Winter Cycling Jacket

[Aero]

Does anyone have any reccommendations as to a good cycling jacket or shell for winter riding (20-40
deg F) with good moisture management properties.

I use a DriFit base layer with a Merino wool insulator and a Climaproof ( supposedly brathable) wind
shell. After 10-15 miles I am soaked on the inside in 30 deg weather.

Whats the deal with Gore Windstopper shells or possibly the REI One Jacket, or maybe PolarTec
Fleece. Anybody have any experience with any of these jackets they would want to share.

Thanks

 

[Michael Hoyt]

It all depends on how water resistant you need it to be. The more water resistant the less
breathable and thus the more venting is important.

At 20 degrees and minimal or no chance for rain I never wear a full shell, but rather a base vest or
an outer vest. Next I have an Activent jacket and finially for real rain a Burley Rapid Rider. They
all have their place.

The bottom line is cold weather combined with percipitation and significant exertion (like
climbing), you're going to get wet from the inside.

Good luck.

M

Aero wrote:

> Does anyone have any reccommendations as to a good cycling jacket or shell for winter riding
> (20-40 deg F) with good moisture management properties.
>
> I use a DriFit base layer with a Merino wool insulator and a Climaproof ( supposedly brathable)
> wind shell. After 10-15 miles I am soaked on the inside in 30 deg weather.
>
> Whats the deal with Gore Windstopper shells or possibly the REI One Jacket, or maybe PolarTec
> Fleece. Anybody have any experience with any of these jackets they would want to share.
>
> Thanks

 

[Matt O'Toole]

"Michael Hoyt" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

> It all depends on how water resistant you need it to be. The more water resistant the less
> breathable and thus the more venting is important.
>
> At 20 degrees and minimal or no chance for rain I never wear a full shell,
but
> rather a base vest or an outer vest. Next I have an Activent jacket and finially for real rain a
> Burley Rapid Rider. They all have their place.
>
> The bottom line is cold weather combined with percipitation and
significant
> exertion (like climbing), you're going to get wet from the inside.

> > Does anyone have any reccommendations as to a good cycling jacket or
shell
> > for winter riding (20-40 deg F) with good moisture management
properties.
> >
> > I use a DriFit base layer with a Merino wool insulator and a Climaproof
(
> > supposedly brathable) wind shell. After 10-15 miles I am soaked on the inside in 30 deg weather.
> >
> > Whats the deal with Gore Windstopper shells or possibly the REI One
Jacket,
> > or maybe PolarTec Fleece. Anybody have any experience with any of these jackets they would want
> > to share.

I find that "windfront" clothes work really well -- ones with windproof fabric on the front, but
breathable, plain fabric on the back. Down into the 20s F the problem is still not insulation per
se, but keeping the wind off. Bellwether makes some nice windfront tights. Windfront jerseys are
harder to find, but they do exist. Easier to find are vests with windbreaker material on the front
and mesh on the back. One of these over a couple of jersey layers should be fine.

Windstopper fleece is less sweaty than a windbreaker, but not as breathable as plain fleece. I have
a great Patagonia vest that's windproof fleece on the front, and wicking jersey material on the
back. It's neato for cycling. I think it's called a Flyer, or something like that.

Matt O.

 

[Peter Cole]

"Aero" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Does anyone have any reccommendations as to a good cycling jacket or shell for winter riding
> (20-40 deg F) with good moisture management properties.
>
> I use a DriFit base layer with a Merino wool insulator and a Climaproof ( supposedly brathable)
> wind shell. After 10-15 miles I am soaked on the inside in 30 deg weather.
>
> Whats the deal with Gore Windstopper shells or possibly the REI One Jacket, or maybe PolarTec
> Fleece. Anybody have any experience with any of these jackets they would want to share.

