Hi from a UK rider. Wet riding? What can I say? If you can't handle wet riding here, no point in having a bike. Riding gear? In 50 years, my wife and I have tried them all with mixed results. First rule: price is no indicator of good waterproofing. Second rule: while there are dozens of waterproof breathable brand names out there, Goretex is the most likely to work (but no guarantees). For winter and temperate weather, Cordura with bonded in Goretex works best but look carefully at neck fastenings and cuffs. Poor closure negates any waterproofing that the suit manages. Hot weather (no- not the UK; mainland Europe), we wear ventilated desert type suits and carry cheap plasticised nylon oversuits. Though it is a nuisance stopping to don them at the first sign of rain, the combination has proved the most effective for long distance rain. The desert suits came with removable breathable waterproof inners but they are a waste of time. Who wants a slippery inner shell against your arms etc. covered by a completely sodden Cordura outer? This problem affects gloves in particular. We have found several leather gloves with Goretex linings that seem to keep out the actual water but they don't feel snug as you are riding in cold saturated leather. Boots - some really do work for endless hours of rain and others labelled waterproof are rubbish. The trick is - when you find something that actually works, look after it and hang on to it but don't necessarily expect a replacement from the same company to be as good. An awful lot seems down to luck or who actually put that piece of equipment together and whether it was a Friday or Monday. Of course, old fashioned products like plastic and rubber really are totally waterproof but awfully sweaty and offer no protection in a fall.
As for riding in the rain, I don't mind it at all. It's just a different set of parameters. It can even be quite fun. In 20 years road racing, I was always happy when it rained. You could rule out half the field. even some of the best riders, who were paralysed by fear of the wet.
