In this article, we use so-called affiliate links. With every purchase through these links, we receive a commission from the merchant. All relevant referral links are marked with . Learn more.
What is a "60 per cent chance of precipitation" when you cycle to the office in the morning on a clear blue sky? In any case, no reason to take the stuffy bus - or so you think, until ten litres of water per square metre start pouring down on the cyclist on the way home. Then the clammy jeans stick to your legs and after-work shopping is cancelled with wet trousers. The statistical risk of being thoroughly showered on the two 30-minute daily commutes on the same day is rather low in this country, so the few times you do get wet are all the more memorable.
Quickly ready for everyday use
But even if you have a solid pair of rain trousers in your wardrobe for cycling trips, they are usually missing from your everyday luggage. One reason for their infrequent use is probably the usually miserable handling: The time between the first thick drops and the pattering shower is filled with a grotesque stumbling dance, tied up by twisted trouser legs and stuck shoes. Standing up and without taking off your shoes, very few rain trousers can be quickly pulled over your civilian clothes. If at all, cycling rain trousers only have short zips on the legs.
Look out for long zips
Models from the mountain sports sector promise a quicker shift change. And they have to be, because if you're standing on a steep slope with crampons or skis, you can't just take your shoes off when the bad weather rolls in. The corresponding overtrousers therefore have leg-length zips that can usually be divided at the waist. There are many such trousers for demanding outdoor athletes, but their prices are well above our 200 euro limit. Only five models in all classes therefore made it into the final selection. In addition to two models with separable zips (from Jack Wolfskin and Vaude), the rain protection professionals from Gore and the sports discounter Decathlon as well as the Dutch inventors from Rainlegs provided their suggestions for rain protection for bike commuters.
Conclusion
The technical spectrum is immense, as is the price range - from 26 to 200 euros. At the end of the practical test, the result is surprising: because the highest possible vapour permeability and maximum protection are not important for short-term use on the way home, the simply waterproof 26 euro trousers from Decathlon also come out well, while the technically high-quality Gore trousers with a tight cut suitable for cycling score minus points when changing into civilian shoes. With 30 or 40 centimetre longer zips, they would probably be the test winner. The two mountain sports models are convincing when putting them on, but as emergency helpers in city traffic they are somewhat bulky in terms of weight and pack size. Interesting alternative: The best always-on solution for shorter distances is no trousers at all. The so-called rainlegs may look strange, but the quick-fit protection for thighs and knees is inexpensive, small and light. And it really can always be with you - while the super-tight rain trousers are at home again.
How MYBIKE tests
In the MYBIKE laboratory, several standardised tests based on EU test standards are carried out on rain protection clothing. We test the waterproofing when new and after several washes. The durability of the seam sealing is also analysed. A testing machine then simulates a water column of 3,000 millimetres at various points on the textile. The results of these and other tests are evaluated according to score tables. In this test field, however, we have only included the laboratory tests in the results for orientation purposes: Due to the large design differences between the test samples, a comparison of the laboratory values is only a partial result. In addition, none of the samples showed any serious weaknesses in the laboratory that would be decisive in this area of application. The practical test was therefore ultimately decisive for the assessment.