I've given up on shells altogether because of the moisture problem. I use fleece. On really cold
days 0-10 F, I'll wear a heavy jersey (PI Kodiak) with a fleece (Polartec) tunic top and a WindBloc
(front) vest. For warmer temps, I'll still wear 3 layers like that, but lighter base layer and maybe
a thin vest instead of fleece. I think skin tight 4-way stretch fleece is really the way to go
(Polartec "Powerstretch"). I have a pair of tights and a pullover vest made from it, my next
purchase will be a LS jersey.

 

[David L. Johnso]

On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 09:53:37 -0500, Aero wrote:

> Does anyone have any reccommendations as to a good cycling jacket or shell for winter riding
> (20-40 deg F) with good moisture management properties.
>
> I use a DriFit base layer with a Merino wool insulator and a Climaproof ( supposedly brathable)
> wind shell. After 10-15 miles I am soaked on the inside in 30 deg weather.

As a Christmas prsent, my wife got me tights and a jacket with wind-proof fronts, but breathable
backs. They are very nice down to about 25 degrees, below which you need another layer, and since
the whole back part breathes, you do not get soaked.

Sort of the modern technology equivalent of the old trick of stuffing newspapers inside the front
sides of your tights and jacket.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Accept risk. Accept responsibility. Put a lawyer out of _`\(,_ | business. (_)/ (_) |

 

[Alan Fishman]

I have two suggestions for you. I have used a Burley Rapid Rider for the last 2 years. It is the
most vented jacket I have ever used. See at:
http://www.burley.com/products/raingear/default.aspx?p=Rapid+Rider+Jacket&i= 2 This was a featured
jacket in this month's Bicycling. This may be the curse of death.

A second idea is a new jacket from Pearl Izumi called the Crescedo jacket. Pearl is using the new
fabric called eVent which claims to be a vast improvement over GoreTex etc. See link at:
http://www.pearlizumi.com/pearlizumi/catalog/product.asp?iProductTypeID=1&iP
roductTypeSubID=18&iProductID=2013&iProductColorsTB=3735 My lbs is raving about the fabric so I
tried a pair of the gloves with the eVent fabric and I am quite impressed though I have only worn
them once. Read more about eVent at http://www.eventfabrics.com . The reading is interesting. The
fabric keeps you dry as opposed to other fabrics (GoreTex) that don't work unless they are wet. I am
inclined to give the jacket a try.

Good luck.

Alan


"Aero" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Does anyone have any reccommendations as to a good cycling jacket or shell for winter riding
> (20-40 deg F) with good moisture management properties.
>
> I use a DriFit base layer with a Merino wool insulator and a Climaproof ( supposedly brathable)
> wind shell. After 10-15 miles I am soaked on the inside in 30 deg weather.
>
> Whats the deal with Gore Windstopper shells or possibly the REI One
Jacket,
> or maybe PolarTec Fleece. Anybody have any experience with any of these jackets they would want
> to share.
>
> Thanks

 

[Tim McNamara]

In article <v6lZ9.65612$6G4.11171@sccrnsc02>, "Peter Cole" <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Aero" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > Does anyone have any reccommendations as to a good cycling jacket or shell for winter riding
> > (20-40 deg F) with good moisture management properties.
> >
> > I use a DriFit base layer with a Merino wool insulator and a Climaproof ( supposedly brathable)
> > wind shell. After 10-15 miles I am soaked on the inside in 30 deg weather.
> >
> > Whats the deal with Gore Windstopper shells or possibly the REI One Jacket, or maybe PolarTec
> > Fleece. Anybody have any experience with any of these jackets they would want to share.
>
> I've given up on shells altogether because of the moisture problem.

Ditto, except if it's raining.

I have found nothing that beats wool for warmth and staying dry. I wear a thin wool long sleeve T, a
ong sleeve wool jersey and a ragg wool sweater over that from 32 deg F up to about 45F or so. Short
sleeve wool jersey instead of long sleeve when the temp's over 45F and over 50F the L/S thin wool T
and L/S jersey. Cozy warm and dry for hours.

