Robotronik

Hello and good Sunday Bikeforums.net

I'm looking for a cycling Jersey/Jacket/Hoodie to hold me over for the Southern-California "winter". Having no experience whatsoever buying cycling apparel, I have come to you, ladies and gentlemen.

I am currently using an Adidas track jacket for my cold weather wear but am looking for something with maybe a hood and maybe some pockets in the back. Something for colder, windier weather. As I am a fashion conscious cyclist, It must also be socially appropriate for non-bicycling situations and events.

I like these so far:
Arcteryx Fugitive Hoodie

King Kog winter jacket


But thing's less stylish and expensive are also certainly an option.

^oZ

https://www.rapha.cc/index.php?page=537

jonestr

I have a RaceFace jacket that looks similar to the ArcTeryx and it has a drawstring waist.

Best deal is to just run a hoodie with a an old coaches jacket so you can get all of your hipster points.

modernfuturist

North Face Helium Jacket or Adidas Bike Jacket

tFUnK

i just bought one of these Cloudveil Cache Creek jackets https://www.tahoemountainsports.com/s...7c857_a_7c1535

it's lightweight and comfortable and i was planning to use it for hiking, but i don't see why i wouldn't use it for biking as well.

Ken Wind

You will have a difficult time finding one jacket to do everything. Get a few different pieces for varying temperatures and conditions. I like the looks of the Swobo Eddy Hoody or any variation of the Ibex Shak for something casual in mildly cold weather.

beeftech

Greg is that you?

The King Kog and Trackstar jackets that I've seen look pretty nice quality wise but I've never tried one on. (I believe they are made by the same company)
I might get one since the prices don't seem to bad.
But I'd wear a base layer under it to keep a bit warmer when need be.

This looks like a boss jacket as well, that I'm considering:
https://shop.sunrisecyclery.com/item/35567

It's hard to find a do evrything jacket as has been stated before. It's best to layer with what you need on a day to day basis.
Also cotton hoodies suck, stay away. You'll feel clamy, then damp, then just get colder.

sdc

marmot leadville jacket. light insulation, blocks wind really well.

Robotronik

yeap yeap

Sangetsu

Sometimes I hate Tokyo. I was looking at a couple of these jackets today, but they cost twice as much (or more) here.

pawpaw

marmot or patagonia ftw. always.

i just picked up a patagonia capilene 3 half zip to go under my marmot precip jacket and i couldn't be happier.
remember: when dressing for bad weather, effective layering should be your main priority.

i think bike-specific gear can be kind of overpriced and of lesser quality than outdoor-specific gear.

Waychel

Is that Marmot PreCip jacket good for windy conditions?

delorean

@ $50, the Patagonia thing looks like a winner.

Waychel

https://www.altrec.com/marmot/mens-rush-jacket

Does anyone own the Marmot Rush?

AndyOrg

That Rapha Fixed jacket is beautiful, and I have been guilty of splurging for their stuff...but 400 for one piece of clothing....jeez.

pawpaw

yes, very.

if you're wearing a tee shirt underneath it then your arms may get chilly just because the wind cools the jacket due to the thinness of the material, but with long sleeves and some light gloves, everything stays nice and toasty.
the neck zips up far enough (and has a fleece liner in front to prevent chaffing) to be sufficient on its own or fully cover a light scarf as well.
when i first bought it, $100 seemed pretty steep but after riding for several hours in moderate rain and staying completely dry and comfortable underneath, i had no regrets. you get what you pay for.
the ONLY gripe i have about the jacket is that if you don't have a helmet to hold it down, the hood doesn't like to stay on at anything over 10mph.

yah i found mine for $24 at TJ Maxx (!!!) and was SO excited because i was ready to drop $40-$50 on it.
after wearing it for only one day/night i would have no problem whatsoever shelling out $40-$50 for another one.

delorean

good info, pawpaw. thanks. ^_^

Waychel

Thanks, pawpaw. I think I might get exactly the same setup that you have. Do you think that'll be enough for 20-30 degrees? I don't ride in the rain (I'm a wimp).

egads

Not sure if youa re in Canada, but Mountain Equipment Coop has nice stuff for reasonable prices. Plus, you can generally buy Made in Canada clothes so you dont have to worry about sweatshop labour. i think they ship to the US, but I am not sure.

wearyourtruth

so while i think many of the suggestions made are awesome jackets (i <3 marmot and patagucci) i will say there are 2 things that cycling-specific jackets address that other jackets don't always accomplish. the first is longer sleeves. on a bike, your arms are outstretched, a regular well-fitted jacket will leave your wrists/lower forearm unprotected from the elements. the second (which i consider much more obnoxious) is having the lower part of your back exposed. most cycling apparel is longer in the back than the front, aknowledging the fact that you are bent over, and so your back is elongated. some regular outdoor jackets are designed in somewhat the same fashion, but not many (the precip for example)

this isn't to say that you can't still use a regular jacket to ride, i do all the time, just keep in mind while you are shopping your body position on the bike, not standing up.

pyze-guy

I like this one from MEC

pawpaw

i've never ridden in anything less than ~35 degrees so i'm not entirely sure (this is my first real year of commuting).
granted, in the 35-40 degrees weather i ride in, it's often through very cold rain (or worse) and i'm fine.

if you aren't riding through any precipitation i don't think you'll have any problems at all as long as you have a proper base layer (remember: wool>synthetics).
i have nike cold weather drifit stuff along with smartwool stuff for my base layers and although i love the turtleneck of the nike shirts, i feel more comfortable in a wool base layer with a scarf.

i've also been using these mountain hardwear liner glove.
they are extremely light, fast drying, not bulky at all and do a semi-decent job of blocking wind. i'm not sure how they perform on a bike in 20-30 degrees weather, but i wear them in the dead of winter when i'm not riding and i'm fine.
i might have to find a new pair, but for now, those do a fine job.

glad i could help

pawpaw

usually shells (such as the marmot precip) are sized slightly bigger to compensate for layering and they take care of that problem (longer sleeves, etc.)

the lower back is sometimes a slight problem, but it's easily fixed by tucking in your base layer.

egads

Re: pyze-guy

I just got one of those actually. It is great, warm, and the thumb holes help to keep it over your hands a bit. The hood is alos good because it molds to your head, allowing you to put a helmet over top.

NotSoProjectPat

ummmmmmmm a $430 jacket really???? thats more than a lot of people spend on their entire bike! it's a sweet jacket but just a LITTLE steep for my budget at least