B E N D E R's non sweary review site, roubaixcycling.cc (and general kit discussion)

bendertherobot

PBlakeney wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

1 for each season. A definitive roundup. Also featuring the Castelli Espresso

Which one for which season? I will be in the market for next winter as my Gabba is now officially past it after 6 winters. The Aldi Performance is surprisingly good but too hot! :shock:

Bonka proper winter..

Habu UK winter/autumn


Intermediate rest of year

apreading

bendertherobot wrote:

That's an odd one. On mine a small hold in will turn off but there's a light that flashes. A big hold turns it off dead.

Big hold and no lights flashing, but bluetooth still connects and battery still drains over time. If you use it all the time and charge it from use, you wouldnt realise but when it gets lighter and if you then only use it infrequently, it means you have to remember to charge it first or it will be flat.

I think the short press leaves it in auto mode doesnt it? So that it wakes up with movement. I never used that.

pblakeney

bendertherobot wrote:

Bonka proper winter..
Habu UK winter/autumn
Intermediate rest of year

I'll guess Habu then if the Aldi is too hot already. I don't do ice.
Maybe Intermediate...

robbo2011

I don't think the Intermediate would be a good choice for winter, it's basically a summer weight LS jersey with a windproof front. Best for spring and autumn use from 10degC.

bendertherobot

Yeah, the intermediate certainly isn't for cold. That said, partner it with a base layer and a falkenzahn and you can get away with quite a lot.

I still think that the intermediate is the best thing that Assos make.

hopkinb

apreading wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

That's an odd one. On mine a small hold in will turn off but there's a light that flashes. A big hold turns it off dead.

Big hold and no lights flashing, but bluetooth still connects and battery still drains over time. If you use it all the time and charge it from use, you wouldnt realise but when it gets lighter and if you then only use it infrequently, it means you have to remember to charge it first or it will be flat.

I think the short press leaves it in auto mode doesnt it? So that it wakes up with movement. I never used that.

I turn Bluetooth off on my phone unless I actively want to connect to something. There's also a "disconnect" button in the app. Also, after charging, all the setting re-set, meaning 100% intensity, which drains the battery very quickly.

apreading

hopkinb wrote:

apreading wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

That's an odd one. On mine a small hold in will turn off but there's a light that flashes. A big hold turns it off dead.

Big hold and no lights flashing, but bluetooth still connects and battery still drains over time. If you use it all the time and charge it from use, you wouldnt realise but when it gets lighter and if you then only use it infrequently, it means you have to remember to charge it first or it will be flat.

I think the short press leaves it in auto mode doesnt it? So that it wakes up with movement. I never used that.

I turn Bluetooth off on my phone unless I actively want to connect to something. There's also a "disconnect" button in the app. Also, after charging, all the setting re-set, meaning 100% intensity, which drains the battery very quickly.

The point is that the light uses battery by constantly listening for a bluetooth device that may want to connect. My phone doesnt actually connect unless I tell it to in the app. Interesting the thing about 100% after charging - I noticed mine was 100% yesterday but I had just updated the firmware so assumed that was what had done it...

bendertherobot

Just checked. My light is off. Fired up app, can't find light.

apreading

Weird - how do you connect to it then? Does it have to be turned on to do this? I updated my firmware last night to see if that made a difference but it didnt. Presumably your phone was already paired to the light in the app? (mine doesnt 'announce' or 'broadcast' itself but is available to previously paired devices).

Garry H

bendertherobot wrote:

Yeah, the intermediate certainly isn't for cold. That said, partner it with a base layer and a falkenzahn and you can get away with quite a lot.

I still think that the intermediate is the best thing that Assos make.

I have the old style Intermediate, in red. Hardly ever worn, as I prefer the jersey/gilet option.

pblakeney

robbo2011 wrote:

I don't think the Intermediate would be a good choice for winter, it's basically a summer weight LS jersey with a windproof front. Best for spring and autumn use from 10degC.

I am happy in a base layer, s/s jersey and arm warmers at 10degC. Still in shorts too. So maybe not so bad but I'd be looking for something a bit more showerproof. I had been thinking Mossa 2 for below 10degC.

bendertherobot

Garry H wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

Yeah, the intermediate certainly isn't for cold. That said, partner it with a base layer and a falkenzahn and you can get away with quite a lot.

I still think that the intermediate is the best thing that Assos make.

I have the old style Intermediate, in red. Hardly ever worn, as I prefer the jersey/gilet option.

That's what I do. Cold weather = Intermediate + Falkenzahn

bendertherobot

apreading wrote:

Weird - how do you connect to it then? Does it have to be turned on to do this? I updated my firmware last night to see if that made a difference but it didnt. Presumably your phone was already paired to the light in the app? (mine doesnt 'announce' or 'broadcast' itself but is available to previously paired devices).

I don't, mostly. Sometimes I turn on the app and connect but only at Cafe stops really, for the alarm. Mostly I set it up, disconnect it and turn the app off.

apreading

But do you have to have the light on to connect in your case? And if you cant connect when the light is off, how does the alarm work?

bendertherobot

Mostly when I use the light I just leave it on the last settings and turn it on. It goes about doing all it normally does save for crash and theft alerts.

