Rain Cover

次回、この記事の日本語版を投稿します。

I was recently contacted by a fellow vintage Japanese bicycle enthusiast who sent me the following vintage photos of bicycles with rain covers and wanted to know if I had any information on rain covers as he is interested in fabricating one.
Photos: 「写真が語るふるさと河原」

Photos:  アーカイブス出版「薗部 澄写真集 追憶の街 昭和30年~昭和36年 埼玉」

I actually acquired one of these rain covers a few years back from an old bicycle shop. They are made of two or possibly three ply material; a heavy canvas tent like material on the front and a black rubber material on the back.  No doubt extremely waterproof.

They attach in minutes by simply tying to the handlebars and slipping the loops at the bottom on to the front axle

Loops that slip on to the front axle. .

I imagine that the wind resistance these must create surely attributed to their downfall.  A sudden gust in a storm could easily blow the rider into traffic.