Winter Jacket

designman

Now the weather is changing, looking for a good winter jacket for training in and club rides.
Can anyone recommend one pls?
Do I need to be looking at Gore Bike Wear? Castelli? Sportful?
Thanks.

t4tomo

Foska winter jackets

swj1

I just got a Mavic Inferno and I am very impressed with the quality but it has not been cold enough to test properly yet but I reckon it will be more than up too the job

edten

sportful survival jacket seems to be really well made, though I didnt find it that good a fit when in a bike position. It seems to ride up at the shoulders. I only tried it on though. I find the same issue with other sportful jackets. I think (could be wrong) it is made with a gore material. I have the assos sturmprinz which is bloody expensive but I only have because the sportful one was out of stock when I first went to buy it. Sigma offered me the assos one at a price I couldnt refuse. It is useful for all year round as it has good breathability (not really small enough to go in a pocket though- almost) but performance in winter is amazing. good for the coldest and windiest days. I used in Caledonia Etape when the weather was atrocious. Waterproof is excellent - by the end I was still very dry under it. The Endura Stealth is very good too. Very warm and very waterproof - on offer here http://www.cyclesurgery.com/pws/UniqueP ... tAod9lYAYA

luv2ride

I'd recommend the Mavic Echappee softshell jacket. lots of nice features, including forearm venting (these work really well), and thinner breathable panels on the side of the body mean it works well across a range of temps, and it copes well with showers. Previous jackets I've had have just been too warm when riding hard. I found myself between sizes on the Sportful Survival jkt, so got a Mavic H2O jacket for the (rare) occasions I want a full on waterproof - again, lots of useful features, especially for venting and I prefer the fit of Mavic tops and jackets.

I get much more use out of the soft shell than the waterproof jacket though, as it's just way more versatile over a much wider range of conditions.

DavidJB

Gore Oxygen...amazing

smidsy

Gore Phantom also good.

You want something windproof that you can then supplement with a rain cape or similar.

amaferanga

Most of the jackets recommended are only good for sub-zero temps if you're riding fairly hard (especially the Foska jacket). Layering up with a good gilet and arm warmers works better for most UK winter days.

imposter2.0

designman wrote:

Now the weather is changing, looking for a good winter jacket for training in and club rides.
Can anyone recommend one pls?
Do I need to be looking at Gore Bike Wear? Castelli? Sportful?
Thanks.

Winter jackets range from -£20 (Aldi) to +£250 (Rapha) - what's your budget?

Camcycle1974

Good point. I have two winter jackets. One Altura Varium (RRP £140), the other and Aldi special @ £16, Which one do I wear most and prefer?

To be fair the Varium is a nice piece of kit but it doesn't have the versatility of the Aldi one. Both softshell but the Aldi one has detachable arms and three pockets in the back. The Varium has one pocket, is long sleeve only and is no more waterproof. Guess it looks nicer though!

designman

Thanks for the replies guys.
My budget is up to £200.

iPete

Luv2ride wrote:

I'd recommend the Mavic Echappee softshell jacket. lots of nice features, including forearm venting (these work really well), and thinner breathable panels on the side of the body mean it works well across a range of temps, and it copes....

This! Windproof over waterproof every time and really love my Echappee, the vents are super handy and with a base layer takes me to -5. Without its great from 10 degree down, basically most of Winter!

With your budget it'd be the above or the Rapha classic wind jacket.

designman

What jacket should I be looking at for winter?
A Softshell Jacket which is windproof or a jacket which is both Windproof and waterproof?

shamrock134

+1 For the Gore Oxygen Softshell.

iPete

designman wrote:

What jacket should I be looking at for winter?
A Softshell Jacket which is windproof or a jacket which is both Windproof and waterproof?

I've found with waterproof that I overheat and soak uncomfortably from the inside, 'boil in a bag'. Windproof/soft shells are generally very water resistant, can hold my Mavic under a tap and no water gets through and I find a much comfier body temperature, especially with the vents that make heat regulation really easy.

Monty Dog

Go for a fleece-backed windstopper fabric over a waterproof for winter riding - the objective is to stay warm, the concession is you may get damp. Even the most breathable waterproof fabrics cannot cope when riding hard - you build up a wet-fug inside the jacket that transfers to your thermal layers, which then get chilled. Gore fabrics are the best IME, so plenty to choose from including Gore, Castelli, Sportful, ExteOndo. If going full windstopper, then pit-zips help too.

