I'm heading off for four days of gentle beerpacking at the weekend.

~100km per day of Northern Italy (all flat cycle paths and quiet back roads).

BUT it's going to rain all day every day (best forecast is 'light showers' for one of the days).

It'll also be about 13-15°c with light winds (~10kph up to 20kph on one day).

Now I'm of the opinion that over that period I'm not going to stay dry. No matter what. Simply ain't gonna happen. Fact.

So.....my question is: do I go light and just accept the wetness and opt for breathability (and risk possibly bring cold) OR give it my best shot at staying dry and (in my opinion) still get wet but then likely boil in the bag and be sweaty and clammy???

Any advice or tips for that length of ride in those conditions would be greatly appreciated

Cheers, Gairy.

Since this years HT550 I've switched from the 'lightweight but will get wet and cold' approach to the 'heavier duty but might be damp and clammy'

I'd rather be wet and warm than wet and cold. People say that if you get clammy that you will get chilled when you stop, but in my lightweight kit I was chilled even when moving.

If you knew for sure it would be 13 to 15 deg with light winds then a lighter waterproof would be fine... but if the temp ends up being 10 deg and the winds strong it could be much colder.

The penalty for me taking the heavier waterproof is about 150g extra weight and a bit more bulk. Perhaps I'm getting soft, or perhaps a night shivering on the verge of exposure has put me off. I've got a good story to tell from this year, I don't need any more

To me 13-15degC is still not too cold. I could stay warm all day even if I was wet at that temp provided I was active and had a wind proof layer. The problem is chilling when you are stopped.
I’d opt for waterproof shorts over 3/4 tights/bibs to keep the chilling effect of constant splashes at a minimum. I’d have full Mudguards for the same reason.
I’d probably have a long sleeve thermal (not wool in this case) under a waterproof jacket. Like you say you’re likely to get wet but iy’ll Keep the wind off and prevent cooling from the rain hitting you directly.
I have neoprene gloves which i’d use along with overshoes or waterproof boots. None of which keeps you dry but will stop chilling.
I’d have a warm layer like a fleece or primaloft jacket to put on every time I stop.
I’d take warm dry clothes to wear in the evening (suitable for camping or accommodation depending what you choose) and would re wear the wet togs each day for riding, keeping one set absolutely dry.
I find being wet a nasty thought when I’m at home in the dry but not really so bad in practice. After a couple of days I tend to forget about it. On trips to Iceland and Western Norway I’ve been wet for weeks at a time and it’s not so bad (he says convincingly (

You say gentle, 100km days, flattish. This suggests to me that you'll not be riding super hard, in which case I'd opt for something more waterproof. While this has potential to be more boil in the bag, IME it's less of an issue when riding steadily.

13-15c - like summer then

As above, if you can resist the temptation to work too hard then I'd go for the warm and wet option. Legs I'd not be too bothered about. In fact at those temperatures I'd probably just wear shorts, the only downside being water running into socks. Having dry clothes to change into when stopped for the day would be crucial for me though.

I was really cold on the first two days of TT as I took a windproof rather than a proper waterproof coat. It was June after all. I really struggled and was so greatful when we took the road down to the valley floor.
Unless it was garuanteed wall to wall sunshine, or at least dry I'll be taking a proper waterproof.

I 'get' very light windproof and I 'get' proper waterproof but I don't 'get' very light waterproofs. Maybe they're fine for 2 or 3 hours but if something isn't at least going to try and keep me dry for 12 hours + then I don't see the point. They might be light but you could save even more weight by not bothering at all ... the outcome will largely be the same

It's a dimella that I have with winter riding around here, it's never cold and wet enough for full on wet gear but were I caught in a storm around 1,000+metres with a long descent or worse a mechanical, I'd quickly get cold. The difference with most of my riding is that it's all up qnd down so switching from sweating to wind chill very quickly. I usually take my ancient Rab demand pull on which is e-vent and due to it being rarely used in anger, still retains some DWR beading ability. I also wear 3/4 shorts which are vented and dry quickly. Recently bought some 7mesh ones which are good. It's a much simpler decision between April and October where it's mamil a go go.

Thanks all, so we've narrowed it down to definitely one of the original two options

I'm leaning towards lighter gear and nice warm dry clothes for the evenings.

Problem is that I've only really got either end of the spectrum so I'm fully committed to whichever one I go for.

Still, either way I'll be riding my bike, in the rain in Italy so can't really complain can I???

What is the planned accommodation, or can't you say on a bivi forum?

As it's 4 days of beerpacking are you staying at Inns, or whatever the Italians would call them.

If I was staying in a nice warm place with beer every night I think I could manage to cycle 100km naked in the rain to get there

sean_iow wrote: ↑Wed Nov 06, 2019 3:43 pm What is the planned accommodation, or can't you say on a bivi forum?

I'm not too proud to admit when I'm going beerglampacking™

It's Airbnb all the way! It'll be really populated where we'll be spending each night (as über high quality craft pubs weirdly haven't reached the wilderness yet).

sean_iow wrote: ↑Wed Nov 06, 2019 3:43 pmIf I was staying in a nice warm place with beer every night I think I could manage to cycle 100km naked in the rain to get there

You make a good point.

Gairyman......if your going North Italia, and it's flat, that means the Po delta....does it...???
And you're already sussed for sleeps in Hairy B&B'S....so.....go light and fast. Please tell me someone what is actually waterproof anyway...????
Having lived in Verona for several years, I'd be more inclined to worry about the fog that tends to take over the northern parts in winter. You're liable to get shot by some looney tune than get wet...!!!
Ride safe man
PeterMac

petermac wrote: ↑Thu Nov 07, 2019 11:21 pm Gairyman......if your going North Italia, and it's flat, that means the Po delta....does it...???

I'm following the lower section of the Veneto Gravel event route.

Did Verona to Rovigo yesterday and then on up to Mestre today and am now sat in a lovely craft beer pub in Venice.

After much consideration (and considering I'm carrying no sleeping gear) I decided to take both light wet weather gear and then über hardcore waterproof stuff in my bar bar BUT.....so far I've ridden in shorts/t-shirt with cloudless blue skies all day on both days - boom!!!

Supposed to all go to crap from tomorrow though

I do love me this route!

Plan is to loop back through Padova and then up to Vicenza tomorrow and then back to the car in Verona on Tuesday morning before driving home.