Pondering a decent jacket for road use this winter – normally I go with a couple of layers and a race cape when its wet, but tempted by a good quality, close-fitting jacket that’s more than just a shell. I ride all the time in all weathers, so happy to spend more on something good.

The hardshell jacket looks the sort of thing I’m after, anyone any experience with it, or care to recommend something similar? Endura Equipe maybe? I’m not a mad sweaty person, so not looking for zip vents everywhere.

Cheers!

I’d have a look at the Assos airblock jacket too. They’re fine down to freezing with just a long sleeve base layer underneath. Fit and durability is excellent too. Not waterproof, but unless it’s torrential you won’t get cold!

I have the City Rain Jacket and its been great for the wet summer. Will be buying the Hardshell when it comes out in October for riding in our lovely Scottish Winter.

I’d have a look at the MAvic stuff too – very impressed by the stuff of theirs I’ve got.

Paul Goulden, who writes the Still Searching blog had a Rapha rain jacket last year (I think). Thought it was a pile of pooh.

TBH, even living in the near the coast in England’s soggy north west, I tend to assume I’ll get wet and just wear a thin wind jacket over warm clothes. Seems to stop the chill, and my effort keeps me warm (and the thick layer of fat around my middle).

The classic softshell is much better than you might think…..completely wind proof, and it’s not often that it’s cold enough to wear it properly!

Had mine 3 years and all i do is layer up in winter – amazing jacket the classic softshell = alos come off a few times – sent it back for repair no problem.

My classic softshell lost it’s water repellency pretty quickly to be honest and nothing I do seems to get it back. Same goes for my stowaway jacket also.

Got a Gore Windstopper though which has stayed water repellent for ages without being reproofed.

I’ve also got that top end waterproof Mavic jacket with a billion zips/vents. It is properly waterproof but a bit of a sweatbox when you get going.

i got given one of these last winter http://www.rapha.cc/winter-jersey – not waterproof but i’ve ridden it all day in the rain and it’s kept me warm – in my experience i get wet anyway so it doesn’t make much difference.. insulation is more important.

i wear it with a merino base and it’s great in near-freezing.

but it is pretty pricey.

Assos 1st class super fit lots of dosh but you wont get better 😀

…It is properly waterproof but a bit of a sweatbox when you get going

Seems to be the problem with nearly all waterproofs when used on a bike. I have the Rapha city jacket and found that one needed to ease off a tad to keep dry in the rain. (Picked up a Mavic from CRC to try when it gets cold.)

Had the soft shell for 5 Scottish Winters now and it’s still going strong. To re-proof, just wash in Nikwax Tech Wash then TX direct. Good as new.

Cheers,

Andy

Rapha’s jackets aren’t their strongest poducts imo

I like the stowaway (they have to call it something else now) I have the orange one so it’s nice and visible on murky winter days. It’s one of those clothing items you can wear over a fairly broad range of temperatures and still be comfortable. I either wear that or a winter jersey over merino base layer and gilet.

The soft shell is for really bitter riding which we dont get much of in the SE. I had an endura soft shell for the MTB which I sold as it was too warm so didn’t bother with a road one.

I’d have a look at the Assos airblock jacket too. They’re fine down to freezing with just a long sleeve base layer underneath

The Assos airblock jackets are good but you probably need a fair amount of body fat to only need one base layer if its < 5 degrees!

Thanks folks. Anyone had a de Marchi jacket before?

Don’t buy the brand, buy the material

The Assos airblock jackets are good but you probably need a fair amount of body fat to only need one base layer if its < 5 degrees!

😀 That can only be written by a rider that doesn’t know about training hard!

I used to use an airblock and a single base layer in the days when I rode 6hr training rides with 7% body fat on days when you’d have problems stopping your bottles freezing and was toasty as.

^ 😀

If there is one thing I do not have, it’s a ‘fair amount of body fat’.
How very dare you.
Craft extreme base layer, airblock, toasty warm.

I’ve got 2 Airblock jackets and the old one is warmer than the new one. Not better necessarily, just wear them at different times. Also got a Gore soft shell, which whilst it doesn’t fit quite as well, has fewer pockets etc is noticeably warmer. Was cheaper too, forget which one it is, was about £140 I think.

i got given one of these last winter http://www.rapha.cc/winter-jersey – not waterproof but i’ve ridden it all day in the rain and it’s kept me warm – in my experience i get wet anyway so it doesn’t make much difference.. insulation is more important.

Ive wondered about how the winter jersey differs from the regular long sleeved one but its not clear from the website

Is it just heavier material, or windproofed or something else?

What does it do that their other jerseys dont do with a Craft windproof base layer underneath?