Winter Cycling - jacket
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Hi everyone. I moved to Portland, OR about 6 months ago and am very confused as to how to get ready for winter cycling. I got a Northface Varius Guide Insulated Hyvent jacket. It's very warm but its a bit too much for riding. It is so thick that I can't layer clothing and I just feel too bundled up with it.
It is a $200 jacket and I was thinking about selling it to get a Chrome Cobra jacket. Anyone have experience with these? Will this Cobra work for the pouring rain?
Just not sure how to go about this.. Nervous..
Thanks in advance for any insight.
electrik
11-14-09, 05:06 PM
Sell it
You really should have a proper layering setup. As a guideline if you don't feel slightly cool(or hip) wearing the clothes outside then you'll feel too hot(and nerdy) 5-7 minutes into your ride.
Start simple and light, remove and add layers as needed until you get it dialed. Here is a rough guide/scale
http://www.civiacycles.com/civiaweather.php
LOL . . . hip and nerdy.
Thanks for the link . . . great resource
xtrajack
11-15-09, 06:52 AM
A lot of what you need to wear is also dependent upon your own personal cold tolerance. I rode home from work Friday morning at around 20F. I was wearing my winter helmet (taped vents), 180's, bandanna, t-shirt, field jacket liner, army BDU shirt, undershorts,Carhartt work pants, wool socks and my steel toe work shoes. I was also using dork bands, (which may help keep me warmer).
I was plenty warm enough, my legs were a little chilled. If it was much cooler I would add some long underwear under the Carhartts.
Eclectus
11-16-09, 08:39 PM
A lot of people LOVE Showers Pass Elite (now 2.0). I am reluctant to pull the trigger only because the founder sold out, the jackets are now made in Vietnam, not Oregon and there have been some complaints about manufacturer defects. But if you live there, you could personally go down, threaten bad publicity. Or buy one, have zero problems and tell everybody, "This is fantastic."
The design elements are spot on: basically original Gore-Tex membrane, now out of patent (called eVent), wrist, armpit and back venting. Bottom and top zips. Waterproof, transpirible membrane (as far as membranes go) and great bulk sweat-filled air bulk flow.
Appropriately sized to you, room for underlayers (or not). I've already got Gore-Tex and Windstopper (and Assos Airblock 851). If Showers Pass wants to send me a free Elite 2.0 for a trial and return it and report, I'll be happy to do that, and give everybody an UNBIASED review.