Avit5

shamrock134 wrote:

+1 For the Gore Oxygen Softshell.

Is this the gore oxygen softshell you are referring to?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gore-bike-wear- ... ll-jacket/

shamrock134

Avit5 wrote:

show previous quotes

shamrock134 wrote:

+1 For the Gore Oxygen Softshell.

Is this the gore oxygen softshell you are referring to?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gore-bike-wear- ... ll-jacket/

Yeah that is the one.

Winstanley's do the 2012 version (which is basically the same) in a few sizes for £105-£120 depending on colour.

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... 012_Jacket

It is a great jacket. Warm, breathable, 5 pockets, windproof and very water resistant. I'm tempted to buy a second one!

Avit5

shamrock134 wrote:

show previous quotes

Avit5 wrote:

shamrock134 wrote:

+1 For the Gore Oxygen Softshell.

Is this the gore oxygen softshell you are referring to?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gore-bike-wear- ... ll-jacket/

Yeah that is the one.

Winstanley's do the 2012 version (which is basically the same) in a few sizes for £105-£120 depending on colour.

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... 012_Jacket

It is a great jacket. Warm, breathable, 5 pockets, windproof and very water resistant. I'm tempted to buy a second one!

Thanks Shamrock. Ordering one tonight when I get home.

Camcycle1974

Castelli Espresso Due voted best jacket in this months CP review of winter clothing. £230 though!

magoo289

Camcycle1974 wrote:

Castelli Espresso Due voted best jacket in this months CP review of winter clothing. £230 though!

Had mine 2 years can't recommend enough. It's coming out next week as 4 layers this morning was not enough!

cycleclinic

Altura do some good winter jackets. They maybe more commuter orientated but they are warm, breathable and waterproof everything you need really.

neeb

Can't recommend highly enough the Castelli Mortirolo Due jacket - it's like the Espresso but a bit lighter. As amaferanga implies, you will overheat in a hard-core winter jacket if you are riding hard. The Mortirolo is warm enough at any temperatures above freezing if you are riding hard, and above about 8C even that would be too warm and you are best off with layers and a gilet.

designman

Just been looking at the Rapha Classic Softshell Jacket on their website, seems to have good reviews.
Any thoughts on this?
http://www.rapha.cc/classic-softshell-jacket

northpole

Best jacket by miles I have used in winter is the Assos 851 Airjack. It isn't waterproof - I carry a lightweight rapha wind jacket in a back pocket - but it does an amazing job at cutting out the cold wind without overheating. Only for use when it gets cold though but you can control temperature by the number of layers underneath. I don't think they are available new any more but I wouldn't hesitate buying one of Fleabay. Sizing is pretty tight so probably go for one size larger than you would normally wear.

Peter

northpole

designman wrote:

Just been looking at the Rapha Classic Softshell Jacket on their website, seems to have good reviews.
Any thoughts on this?
http://www.rapha.cc/classic-softshell-jacket

I have one and really like it - mainly for casual walking about in rather than cycling though. Much prefer the Assos jacket for winter riding, despite the fact that the rapha is pretty much waterproof.

Peter

Camcycle1974

thecycleclinic wrote:

Altura do some good winter jackets. They maybe more commuter orientated but they are warm, breathable and waterproof everything you need really.

I have their Varium jacket which is a top-end (for Altura) softshell. Good, windproof jacket but not waterproof or particularly warm. Good as a mid layer with waterproof shell and warmer base layer. Ventilation is good via pit vents.

robbo2011

northpole wrote:

Best jacket by miles I have used in winter is the Assos 851 Airjack. It isn't waterproof - I carry a lightweight rapha wind jacket in a back pocket - but it does an amazing job at cutting out the cold wind without overheating. Only for use when it gets cold though but you can control temperature by the number of layers underneath. I don't think they are available new any more but I wouldn't hesitate buying one of Fleabay. Sizing is pretty tight so probably go for one size larger than you would normally wear.

Peter

You can still buy Airjacks from the Assos factory outlet store. Not many size/colour combinations left though.

http://www.assosfactoryoutlet.com/

rgasuk

Highly recommend Gore Phantom and Gore oxygen , Phantom also hand to use as a gillet . 8)

gsk82

assos airjack 851, still plenty for sale online

FatTed

Castelli Espresso Due, has vents on the chest and arms which regulate temperature very well. The problem with any recommendation is we don't know how hard you will be cycling, if very hard the most important is trontal wind protection such as the Rapha Pro Team Jacket