I’m after a decent winter jacket for road riding over winter – i’ve had £60-80 ones in the past but they just don’t cut it for fast (sweaty) riding.

Thinking of spending around the £150 mark if that will get me something really breathable and a good fit.

Was thinking it should be waterproof but what about the newer windstopper designs? What are they like a downpour?

Personally I would go for a softshell jacket. I have one from Pearl Isumi which is water resistant. I find that even when it gets down to ten below I can go out with just a merino base layer and the jacket and I stay toasty. They are much more breathable than a gor type waterproof jacket which you just end up getting wet from the inside IME.

Gore Oxygen softshell:

Gore Oxygen

I’ve got a Phantom and this is similar, but a tighter cut and with extra external mesh pockets and a built-in neckwarmer!

(EDIT – I wore my Phantom for 8 hours of moderate rain on the road – was fine and toasty)

Gorebikewear softshell shuff is pretty good for most uk winter riding.
Theres some bargains to be had here 😉

gore all day long!

Do the softshells keep you warm if they get soaked?

I tend to use my softshell gore jacket on cold winter days and my Active shell Xenon jacket when rain looks likely as it keeps the rain out better IMO. Don’t get on with goretex or event fabrics far too sweaty.

Both jackets are really good at regulating your temperature which is the most important factor, never too hot or cold. 😉

I have the Gore Oxygen. It’s ok but with stuff in your back jersey pockets it feels very tight. Hard to get the size right with it.

Do the softshells keep you warm if they get soaked?
IME yes they do. They work a bit like neoprene in that respect.

I bought one of these recently:
http://www.endura.co.uk/Product.aspx?dept_id=123&prod_id=218

Special offer, £60 instead of £75. Showerproof, very warm, really good fit.
Endura do a proper softshell as well, the Convert at £100:
http://www.endura.co.uk/Product.aspx?dept_id=123&prod_id=477

I’m really picky about jackets and outerwear, it’s rare that I find something that has all the features I want and that fits me. Rapha and Endura are the only two that come close so far (although having said that, when Endura first brought out the Stealth jacket I couldn’t get it to fit me at all, really weird sizing but they seem to have changed that with their more recent stuff).

Ah just posted something similar.
I’m after something warm that doesn’t have to be waterproof at all. It only seems to be freezing when it’s dry.

Gore phantom keeps me warm and dry, never been cold wearing it

I’ve got a Gore Phantom for those cold days and just picked up a Gore Contest 2.0 AS Jacket as a lighter Windstopper / shower proof.

Great fit (as in if you take medium in normal clothes you will in Gore too) realyl comfy, arms just the right length, drop tail bang on. Well worth the cash.

I picked the Contest up for £80 from Cyclesurgery after a price match too

I’m a softshell fan to (have a gore phantom amongst others) however the OP’s requirement of ‘really breathable’ just doesn’t exist. It’s another layer of insulation and no material exists that’s massively breathable yet waterproof (apart from skin perhaps), if you’re going hard on a climb etc. you’re going to get hot and sweaty in a jacket. Paying £80+ generally gets you something that you won’t overheat in when just riding tempo though (assuming it’s not a hot day…)

I can’t fault the Groundeffect soft shells for Winter riding where rain isn’t an issue – I have no desire whatsoever to ride in Winter rain 🙂

http://www.groundeffect.co.nz/products-WIN.htm

I’ve got an Oxygen which is good when it’s very cold, but generally I prefer my Assos Airjack 851. Possibly overbudget these days, but I find the fit better on the Assos, and it’s got more pockets. It looks like they may have changed it, but my Oxyen has one wide pocket, 2 narrow ones, and 2 mesh ones, which aren’t all that useful, the Assos just has 4 proper ones and a zip one.

There’s slightly less Windstopper material on the 851, which I guess is why it’s not as warm, but I find it more comfortable. The Gore would probably be my choice in the rain. I don’t bother with a waterproof unless it’s really really pouring with rain.

Altura Night Vision……

Thanks for the imput – the soft shells sound v.good.

As for really breathable, I guess I just mean alot better than the altura / endura ones I’ve had before – the Night Vision is a sweat box.

I think a decent softshell with an ultra light rain cape (those ones the racers wear?) for torrential downpours will be the winner.

IIRC the Gore Softshell material is actually water resistant anyway, it’s just the seams aren’t taped and what not. I certainly wore my Oxygen in some torrential rain last winter and stayed warm enough, but only for an hour or so. Did some longer rides with periodic rain and never got cold though.

To be honest, if it was pouring with rain constantly I’d probably be on the turbo trainer!

I don’t go out for fun in the rain, just to get to and from work. Nothing like an hour in the rain to get you ready for the day!