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What is the ideal cycling jacket (for UK commuting)
Hi What is the best cycling jacket for commuting (at reasonable speed in UK) I am looking for something that is: b) HIGHLY BREATHABLE a) Bright in colour /reflective at night c) ultra-Compact d) nearly(+) waterproof e) COOL Plus ideally: f) aerodyamic/elastic?? g) fairly durable? Budget: upto GBP 300. So far I can't find ANYTHING on the market that is remotely satisfactory. For completely waterproof, the best I can find is Gore Paclite. Costs about GBP120-160, which is fine. The problem is it ISNT VERY BREATHABLE. But on most days commuting in London I dont actually need 100% waterproof - just VERY shower resistant would do. The big problem is keeping cool & getting rid of *SWEAT* because I dont have a shower at work. I have a Paramo (Model: "Alta"??) jacket that is very durable, *massively* breathable and though not *technically* waterproof it will keep out even a down-poor. It has no membrane and is thus implicitly resistant to puncturing and is highly durable... It has vents for the armpits which is helpful too. It's a fabulous jacket in the cold season in the scottish mountains. ....BUT it's not elasticated and thus flaps around rather and in any case it is FAR TOO HOT (& too heavy). i.e. you cant compress it to fit into a pack very easily, and you get far too hot when wearing it. AND they dont make a bright yellow/pale orange varient nor anything with reflectors on for night time use. - So... any recommendations? Ship Shiperton Henethe P.S. There are some very expensive (GBP 250-350 ) Gore jackets which I havent been able to find in any shop (in Central London) e.g. Evans Waterloo didnt have them... But on their website at least they didnt seem to have them in BRIGHT colours (just dark blues and blacks...) e.g. "Gore Bikewear Concept Jacket" £349.99 e.g. "Gore Bikewear Fusion Jacket" £259.99 .... |
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#2
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What is the ideal cycling jacket (for UK commuting)
"ship" wrote in message
ups.com... What is the best cycling jacket for commuting (at reasonable speed in UK) Have you tried any of the altura ones? I've actually stopped wearing a jacket until proper winter comes - I let my jersey get wet, since it would anyway from sweat. cheers, clive |
#3
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What is the ideal cycling jacket (for UK commuting)
ship wrote:
I am looking for something that is: b) HIGHLY BREATHABLE a) Bright in colour /reflective at night c) ultra-Compact d) nearly(+) waterproof e) COOL Plus ideally: f) aerodyamic/elastic?? g) fairly durable? Budget: upto GBP 300. "Waterproof" and "breathable" are mutually exclusive terms that no amount of money will reconcile. Best advice is to get a decent "water resistant" thin windbreaker with vented back and arm pits. Here in the US, I bought an inexpensive Hind jacket a few years ago that's OK for light rain, but not a heavy downpour. Art Harris |
#4
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What is the ideal cycling jacket (for UK commuting)
ship wrote:
Hi What is the best cycling jacket for commuting (at reasonable speed in UK) IMHO the only way to stay dry on top, and not boil-in-the-bag is with a Big Yellow Cape. Sadly, you will take off in anything other than a light breeze I've gradually learned that survival in wet weather is about controlling the degree of wetness; and not allowing yourself to get cold. This means keeping your feet warm, and as dry as possible for as long as possible. Let your legs get wet - there's nothing you can do about it really - if you wear longs, the trapped moisture and hard work will keep your legs warm. On top - wear a cheap windproof/showerproof jacket. I use a 4.99ukp Regatta thing in the summer, and an Altura Nevis in the winter. Then your usual wickable layers underneath - more layers in colder weather. HTH Chris |
#5
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What is the ideal cycling jacket (for UK commuting)
ship wrote:
I am looking for something that is: b) HIGHLY BREATHABLE As suggested elsewhere, "highly breathable" and waterproof don't come together, with the possible exception of Paramo's Analogy kit but that falls down on "ultra compact" and can be a bit warm if it isn't very cold. Hey ho. a) Bright in colour /reflective at night The two don't come together, you'll need a bright colour and a separate reflective system, scotchlite piping is probably more easily available and it works well. c) ultra-Compact d) nearly(+) waterproof e) COOL Pertex hits all the bases above although it will only keep the worst of the rain off. It's near as dammit windproof, but that does take away the cooling effect of the wind. There are various pertex cycle tops available. Plus ideally: f) aerodyamic/elastic?? g) fairly durable? Pertex is actually pretty durable but not elastic. Something lie Schoeller Dryskin would be stretchy, but probably a bit warm and I've yet to see in hi-viz. For completely waterproof, the best I can find is Gore Paclite. Costs about GBP120-160, which is fine. The problem is it ISNT VERY BREATHABLE. But on most days commuting in London I dont actually need 100% waterproof - just VERY shower resistant would do. The big problem is keeping cool & getting rid of *SWEAT* because I dont have a shower at work. I have a Paramo (Model: "Alta"??) jacket that is very durable, *massively* breathable and though not *technically* waterproof Paramo kit is waterproof. ...BUT it's not elasticated and thus flaps around rather and in any case it is FAR TOO HOT (& too heavy). A pertex top is like a Paramo jacket without the lining. If you get a close fit it'll not flap too much. e.g. "Gore Bikewear Concept Jacket" £349.99 e.g. "Gore Bikewear Fusion Jacket" £259.99 Gore windproof stuff relies on laminates that while more breathable than classic, Paclite and XCR Goretex are still not /that/ breatahble compared to the laminate not being there. There's also stuff like the Foska training tops which rely on a sandwich construction, but they're not that cool. Ideal for winter though. I'd be inclined to get something like the Foska top for cold days and a close cut pertex top for more general use. Pete. -- Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/ |
