BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

I have a few cycling jackets I use. This one is my favorite http://www.amazon.com/Castelli-Aero-Rain-Lite-Jersey/dp/B005OPQLGI/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1319740221&sr=8-9 It's completely waterproof and very breathable your not going to over heat in it. I use it for Temps of 40-65F without layering, any colder I need to layer or a warmer jacket or layers. Any warmer no need for a jacket.

I have an REI jacket that is very similar that I am happy with. Even though the fabric says it’s breathable, the main thing is to use the pit-zips and other vents to get the heat and perspiration away from your skin. I use mine from about 50 degrees on down; and all winter with a few thin layers at most, even when it’s in the teens outside.

i have an incredibly light jacket that i use from about 50° down (i can convince myself the weather is nice if i don't wear a jacket, like this morning) to whatever, with layers underneath as needed. last year, i wore that and a wool zip-up down to about 20°, and another layer of wool down to about 5-10° (over my work clothes, which is usually just a t-shirt). i found my hands and legs were far more susceptible to the cold. once you start going, virtually anything that stops the wind will keep you warm enough.

i also have a separate rain jacket that i wear when it rains and carry with me if there's a chance of rain. i prefer this to having one jacket for both, as my light jacket is way more comfortable than even the most breathable rain jacket i've ever tried. plus, the combined price of both jackets is about half of what one that replaced both would cost.

I just recently picked up a showers pass Portland jacket. I'm really liking it a lot. It's pretty breathable and has zippable cuffs and pits. It looks fine to wear around on a regular basis when not cycling, and does a pretty good job on the road.

It's not totally rainproof, but if I'm riding a few miles in wet weather, it's going to keep the water off, but it can get saturated given enough exposure. I got last year's color so it was $80 cheaper than the $200 list price.

I've been wearing the Elite 2.0 for almost 2 years now and it's great. I wear it all winter usually with just a long-sleeve shirt underneath. Gloves fit under the sleeves and velcro straps seal the opening up which is awesome.

The other 3 seasons I pretty much always keep the under-arm vents open, and try not to wear it if it's too hot - or at least keep the front open.

I had my heart set on an Elite 2.0, and was all ready to buy one when I visited REI during one of their 20% off coupon sales. I picked up a Showers Pass "Men's Touring Jacket" which isn't much different from the Elite 2.0 that I looked at. REI didn't sell the Elite 2.0, but they sold this one at the time. It is large enough for a bunch of layers underneath. I've had it about a year and a half now, and I wore it in spring/fall/winter. It is too warm in the summer and I'd rather just be wet. It is still in great condition for as long as I've had it and as much as I've worn it. The waterproofing is still very much intact (I just got home from a 10 mile commute in 45F and pouring rain and was very glad it kept the water out). If you want to save a $100+, go check it out before you throw down for the more expensive model.

Make sure to try a showers pass jacket on before buying. I've found they run 1-2 sizes big on me. I normally wear a large or xl depending on sleeve length but I was fitting in a medium pretty comfortably

I was able to try a few styles on at REI and found the sizing to be big as well.

I like the large cut. Almost every jacket I own has sleeves that are about 5 inches too short once I stretch out and put my hands in the drops. My showerspass fits perfect when I do that. The bulk seems to be there so you can also layer underneath. The neck hole fits my neck perfectly and the torso is the correct length.

HiddenVariable ... incredibly light jacket that i use from about 50° down to whatever, with layers underneath as needed. last year, i wore that and a wool zip-up down to about 20°, and another layer of wool down to about 5-10°

Sounds similar to what I wear - except for me the cutpoints are about 20° higher. I use the light jacket with wool hoodie down to about 40°, and another layer might take me down to 30.

my numbers are closer to hiddenvariable's. long sleeves below sixty, wind breaking jacket and long sleeves below 55. it's my fingers and toes I'm worried about during anything mildly aerobic.

mick, you'd be warmer if you rode bigger gears.

You've got some incomplete tags there, Colin.

The tags are complete but mismatched. So it's the elements, not the tags, that are incomplete.

yeah but I'm a flash developer...

@cburch mick, you'd be warmer if you rode bigger gears.

I'm aware of the parallel here.

A lot of people don't need small gears.

On the other hand, there are folks here that are quite proud of their mashing, yet come back and complain about the inexplicable (to them) back, neck, knee, and/or hip pain they've been having.

Some people don't need to dress as warmly as me. Sure.

OTOH, I suspect some of the cold weather clothes advice might be similar to the "it's-insane-to-have-gears-lower-than-..." stuff. Some of it is boasting about being hard-assed, when it's more half-assed to skip more comfortable equipment.

The range for what people need for cold is extreme.

I have friends that would never wear the extreme clothes I do. Yet, somehow, they stay in whenever the weather gets below about 25.

Hidden variable might well not need to grab the wool until it gets to be 20 - but I'd hate to have any one say "It's too uncomfortable for me when it gets cold," cause they think what he wears, or even a barely adequate winter coat ("good to -15 F!!"), is what they SHOULD wear.

The first day it gets below about 28, I will have a hoodie underneath that (-15) winter coat. Probably long johns. 2 pairs of gloves.

(shrug)

You all know I'll be out there riding on the coldest day of the year. Whatever it takes.

Speakin'a tags:

I'm a flash developer...

Is that like being a Lego engineer?

@reddan no. people still enjoy legos.

Back to jackets, I wear an old Nashbar black and gold goretex that I have had for maybe 10 years. I did have to replace the zipper ($25 professionally done). It is still waterproof and my outerwear of choice under 50 degrees with varying amounts of layers underneath. Near zero that means 2 longsleeve shirts, sweater, and a scarf on neck to cover nose on downhills. It's my fingers that get the coldest.

Ctrl+F ECWS army surplus goretex parka not found... Goretex doesn't wick moisture as quickly as something like e-vent, but these are $30ish on ebay, they come in a huge size range (including long lengths), they have pit zips & good pockets, and they're very windproof. Great 3-season jacket. Gen I and II are most versatile, Gen III is a gore-tex paclite shell with no pockets.

Yeah, +cheap +sizes +durable, I dunno! A great value if you're willing to sport camo.

Sporting camo on any 2 wheeled vehicle, bike, scooter, motorcycle, is a really bad idea from a visibility standpoint.

Now if I could bomb around in a fishtail parka on a Lambretta listening to "Don't get fooled again", that would be different.