Staying dry is important whether you’re riding to work, or crossing a stream. The Cross Point socks from Showers Pass look like the perfect option for wet days, or to store in your hydration pack or pannier for stream crossings or when the ride home wasn’t what the weatherman said. They are fully windproof, waterproof and breathable and go for $35. For cooler days, a warmer wool version can be had for $39.
If more than your feet need protected, Vanmoof’s Boncho and Enclosed Bike’s “Ego Urban Transporter” are two options at two different extremes that might fit the bill if you don’t need to look like a Rapha model on your commute to work…
First up is a simple solution to riding in the rain. It seems pretty basic and like it could be fairly effective when coupled with fenders. The Boncho (bike poncho), is literally a modified poncho that is designed to fit while riding your bike. To get it into production, they launched a Kickstarter campaign that has already far exceeded its goal. Why shouldn’t it? It’s a simple, cost effective, compact and useful item. At first I thought it would make me look like a “fred”, but I am pretty sure I look like a fred 75% of the time to the general population, so nothing to lose there.
The Boncho is the brainchild of Vanmoof which was founded in Amsterdam by brothers Ties and Taco Carlier (one of their names is Taco, so it has to be good!). It’s constructed of what they refer to ” material and technology from the outdoor industry”, but considering it is entirely open underneath, there isn’t a lot of need for it to be a “breathable” material. It easily collapses into itself for transport so you can keep it with you should the weather surprise you.
Next up is a more permanent solution to braving the elements, but this one keeps the wind out of your hair. We’ve seen a lot of things in the way of e-bikes, including some crazy stuff like the Raht Racer, but the Ego Urban Transporter from Enclosed Bikes is a little more on the realistic side. It uses an electric pedal assist/throttle controlled motor and is a “trike” that is classified as a bicycle so it can be used on paths as well as the road (Falling under most state’s e-bike laws and restrictions, it won’t go over 20mph with throttle alone).
They are looking at improving the frame & steering, but the plan is to launch a Kickstarter as soon as final design is ready early this year. No pricing is available yet, but shipping & crating alone runs $500. The Ego Urban Transport should weigh between 160 and 200 pounds and be good for up to 40 pedal assist miles and 30 “full throttle” miles *depending on terrain, rider weight and temperature.