 

[Patrick Lamb]

On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 09:53:37 -0500, "Aero" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Does anyone have any reccommendations as to a good cycling jacket or shell for winter riding (20-40
>deg F) with good moisture management properties.
>
>I use a DriFit base layer with a Merino wool insulator and a Climaproof ( supposedly brathable)
>wind shell. After 10-15 miles I am soaked on the inside in 30 deg weather.
>
>Whats the deal with Gore Windstopper shells or possibly the REI One Jacket, or maybe PolarTec
>Fleece. Anybody have any experience with any of these jackets they would want to share.

I don't much believe in Goretex, myself. Especially while cycling, but also while hiking, I can
sweat more than the fancy fabrics can transpire. So use convection instead of diffusion. Look for a
cycling-specific jacket with zipper vents under the arms and zipper front. (Performance has one
that's pretty good for half the price of Goretex.) Use the zippers to increase the air flow and
keep you dry and a bit on the cool side. It can be a hassle, zipping up before going down a hill
and unzipping before going up, but you can prolong the ride this way. The armpit vent design helps
with the cooling and drying flow, and this design feature is more important than the fabric.

Pat

 

[Tom Arsenault]

Patrick Lamb <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 09:53:37 -0500, "Aero" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >Does anyone have any reccommendations as to a good cycling jacket or shell for winter riding
> >(20-40 deg F) with good moisture management properties.
> >
> >I use a DriFit base layer with a Merino wool insulator and a Climaproof ( supposedly brathable)
> >wind shell. After 10-15 miles I am soaked on the inside in 30 deg weather.
> >
> >Whats the deal with Gore Windstopper shells or possibly the REI One Jacket, or maybe PolarTec
> >Fleece. Anybody have any experience with any of these jackets they would want to share.
>
> I don't much believe in Goretex, myself. Especially while cycling, but also while hiking, I can
> sweat more than the fancy fabrics can transpire. So use convection instead of diffusion. Look for
> a cycling-specific jacket with zipper vents under the arms and zipper front. (Performance has one
> that's pretty good for half the price of Goretex.) Use the zippers to increase the air flow and
> keep you dry and a bit on the cool side. It can be a hassle, zipping up before going down a hill
> and unzipping before going up, but you can prolong the ride this way. The armpit vent design
> helps with the cooling and drying flow, and this design feature is more important than the
> fabric.
>
> Pat

If money is not an object, the best performing clothing bar none that I've seen in Assos. Notice I
said, if money is not an object. The Airblock jacket is sweet. Keeps me warm well into the 20's, and
breathes like a bull in heat. It's cut and fit perfectly for cycling. Being from Switzerland, they
know what they're doing. I only wear arm warmers and a jersey underneath it, and I'm all good.

Tom

 

[Peter]

Try Mountain Equipment Co-op in Canada. You can buy online at www.mec.ca

I personally use the Super Microft Cycling Jacket. It's awesome. But, if you want to spend money,
check out the MEC Bernoulli Jacket. It's Gore-Tex, and a commuter I know uses just that and a
jersey, even when it's -25°C.

Cheers,

Peter

--
"We are free to be free." Nelson Mandela

"Politics is much too important a matter to be left to the politicians." Charles de Gaulle

 

[Bftsplx]

I second the endorsement of the Super Microft Cycling Jacket. Relatively inexpensive (especially in
US$) and more than adequate for most conditions (save downpours).

"Peter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Try Mountain Equipment Co-op in Canada. You can buy online at www.mec.ca
>
> I personally use the Super Microft Cycling Jacket. It's awesome. But, if
you
> want to spend money, check out the MEC Bernoulli Jacket. It's Gore-Tex,
and
> a commuter I know uses just that and a jersey, even when it's -25°C.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Peter
>
>
> --
> "We are free to be free." Nelson Mandela
>
> "Politics is much too important a matter to be left to the politicians." Charles de Gaulle
>