Looking for a winter jacket.
 

After many years my old Burley jacket is falling apart. I really liked this jacket because it was not too tight fitting and I could easily layer underneath of it on colder days. I'm 270 and 6ft tall. I find it very hard to find cycling clothes that fit right around the waste. Anybody have suggestions. I would also like a light color and maybe reflective piping since I am often commuting in the dark. Any suggestions.

Where do you live, do you ride in below freezing?

http://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/...nter-gear.html

Planning to add photos and descriptions of jackets etc, in case you were interested. :)

- Andy

I got a Showers Pass Portland Jacket at 210 an XL gives me some room for a Fleece sweatshirt ..

It's kind of a tweedy grey. not a bright color [tail hem flap has a reflector sewn on it, (when not needed, folded up to hide, with snaps)]..
.. for that, bright + lots of reflective stripes, I have a Parka as a tow truck driver would wear.

Foxwear | Custom Sized Sports Outerwear | Made in Salmon, ID makes really nice custom fitted outdoor wear.

you can check out Aerotech designs. They have extra large sizes.
Cycling Apparel, Bike Shorts, Bike Jerseys by Aero Tech Designs

There's been a lot of discussion here lately about cycling-specific vs. ordinary. I understand your Burley jacket was probably cycling-specific.

For those looking for ordinary, there's a nice selection of inexpensive hi-viz jackets at AlertShirt.com. Their products are made primarily for road crews, so it's durable and weatherproof.

They offer sizes up to 5XL, and every size is generously cut. I own the ANSI Class 3 windbreaker in the lower left corner of their page. I can't wear it on the bike because between my swimmer's build and the generous cut around the middle, it flaps like a flag in a gale. It's a size large and fits my arms and shoulders well. There's just too much middle for me--even after layering. I use it occasionally as a pedestrian, so I've kept it.

I use other AlertShirt products and have found the generous sizing carries through their entire line. I ordinarily wear t-shirts in size L. When I buy hi-viz t-shirts at AlertShirt, I have to order medium instead.

I've been using the Showers Pass Event for a few years now. Very well made. Very well thought out. Full lining so there is little risk of tearing the waterproof/vapor permeable barrier. It does not fold up into jersey pocket size, so it doesn't go for long rides unless I know it is going to rain the whole way but for commuting, shopping, etc. it is great, Just a jacket. But really well thought out for riding. Everyone at Showers Pass rides. Very easy company to deal with. They are here in Portland so I can just walk in there. Did so once with one of their lighter jackets on which the coil zipper was failing. They went in back and got me another. Later, the pres told me he hated those zippers and they had changed. (I do have to cough up the bucks to get one of the newer ones.) The woman who gave me the new one demonstrated how to wiggle the zipper to prolong its life.

I am a lean/skinny 150 pounds @ 6' and wear a medium so I cannot project if these jackets will work for you. My Burley is a small and actually larger.

Details on both the Event and Elite (without the inside liner, therefore stuffable but prone to barrier rips, after which they are superb dry weather windbreakers): Double zippers, zipped armpit vents, back vents, velcro cuffs, sleeves you can push up, reflecting tape on arms and back, drawstrings at neck and waist. Event has 4 pockets. Old Elite has only one. (New Elite is carefully packed to ride and I won't look now.)

The Burley. It is a more substantial jacket but not as good vapor/sweat-wise. It is a better pure winter/cold/hard rain jacket. I rarely use it. It is green hi-visibily not yellow and I sweat too much in it. But it is very good quality and I am glad I have it for those few times (here in Portland, OR) when it is right. Oh, and it does have a two way zipper. I won't even try on a jacket that doesn't have that. (Unzipping from the bottom a couple of inches goes a long ways to making too much clothing underneath more comfortable on the bike plus I can get into my jersey pockets and keep my pocket contents and myself dry.)

Ben

^ Very happy with my SP elite for a winter shell.

I have a Burton snowboard jacket. Ski and snowboard jackets are usually stout, windproof, have adjustable venting (pit vents and Velcro cuffs) and removable liners. Not reflective, though. Mine in particular is long enough to cover my hips and is a little darker and redder than traffic cone orange.