I haven't heard anyone use the term yet, but when we used to use such a garment, we called it a rain poncho. Could've been the western US influence. All I remember is that they were not exactly cycling specific, despite claims, and were a pain in the neck. But, good rain gear back then was non-existent.
Scott Gabriel
Cape Cod
US
> From: John Betmanis <johnb@oxford.net>
> Subject: Re: [CR] British Bike Capes
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Date: Tuesday, January 11, 2011, 10:24 PM
> I too remember riding caped up a lot
> of the time. Mine was plastic, but
> the better kind, that lasted years. After all, a good
> percentage of
> riding in the UK was in the rain. For headgear most of us
> had a corduroy
> cheesecutter, rendered waterproof by the greasy tools that
> were rolled
> up in it, inside the cape.
>
> --
> John Betmanis
> Woodstock, Ontario
> Canada
>
> On 11/01/2011 3:43 PM, Anthony Taylor wrote:
> > Colin,
> >
> > Great story. Instead of a sou'wester, I always wore a
> boy scout beret in the
> > rain, because they were waterproof too. Although made
> of wool, you could turn
> > them inside out and carry water in them! Be prepared!
> >
> > Tony Taylor
> > Manchester, NH
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> > Sent: Tue, January 11, 2011 3:25:19 PM
> > Subject: [CR] British Bike Capes
> >
> >
> >
> > I remember fondly, using those bright yellow capes and
> even sou' westers during
> > rides in England. Everyone had one rolled up behind
> the saddle ( with the rich
> > CTC types having the oilskin variety as apposed to our
> cheaper plastic ones ) .
> > I seem to recall that ours only cost around ten
> shillings at Curry's in the High
> >
> > Street.
> > One ride which sticks in my memory ( for some reason )
> was on the A66 from
> > Penrith to Barnard Castle,,,normally a pretty hard
> ride due to the fact that it
> > transversed the Pennines ..this ride in particular was
> after riding the day
> > before to the Lake District from Tees-side on the
> Saturday , then back home on
> > the A66 on the Sunday ( an excursion that we did
> regularly for road-race
> > training).
> > The winds in the area are predominately Westerly , so
> we expected ( as it turned
> >
> > out ) to be blown home....but..the day that I remember
> was out of this
> > World,,the wind was stronger than anything in living
> memory, then a cry came out
> >
> > of " Cape up ",,because the rain had begun .
> > We set off again duly "caped up " but the wind was so
> powerful that the capes
> > formed sails , stretching out in front of the
> riders,,so the speed went up from
> > manageable to downright dangerous ( but at the time we
> thought it was pretty
> > awesome ),,,as it was, the capes weren't really needed
> as the rain didn't even
> > hit the ground,,,blowing horizontly to the
> pavement,,,but, HAPPY DAYS.
> >
> > Colin Laing still sunbathing in CHANDLER Arizona..USA