Wool Cycling Jerseys - any good

mushi123 · May 2007

Hi;

A mate of mine is coming over from the states and he asked me if I needed anything, being a fan of FGG and in desperate need for proper clothing I thought about this wool cycling jerseys (cool and cheap)

http://www.portlandcyclewear.com/woolcyclingjersey.html

I live in London and commute 20 miles each day, are these wool jerseys really good for winter/rain and what about summer will I get to hot?

anyway also thought about the 3/4 pants they sell

http://www.portlandcyclewear.com/messengerpant.html

any thoughts? anyone has a better idea of what to get from the us?

cheers

dave5ncp · May 2007

Fantastic in the rain![:D]

 please pretend there's a horizontal line here. I couldnt work out how to put one in.
You stir my natural emotions

the grinder · May 2007

I find wool and wool mix jerseys great, better than polyester in the winter, soft and warm.

Those pants look interesting if you like that sort of thing. Pretty cheap too.

I would.

getting there......

monty_dogcp · May 2007

I've got a couple of wool jerseys - great for short commutes or winter rides under a shell, but not quite so good as a good windstopper jersey for longer training rides in autumn/winter/spring. Trouble with wool when it gets wet is that it becomes very stretchy and you can't carry much in the pockets.

jakob_s · May 2007

The portland ones don't last very well.
I also got this one: http://www.vintagevelos.com/jer-molteni ... tari1.html and it's far superior quality and is usable all year round. (baselayer + armwarmers when it gets cold is enough).
It's definitly worth the extra dosh

Jakob

FGG #2384

Timeless · May 2007

for winter commuting, Howies merino base layer under a gilet does most days.

for summer commuting, I am mostly wearing a Ground Effect merino/synthetic mix short sleeve jersey. Wear it all week, no pong. Not been too hot so far (and I was using it in the April heatwave). Order online, takes two weeks to arrive from NZ. I bought two and it worked out at about œ40 each.

not really the retro look, but they are wool and they work.

Unknown · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by jakob_s

The portland ones don't last very well. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I would sadly agree with this. Mine is looking decidedly tired after only around a year. It requires care in washing too, you can't just throw it in the washing machine.

terongi · May 2007

I have 2 merino wool base layers.

1 is Rapha, the other is Icebreaker.
Both same size when purchased at the same time about a year ago, both worn about equal amounts. Not much difference in price.

The Icebreaker one is stretched out of shape and baggy.
The Rapha one is as snug fitting as the day I bought it.

I have bought another Rapha one.
The Icebreaker one is now used only for slinging over me after a hard turbo session.

Wooliferkins · May 2007

I've got a Brooks one, takes a bit of care as all nice things do. It's warm stays warm if wet not a good windstopper but put a windproof over it and it's toasty. Wool doesn't hang on to sweaty smells like manmade fibres do.

Neil
www.dotbike.com

rootsrocker · May 2007

Wool is fantastic for most UK applications,I find it a bit too warm for sunny days though.

I have used my Surly s/sleeve extensively for over 3 years.It's not hard to look after -(I throw it in the machine on 'wool wash' with a wool specific powder & dry it flat) it has survived no problem and has plenty of life left.I also have a howies merino l/s base layer that has kept it's shape no probs.

The great thing about wool is that even when wet (sweat or rain) it will insulate & does not feel wet at all.It is also remarkably windproof compared to synthetices (posh modern windstopper/sofshell stuff not included - I mean ordinary jerseys).This factor could be a potential lifesaver on a wild fellside but even on the morning commute it makes life more comfortable!

This Winter I tried a HH combination of wool & polypro was dissappointed by the soggy feeling when riding hard.Not nice. It's fine for easy rides/walks etc but really holds the moisture otherwise. No comparison to Merino which just doesn't feel wet when it is in fact quite wet!
The only drawback is not to put loads of heavy stuff in the rear pockets - it is bound to pull it out of shape.Use a Camelbak instead.

peejay78 · May 2007

have to say, the rapha stuff is the dogs balls - just make sure you get it in the sale, thus saving the need for a mortgage.

winter: http://tinyurl.com/2xkbbs
summer: http://tinyurl.com/2hsagv

jalapeno · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dave5n

Fantastic in the rain![:D]

 please pretend there's a horizontal line here. I couldnt work out how to put one in.
You stir my natural emotions
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

the sheep down here seem tto mange OK in the rain, no reason to think a cyclist wouldn;t be any different, hehehe

http://www.mikesbikepages.me.uk
http://www.mikesimagination.net
http://mikesimagination.wordpress.com

monty_dogcp · May 2007

I should have said, my jerseys are from Vintage Velos and their faring up pretty well - the Wool Trainers are fantastic - mid weight and very warm - no pockets, so good for casual wear too. I've got a Cinzano long sleeve too, which is quite a bit thinner and more suited as a mid-layer.

peejay78 · May 2007

wool trainers you say?

my trainers have leather uppers and a moulded sole.

winter: http://tinyurl.com/2xkbbs
summer: http://tinyurl.com/2hsagv

mushi123 · May 2007

Thanks everyone for their comments, you have given me a lot of food for thought. I never thought that base layers were so important and never before this thread did I know what is merino wool. Rapha's stuff really looks amazing but a bit pricey.

I will defiantly order a base layer from Rapha and keep an eye on ebay or on the sale for Raphas page.

cheers

peejay78 · June 2007

if you sign up for their website they'll email you when the sale is on.

winter: http://tinyurl.com/2xkbbs
summer: http://tinyurl.com/2hsagv

Wool Cycling Jerseys - any good

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