Winter Cycling - Winter waterproof stoaways jacket for women! HELP pls!

Hi,
I am new to this forum. My first post :)

I live in London and ride my bike 3 times a week min. I don't commute, so they are training circuit rides of approximately 30 to 60 km each.
I get caught in the rain a lot! and get soaking wet a lot!
Sometimes it buckets down for at least 20 km of my ride, which is totally miserable I know but I don't mind it so long as I can keep my upper body dry...Which has not been the case so far.

Winter in coming so it's gonna be brutally cold and wet!

I also despair at women cycling clothes. It seems unfair that men have so much more to choose from ;)

I am after a lightweight waterproof jacket for harsh conditions which I can stowaway in my jersey pocket and can use when it rains a lot and when the wind is too strong!

I am a huge fan of Rapha clothes, despite the fact that they have very limited women range. I have bought men's xs layers from them and they were fine.
I love their RainJacket (http://www.rapha.cc/rain-jacket) - but it is a man's fit and they don't do it for women. The women's stowaway version is a bit too lightweight for what I want.

I also like the sound of the Campagnolo L114 racing waterproof women jacket.

Any thoughts, recommendations, ideas from female riders out there (and male for that matter).

Much much needed and appreciated.
D

I rode a rode a Showers Pass 2.0 last winter. (I'm a Gore-Texer, but SP 2.0's eVent is actually out-of-patent first-gen Gore EPTF, with a new membrane-finishing treatment, so it's good stuff).

They have a women's cut version.

Good rain jackets don't conform to anybody's body well, they have to be somewhat baggy for under-shell airflow, so there's no reason why they would look better on a man than a woman.

I've never found a jacket that will keep me perfectly dry, unless maybe I ride really slow, because perspiration happens with exertion. Moving the sweat vapor out is as important as keeping the raindrops off.

I like the SP because it has multiple airflow-controls: double-front-zip, bottom-up as well as top down , pitzips (opens first at the arms, ends along the chest; 1st-generation opened at the chest then finally the arms, has been abandoned, double-zips allowing opening a hole wherever you want are rarely found in alpine gear, none in bikewear) and a back-vent, represent A-level thinking. Get one at REI, and if you test it all winter, and don't like it, get a full refund. Join REI and if you keep it, you get a 10% dividend-refund. I don't think there is a better deal out there for people who want to try new stuff out.

All waterproof membranes are windproof. If you shut all the venting down, no air will come through.

I buy stuff for my wife, because I know things she doesn't. She was having foot discomfort in June, enough that she had to stop after 20 mi, to take her shoes off to relieve foot pain. I got her some Sidi Eagle-Lady Dominator shoes (she loves riding SPDs) the discomfort was completely relieved. No relief stops necessary. Brilliant I am, but I don't even get to have Sidi shoes.

Hi Eclectus,

Thanks for the recommendation and the very detailed description of the jacket.
Great stuff!

I looked up reviews on the Showers Pass 2.0 and found one on the washingmachinepost.net
It sounds great and fits the bill perfectly.

I cannot seem to be able to buy it in the UK which is a nightmare because ordering from the US and finding out it doesn't fit will eventually turn into a enormous pain in the...
I've added it onto my wish list of waterproof jackets. Thanks!

ps: Go get yourself the shoes. you earned them ;)

Cheers Hey! and welcome to Bike Forums!


Winter in coming so it's gonna be brutally cold and wet!The two are mutually exclusive. :) When it gets really cold, waterproof clothing is not required. Windproof is enough. But I believe in UK that's not likely to happen. Like Eclectus, I've found that completely waterproof jackets don't breathe enough for normal riding. That is highly subjective though, so hopefully the SP jacket will work for you.

--J

Thanks guys.
The SP was practically impossible to get in the UK so I opted for the Campagnolo Woman Racing waterproof jacket.
It's a very snug fit and rather fitted all around but I was told that's the "racing" cut...It's super light and when I ball it up, it's so small it fits in the tiny pocket of my jersey!

Haven't tried it yet (we have blessed with a dry - yet windy - spell), but I have a horrible feeling that the snug fit is going to be un-breathable!
For the first time, I am praying for rain ;)