The Dumbest Product of the Week has taken a detour in the last month away from cycling specific products into some generally inane offerings. While that’s completely within my vision of this series, we are a bicycle site so I do not want to go too long before dissecting silly bike products.
This week’s nominee was brought to my attention by BikeNobNYC as part of his weekly Friday Fun Quiz. The DryHigh Rain Chaps produced by Coventry Cycle Works in Portland, Oregon mean to keep your legs dry when you ride. Available in the fetching colors of blue, yellow, black, hot pink, and fluorescent orange, makers of the DryHighs claim they’re “sure to be a fashion hit with all who see you wear them!” Ehem, I think we have different definition of fashion hit unless they mean that Tony Soprano will be involved.
While reaching the dorky yet reasonable level of helmet mirrors, I have to say I find these things to be a real head scratcher when there is an equally useful, far less nerdy option. All the pictures of the DryHighs feature bikes without fenders. Why mention this, you ask? Because if you have wide, high quality fenders on your bike, the DryHighs cease being useful and start becoming a piece of wardrobe from Beyond Thunderdome.
The whole thing seems a little too much like a bib for my liking. In general, I try to avoid any bib-like items unless I’m eating lobster or great barbeque or I’m getting a dental cleaning, activities generally not done on a bike. Still, I do take comfort in knowing that if I am biking to a Gallagher concert, I’m prepared.
Are DryHigh Rain Chaps a Gallagher induced cycling product?
Enjoy your weekend, and get out and ride your bike.Read the previous week’s Dumbest Product of the Week.
on Dec 5th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Hey, I saw a product that would work to keep your legs dry… Check out http://www.bikerrainchaps.com.
One caveat, I think… These would be a great, inexpensive way to stay dry on recreational or transportational (i.e., to work and back) rides, but they may not be too well suited for people riding as a sport (i.e., with spandex on) as they need a belt or a belt loop to hold them up.
Check them out and let me know what you think. They are a product from a client of mine (I designed and maintain the web site) and we are trying to introduce them to other verticals (i.e., bicycles, scooters, equestrians and ATV’s…).
Thanks!
– Ray
on Dec 16th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
While your article above is well written and even humorous it is inaccurate.
on Feb 22nd, 2009 at 12:36 am
You can’t beat old good quality leather to keep your legs dry. I do believe that it might be a little over kill we riding bicycles though
Greg
on Mar 30th, 2009 at 12:27 am
Have you, perchance, commuted much in the Portland rain? More often than not one starts out into a subtle rainy mist (or just gray skies), shrugs, starts to bike and a mile or so in realizes it’s still not quite rainy enough to stop and put on full rain gear, but you’re probably gonna have big ol wet stains on your slacks for half the day at work because that’s the biggest surface area that accumulates the rain but doesn’t get as wind dried. These seem light and cheap and easy to put on enough to cart around for those is-it-or-isn’t-it rainy days which seem like 320/365 here in the Pacific NW. Better to look like a dork on the road than at the destination. Still kinda pointless for heavy rain or longer rides, tho.
on Mar 20th, 2010 at 1:19 am
No offense, but you’re straight-up wrong.
Fenders are great, but they from below, not above. Anyone who has ridden in the rain, even with fenders, will notice massive wet spots on the top of each legs. These wet spots will not dry during the course of a work day, and will require that you either pack extra pants or else walk around all day being the sad, wet-legged bike commuter, and nobody likes that.
Why am I even commenting on an article that’s two years old? Because this comes up in teh google. Keep the rubber side down.