Dr. Dry by Dynamic Bike Care: silver bullet or white elephant?
24.10.2023
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
Pictures: Patrick Bardelli
So autumn’s decided to show up after all. As a cyclist, I’m not happy about that. Why? Because the transition from summer to autumn also means rain. This, in turn, equals cold and wet bike tours. Maybe the alleged miracle spray by Dynamic Bike Care will help.
«Do you also hate the feeling of wet bibs or is your favourite jacket no longer waterproof?» This is printed on the Dr. Dry waterproofing spray by Dynamic Bike Care. All I can say is: yes, I do! Neither do I like wet bib shorts nor do I enjoy rain jackets that no longer keep the damp out. However, at some stage, this is exactly what happens with most products. At the latest after you’ve machine-washed them a few times. They just stop being fully waterproof after that. Even if you’ve been using waterproofing detergent and the spray to go with it. At least that’s my experience. Beside the wind, dampness is my biggest enemy when I’m cycling.
I realised this again recently, when I naively got on my gravel bike without checking my weather app first. The last time I checked it must’ve been about six months ago. It’s always been sunny anyway, right? Not this time. About fifteen minutes into my ride, the rain set in. Rain? What’s that, pray tell. In any case, it drove me home an hour later, drenched and freezing. Wet always equals cold when you’re on your bike.
Maybe I’ve lost my thick skin after cycling around in hot temperatures for half a year. In any case, I found twelve degrees Celsius combined with feeling damp extremely unpleasant.
Source: Patrick Bardelli
Dr. Dry sounds like hip-hop
At home, I remembered a product that’s been sitting in the bike cellar for weeks waiting for some rain:
And then I read the following on the back of the waterproofing spray by Dynamic Bike Care: «We have just what the doctor ordered!» All this American-style marketing makes me sceptical at first. Even if the brand is headquartered in the Netherlands. What’s more, the product name makes me think of a certain hip-hop producer and not a straight-forward clothing spray. Be that as it may, good old Dr. Dry promises nothing less than miracles. The waterproof and breathable textile coating claims to even make socks waterproof. The same goes for tents or bike packing bags. And, of course, any bike clothing.
A silver bullet?
Dr. Dry coats each fibre and protects its water-repellent properties even when the fabric is stretched. At least that’s what the manufacturer claims. And it doesn’t stop there. As the air can still move between the fibres, the breathability of the equipment is fully maintained. And don’t worry about the product leaking into the environment. It’s water-based, free from fluorocarbon (CFC) and biodegradable. In addition, Dr. Dry by Dynamic Bike Care is the official partner of the UCI World Teams Jumbo-Visma, Alpecin-Deceuninck and BORA-Hansgrohe. What’s good enough for Jonas Vingegaard and the like sure works for me. The next time it rained, I was out and about with the help of Dr. Dry.
Source: Patrick Bardelli
How to use it
The surface you want to spray must be clean and not washed with fabric softeners or other additives before you treat it with Dr. Dry. Apply generously, making sure you soak the surface completely with the spray. This is to ensure all fibres are covered with a protective layer. That way you’ll achieve the best results and increase the durability of the spray. Allow to dry for 24 hours after application.
According to the manufacturer, the effect of the coating decreases by about 20 per cent with every wash cycle. To maximise durability, wash with a mild detergent without fabric softener or other additives. Reapply after about five washes or sooner if needed.
Rain on my parade, please!
The next bout of rain was here soon. For once, I was really happy about it. I set off at 1 p.m., freshly sprayed with Dr. Dry. As predicted, the rain ensued just a few minutes later. Thank you, precise weather app. The scattered drops turned into one of those light drizzles. The kind that makes you think, «I don’t need an umbrella» before running home soaking wet half an hour later.
Source: Patrick Bardelli
En route, I didn’t leave out a single puddle. I’d usually avoid those like the plague. Meanwhile, the light drizzle had turned into a gentle rainfall. And so, I made my way home again after an hour. Enough masochism for one day.
First impression: yes, but ...
Back home, it was time to draw a conclusion.
Let’s start with the positives. The gloves stayed warm and kept my hands warm and dry. A lovely feeling. Just two days earlier, they were soaked and cold. Not being able to feel your handlebars properly because your hands are clammy isn’t great and could end badly. My jacket remained almost completely waterproof, too. Especially the shoulders. I only got wet around the forearms, just below the elbow. Maybe I just didn’t spray that part well enough. Overall, it was definitely a great improvement.
And now for the negatives. My feet got wet again. In spite of the fact that I sprayed both the shoes and socks with Dr. Dry. Biking with wet feet sucks. It seems there’s no way around wearing shoe covers. And before another heated discussion kicks off, here are the reasons why:
Lastly, there’s the bike pants with my behind in them. That got wet again, too. The spray seems to have worked a bit on the legs, but it was powerless against the spray from below, despite spraying about a quarter of the 300 millilitre bottle on the pants, socks, jacket and gloves.
According to the manufacturer, the product should be applied generously and the surface you’re treating needs to be completely soaked with the spray each time. But how much «generous» is, is always going to be a rough guess. As I already mentioned, I used about a quarter of the bottle. After five washes, I should repeat the process according to Dynamic Bike Care. In other words, the 300-millilitre bottle will last about 20 washes. Or a good two months in my case.
So my first impression of Dr. Dry by Dynamic Bike Care is mixed. While it definitely kept the damp out of my gloves and jacket, the bike pants were only protected to a certain extent and my shoes and socks weren’t kept dry at all. To be fair, I only tested the product once. I’ll certainly give it another chance this autumn.
PS: it’s time to switch from summer to winter clothes. And from Castelli to Assos. More on that shortly.
Header image: Patrick Bardelli
Patrick Bardelli
Senior Editor
Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.chFrom radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.
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