#6
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What is the ideal cycling jacket (for UK commuting)
ship wrote:
Hi What is the best cycling jacket for commuting (at reasonable speed in UK) I am looking for something that is: b) HIGHLY BREATHABLE a) Bright in colour /reflective at night c) ultra-Compact d) nearly(+) waterproof e) COOL Plus ideally: f) aerodyamic/elastic?? g) fairly durable? Ozzo September Jacket* is wind resistant, light & flouresent in colour, packs up very small, highly breathable, smooth & quite close-fitting, and lasts for years. Sew on some Scotchlite tape if you want reflectives. Not water resistant - but please see my comments below. In the coldest weather I find a Lusso Tactel gilet underneath is good for extra wind resistance without causing over-heating. * from www.mikedyason.com - http://tinyurl.com/ynb88d So far I can't find ANYTHING on the market that is remotely satisfactory. I don't think you will do. On the minority of rides when it rains, accept either the extra sweatiness from a waterproof jacket or just get wet from the rain. In the dry, wear a good non-waterproof windproof jacket or gilet. /snip But on most days commuting in London I dont actually need 100% waterproof - just VERY shower resistant would do. Most commutes in London there's no need for any water resistance at all. Carry a separate waterproof - perhaps a racing-style jacket with vents. ~PB |
#7
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What is the ideal cycling jacket (for UK commuting)
ship wrote:
But on most days commuting in London I dont actually need 100% waterproof - just VERY shower resistant would do. The big problem is keeping cool & getting rid of *SWEAT* because I dont have a shower at work. Does such a thing exist? I'd suggest putting a fresh work shirt in the space in your bag that a waterproof would take and wearing some kind of t-shirt for cycling. In colder weather wear two. It doesn't really matter if you get rained on occasionally if you've something dry to change into on arrival, even if you can't shower. |
#8
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What is the ideal cycling jacket (for UK commuting)
As previous poster 'does anything like this exist'?
I would find jacket that suits your needs and then put a loose fitting builders Day-Glo/night stripes waistcoat over it. |
#9
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What is the ideal cycling jacket (for UK commuting)
ship wrote:
Hi What is the best cycling jacket for commuting (at reasonable speed in UK) I am looking for something that is: b) HIGHLY BREATHABLE a) Bright in colour /reflective at night c) ultra-Compact d) nearly(+) waterproof e) COOL Plus ideally: f) aerodyamic/elastic?? g) fairly durable? Budget: upto GBP 300. So far I can't find ANYTHING on the market that is remotely satisfactory. For completely waterproof, the best I can find is Gore Paclite. Costs about GBP120-160, which is fine. The problem is it ISNT VERY BREATHABLE. But on most days commuting in London I dont actually need 100% waterproof - just VERY shower resistant would do. The big problem is keeping cool & getting rid of *SWEAT* because I dont have a shower at work. I have a Paramo (Model: "Alta"??) jacket that is very durable, *massively* breathable and though not *technically* waterproof it will keep out even a down-poor. It has no membrane and is thus implicitly resistant to puncturing and is highly durable... It has vents for the armpits which is helpful too. It's a fabulous jacket in the cold season in the scottish mountains. ...BUT it's not elasticated and thus flaps around rather and in any case it is FAR TOO HOT (& too heavy). i.e. you cant compress it to fit into a pack very easily, and you get far too hot when wearing it. AND they dont make a bright yellow/pale orange varient nor anything with reflectors on for night time use. - So... any recommendations? Ship Shiperton Henethe P.S. There are some very expensive (GBP 250-350 ) Gore jackets which I havent been able to find in any shop (in Central London) e.g. Evans Waterloo didnt have them... But on their website at least they didnt seem to have them in BRIGHT colours (just dark blues and blacks...) e.g. "Gore Bikewear Concept Jacket" £349.99 e.g. "Gore Bikewear Fusion Jacket" £259.99 ... I agree that there doesn't seem to be a perfect wet weather solution. For warm weather, I use a membrane type vest (Gore Activent). It folds small and keeps the torso dry and doesn't trap sweat too badly. In cold wet weather I bite the bullet and wear a heavier well-vented water repellent coated jacket and live with the inevitable condensation. I find that synthetic stretch fleece is about the best thing for wet warmth, so I wear that under. |
#10
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What is the ideal cycling jacket (for UK commuting)
nobody760 wrote:
As previous poster 'does anything like this exist'? I would find jacket that suits your needs and then put a loose fitting builders Day-Glo/night stripes waistcoat over it. Would spoil the aerodynamics that the OP wants, and also would be too warm most days in London. It's surprising how little material it takes to make you over-heat when cycling hard. I can't wear my Lusso gillet all the time and that's much much more minimal than one of those builders waistcoats. ~PB |
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