[Closed] Commuting jacket that does not make me look like a council worker?

Er, just wear a jacket you like.
How about this? A Wang for H&M, suits you sir?
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nice one.
How about visibility? slap a few reflective stickers on the side?
But do I have to wear the slippers? do they come in spd-version??
-)

Hump Signal?

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http://blog.koo-bikes.com/hump-signal-cycling-jacket-first-impressions/

I really like the look of the Hump ones, I have an Altura Night Vision like this:
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Looks awesome in headlights and quite normal off the bike...

Unfortunately NightVision only comes with a stupid light on the back which is a no-no for rucksack wearer.

@soma - is that the "normal" one (ie not evo) and how breathable is it ?

Ah, sorry, visibility?

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trailmax, have you thought about getting any jacket you like and putting a hi-viz cover on your rucksack? I would have thought that would give you more flexibility on your jacket and would give you a big reflective area in the middle of your back as well.

Just get an emergency packable waterproof and wear what you would normally. I just don't get why commuters want to wear boil in the bag, sails, **** that. My Montane Velo windshell with DWR is my go to jacket if I need one.

Just got one of these new Sportful all weather roadie tops to try out for full winter use, but it's not been cold enough yet.

I dont think its an evo one and mine doest have a light on the back, it is breathable but I only useally wear it on cold days...

[url= http://www.howies.co.uk/mens/clothing/jackets/dyfi-turkish-sea.html?colour=630 ]Dyfi Active Shell [/url]

I've got one of these. Not waterproof but it ticks all the other boxes.

You can take the light off, can't you?

My altura is a year old, but the light is easily removable (just ask my three year old where it is if you need it...).

No probs with rucksack or courier bag, but they do cover some of the reflectivy bits. So you need a nice reflectivy bag too.

Lunge, I thought about it, but usual waterproof bag cover annoys me enough on off-road days. Can't deal with that stuff on every day commute. And I've slapped enough big reflective stickers on the bag anyway.

Dragon, problem with commiting jackets - it gets messed up pretty easy with bike muck for some reason. I don't want any of that on my expensive gore-tex. And the idea is to wear the jacket in town and don't look like the one from pictures above. Roadie tops are not that bad, but that does not go with my understanding of "everyday clothing".

I have a Night Vision jacket; took the light off & never used it.

Having said that, after 2 autumns/winters commuting with waterproofs last winter I saw the light and just wear my normal cycling stuff (extra layers if it's cold). Managed all winter with just a decent base layer, winter jersey with a wind-proof gilet (fluro/reflective!) when I felt the need.

Pace and Bontrager both have done a bright red eVent jacket. I've got the bonty one and its superb.

Very visible, and not yellow.

Imnotverygood - yes, you can take the light off, but current NightVision jackets have a pretty big metal ring where the light goes into. That will dig into my back. Previous years' jackets did not have that and you could take the light out without any problems.

I just leave a normal jacket in work. I don't think there is such a thing as a jacket that works for cycling and looks normal off it.

Use mudguards and your cycling kit should stay primarily yuk free IME of cycle commuting the last 2 years..

[url= http://www.vulpine.cc/Shop/Mens/Jackets-Gilets/ICAT1000/MENS-ORIGINAL-RAIN-JACKET/ITM1126 ]Vulpine[/url] are a bit pricey but "normal looking".

[url= http://www.swrve.co.uk/wax%20jacket.html ]Swvre[/url] is again expensive but a proper jacket-jacket.

I tend to think it's possible to obsess too much about reflective stuff.

don't really understand specific cycling clothing items.
I just wear a nice breathable waterproof.
quechua forclaz 400 jacket. light stretchy pit zips, in a green colour.

don't really understand specific cycling clothing items.

don't really understand specific cycling clothing items.
I just wear a nice breathable waterproof.

Good cycle-specific stuff has a long tail to cover your arse, has reflective detailing, and is designed to sit well with your arms stretched out for the bars.

I agree with ton. Unless your on a racer/don't have mudguards or have a mega long commute, you don't need a cycle specific jacket.

I just wear a reflective vest and have reflectives/light on my rucksack and a normal walking jacket with a hood.

can I add, my waterproof, combat shorts and footy trainers have seen me through just short of 6000 miles commuting this year..... 😀

BigDummy
Vulpine are a bit pricey but "normal looking".

Swvre is again expensive but a proper jacket-jacket.

£250 for a wax jacket to wear on the bike? Is this a London thing or what?

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You could spend £150 on a great lightweight shell jacket to put over your regular clothes on your way to the art gallery/coffee shop / coolest gig.

you don't need a cycle specific jacket.

Of course not. You could do it in your vest and pants if you really wanted, like PE when you forget your kit.

But if I am buying a buying a jacket [i]specifically[/i] to use when I am [i]cycling[/i], then why would I not buy a [i]cycle-specific[/i] jacket? 😕

I don't really understand the objection to be honest.

normal walking jacket

Bikeradar released some data a couple of years ago that showed that white is actually the most visible colour, more so than high viz. Just get a white jacket, if you've got mudguards you'll be fine.

I ride in in either a white Shimano fleecy jersey or a black Craft waterproof. I have a mad bright rear light set on super strobe.

Good cycle-specific stuff has a long tail to cover your arse, has reflective detailing, and is designed to sit well with your arms stretched out for the bars.

GrahamS

But if I am buying a buying a jacket specifically to use when I am cycling, then why would I not buy a cycle-specific jacket?

I don't really understand the objection to be honest.