IF I want to use those things I just turn the app on and connect. When I don't want those things I close the app.

apreading

bendertherobot wrote:

Mostly when I use the light I just leave it on the last settings and turn it on. It goes about doing all it normally does save for crash and theft alerts.

IF I want to use those things I just turn the app on and connect. When I don't want those things I close the app.

Yes, I get that bit but the question remains - do you have to have the light on to connect in your case?

bendertherobot

Yes. Unless I've turned it 'off' via a simple press or via the app.

apreading

OK - I am going to try holding my button in for a REALLY long time tonight and see what that does.

bendertherobot

You should see green flashes at the bottom and, assuming the bluetooth is not still connected, NO blue ones.

tenohfive

Could I get some gilet advice please?

I'm after a warm gilet, windproof but packable. The first thing that springs to mind is the dhb ASV Race Thermal gilet:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-asv-race-thermal-gilet/

I'm drawn to it as I own the the LS jersey version and think it's fantastic - but I'm not sure if the gilet will pack down into a back pocket?
Warmth is a major factor in what I'm looking for, I want to get some use out of it in current conditions - I'm not after a windproof only gilet.

bendertherobot

It won't pack easily. None of that type will. Essentially that's the ASV jacket with the sleeves cut off. Ergo warm.

apreading

tenohfive wrote:

Could I get some gilet advice please?

I'm after a warm gilet, windproof but packable. The first thing that springs to mind is the dhb ASV Race Thermal gilet:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-asv-race-thermal-gilet/

I'm drawn to it as I own the the LS jersey version and think it's fantastic - but I'm not sure if the gilet will pack down into a back pocket?
Warmth is a major factor in what I'm looking for, I want to get some use out of it in current conditions - I'm not after a windproof only gilet.

Fawesome gets my vote (now called the Perfetto Vest I believe). Its not the most packable but the ones that are dont generally keep you as warm. It is packable enough though. It also breathes well so you wont sweat as much when it gets warmer. Its not proper 'winter warm' though - none that are will pack up very small.

tenohfive

What's the warmest I'll get that will still pack up small enough?
Doesn't need to be tiny, just to squeeze into a jersey pocket.

bendertherobot

As AP said, none really. It's a trade off. But this gives you an idea of how much the fawesome will fold, not bad, but not as warm as the ASV, which will be that bit bulkier.

http://www.probikeshop.com/en/gb/castel ... 27891.html

daniel_b

tenohfive wrote:

Could I get some gilet advice please?

I'm after a warm gilet, windproof but packable. The first thing that springs to mind is the dhb ASV Race Thermal gilet:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-asv-race-thermal-gilet/

I'm drawn to it as I own the the LS jersey version and think it's fantastic - but I'm not sure if the gilet will pack down into a back pocket?
Warmth is a major factor in what I'm looking for, I want to get some use out of it in current conditions - I'm not after a windproof only gilet.

I think you might struggle to get warm AND truly packable.

How about the Fawesome\Perfetto - as AP mentioned above, I ordered a Fawesome and sent it back, and then lucked into a Cannondale branded perfetto which is the same as the Fawesome, except for the useful addition of rear pockets.

OR, the Galibier foul weather Gilet, they claim it is packable, and I suppose technically it is, but it is on the large side of packable - this also has rear pockets:

http://galibier.cc/product/ultimate/

Top bit of kit though.

apreading

Mind you, thinking about it - if you need a PROPER warm gilet, how likely is it to get so warm that you need to pack it? That would be a heck of a lot of loss of warmth to then take it off. Perhaps what you need is to gilets, then you could just remove and pack one of them...! Or a long sleeve windstopper jersey such as the Alpha, with a gilet like the fawesome to add that little extra when needed?

bendertherobot

Many years ago I had something that, I think, was called the Gore Concept vest. A windstopper with a tube into which you breathed and pumped up chambers all around the vest. It worked, it was weird.

robbo2011

bendertherobot wrote:

Yeah, the intermediate certainly isn't for cold. That said, partner it with a base layer and a falkenzahn and you can get away with quite a lot.

I still think that the intermediate is the best thing that Assos make.

I can't do that because the colours clash :oops: Unless you wear it underneath I suppose.

I concur, my intermediate Jersey (old style) is my most used piece of cycling kit.

tenohfive

I'm after something that'll keep my core warm on long slow rides with slower riders (I hope said slower rider isn't reading this) when I'm not generating much body heat, but which I can ditch if I totally stuff up the layering or en route/back from a meeting point.

I keep hearing the Fawesome and newer Perfetto version talked about but how do they stack up vs. the Galibier Ultimate vest mentioned above? I've no doubt I'll find a place in my layering system for all/any mentioned, but I really am prioritising warmth right now as I can unzip to lose heat but can do sod all to generate it (in the context of the first paragraph.)

I've also got the left-field idea to look at a Primaloft filled gilet - it'll pack down small and I'll also get some use out of it for running/walking/round town use. Probably still come back to a Perfetto or equivalent vest at some point either way.

bendertherobot

I'd go Primaloft or have a look at the Rapha insulated Brevet or the Cafe du Cycliste equivalent.