carry a lightweight over suit or jacket and trousers that can be easily worn over the leather clothing if it starts to rain.
What are the main types of waterproof gear?
There are several ways of staying dry:
As I mentioned there are items that can be worn over the top of regular gear, which can be carried around in a bag should the weather turn.
Textile jackets and trousers that are water ‘resistant’ and need to be regularly treated with waterproofing chemical sprays. (These are not usually guaranteed to be 100% waterproof)
Fully waterproof clothing, usually constructed using a waterproof membrane. Best described as a jacket within a jacket. There are many producers of waterproof materials that clothing manufacturers use, the best known being Gor-Tex. These items are usually guaranteed for up to 5 years.
Will textile gear keep you as safe as leather?
Textile jackets and trousers are usually constructed incorporating CE approved armour. This offers equally good impact protection but most textile products don’t offer the same abrasion resistant qualities as leather.
Is waterproof gear good all year round?
Cheaper, non-breathable products will cause a ‘boil in the bag’ effect if worn in warmer weather. Good quality textile/breathable gear usually has a removable thermal lining which means it will offer reasonable comfort during all but the hottest weather conditions.
Many riders wear leathers but carry lightweight ‘just in case’ waterproof gear in their bag or strapped to the bike during the warmer weather.
Built in CE shoulder, elbow and back protection in the jacket, combined with CE knee/shin armour in the trousers as well as protection from the wet and cold weather means that, in terms of value for money, textile clothing is hard to beat.
What’s the best waterproof clothing?
A good quality textile jacket and trouser combo is going to allow all year round protection. Warm and dry in the winter and a removable thermal lining will allow use during the warm weather without compromising safety.
In the interest of keeping this post impartial, we are compiling a Best Waterproof Clothing Guide for those interested in the team’s specific recommendations.
Is there anything special to do after buying waterproofs?
Is it leaking? When was the last time you washed it? Breathable textile clothing that incorporates a Gor-Tex, or similar, membrane relies on the outer fabric being clean to allow it to work properly.
Remove the armour from its retaining pocket and wash the item using a non-detergent cleaner such as SDoc 100 technical fabric and leather wash or Nikwax tech wash. Other textile jackets can be cleaned and then treated with textile protecting spray (also available from SDoc).
If you are using lightweight over garments and they are leaking, there is usually no other option than replacement.
So there you have an insight into the sort of things I berate the team with on a daily basis. I found all of it useful but, then again, they were my questions. If you found it helpful or if there is anything else you’d like to know, about anything, leave a comment or send us a message and I’ll try to put together a great round two.