Good hiking/climbing/fell running jackets have longer sleeves for climbing, same as cycle specific jackets. They're cut for mobility, have pit zips, helmet compatible hoods, quite often have high vis detailing...the only thing they lack is a drop tail, which, when you really think about your body position on the bike and how many times you've come back from a ride with a muddy shuck, isn't really that important.

I've had my share of premium cycle specific jackets and I've come to the conclusion they are over priced and under performing compared to jackets from the likes of Montane, Mountain Equipment, Rab, Arcteryx etc.

Endura Flyte in red for me.

The idea that I can walk about in the jacket, not just cycle in it.

I would think that any jacket you wear for regular commuting is going to get so cacked up with use that you won't really want to wear it for walking about in anyway. Why not just wear something cheap and bright on the bike and either carry or keep at work a nicer, cleaner jacket for the catwalk?

I suspect someone's said that already, but it seems like a reasonable sort of compromise.

I mix and Match to suit the weather.

I commute daily - including weather like today and floods.

Regular gear this time of year is Decathlon running tights and a winter longsleeve running top.

I always have my Howies Dyfi Enduro in the bottom of the bag in case of sudden rain.

When it's obviously going to chuck down and blast like today, I have a bright orange Endura Nightvision that I lost the REMOVABLE light for. I open the two side vents and it isn't boil in the bag when worn with a summer running vest.

Mountainbiking, I use Montane etc for jackets. Bike specific stuff us frequently overpriced rubbish by comparison to actual alpine kit.

I'm unclear what OP's problem is, unless they wish to underline that the majority.of commuter specific riding gear is junk, which isn't a bad shout but it's only the first step to discovering that it's OK to wear non bike stuff...

Cheapo 'Surface' (Charge) for me, or Montaine featherlight thing, or my Madison Road Race jacket, depending on which is clean.
Then an Alpkit hi vis dry bag & as many lights as I can fasten to myself & the bike.

£250 for a wax jacket to wear on the bike? Is this a London thing or what?

This is just a sub-set of "[i]I buy my clothes from Aldi and I look pretty fly[/i]" , or "[i]Rapha OMG [u]how[/u] much[/i]?" really, isn't it?

It's quite a lot to pay for a jacket. It also looks like it might last a while. I'm "post-London" personally though, and I didn't buy a Swvre because they didn't have one in my size. I've got a fluo-pink Rapha gilet though.

🙂

Ah, I will mostly be cycling home in a rapha Raeburn jacket....

If you're taking a rucksack commuting do what I do - wear 'normal' mtb kit/jacket as the weather requires & get a hump cover for your rucksack.

The rucksack cover means I still have plenty of hi-vizness even when I'm just rocking a t-shirt, the mistake a lot of people seem to make is rocking a hi-viz vest then hiding it beneath a rucksack.

Right, a lot of discussion for this tiny topic. Thanks for all your opinions, all taken onboard.

Yes, the frustration is with plastic-baggines of commuting gear. I'll look on hi-viz rucksack cover and will get a descent jacket remotely comfortable for cycling. I did like the way Hump jackets look, so there could be a combo -)

My anecdote is this: I commute in all weather's all year, these days in a slate grey dare to b that I retired from mtb duty. I used to wear a hi viz yellow endura one, run over twice both times by left turning traffic trying to accelerate round me from behind when lights went green, ruined jacket on the second occasion.
Replaced with altura night vision, lasted about 18 months, one side swipe when traffic veered left to avoid a traffic island.
Replaced with my old Hill walking waterproof (not high viz) another Hill walking jacket aafter that and now my grey one. Four years on the same route as before and no incident as yet. High viz didn't fix the fact people don't look and or don't care so I now wear something comfortable instead of yellow.

Anecdote not statistic.

Dangeourbrain that's a poor luck with traffic! I don't have this statistic despite of commuting for 10 years on Scottish roads, but my guess is better get noticed in advance.

My counter-anecdote:

I consider myself a "cyclist-aware" driver. I [i]do[/i] care and I actively look for them.

I prefer the cyclists in bright visible clothing - doesn't need to be high viz, but definitely not "slate grey" especially on a grey wet day.

Lights help too of course, if it is anything other than a bright summers day.

GrahamS

Lights help too of course, if it is anything other than a bright summers day.

Even on a bright summers day....lights.

As for high vis, that puke yellow does tend to blend in quite well around twighlight. It becomes a kind of muddy orange, like a lot of other colours. Reflective on the other hand, would be the way to go.

I'm with you Graham, since I've started driving myself, I became aware how shit the visibility is from a car. Especially when it rains and it is dark.

So when I'm on a bike, my preferable visibility is "x-mas tree".

By the way just ordered that Hump jacket and a set of reflective spoke covers. It's getting dark pretty early now -(

The Sugoi Zap looks awesome

Not sure about availability yet though.

Cheers, Rich

Sportful commute jacket is very nice. Halfrauds sell them but not on the website yet as its brand new in to them.

Link to one on Amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B009T5ZFDO?pc_redir=1412826812&robot_redir=1

Proviz Reflect360?

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Gore oxygen neon yellow. Perfect waterproof breathable cycling fit jacket.

I've got an old Polaris neutron, it doesn't have much hi-viz bar a few reflective bits but is doesn't look to "council worker".

Not Christmas tree - there wider at the bottom...

Think christmas Twig then position afoementioned twig within a cars A pillar on a rainy damp day 🙂

I tend to buy my jacket in the summer sales for a around £100 use and abuse until the zips go or it just doesn't keep water out - spray on water repellants works well...dont expect it to last a lifetime just a few years.

Got a nice raceface at the moment (in safety black) - doesn't look too Bikey.

[hijack]anyone tried one of those proviz jackets? when it's properly dark that sort of reflective stuff is far more visible than bright colours[/hijack]

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