I'm considering this jacket as my next gear purchase. If you have a convertible jacket, how often do you wear it in vest mode? Should I even go with a convertible or move towards a jacket and a wind vest?

Amazon.com : Pearl Izumi Men's Elite Barrier Convertible Jacket, X-Large, True Red/Black : Cycling Jackets : Sports & Outdoors

If you're just talking about cool spring and fall riding, I have a light wind breaker jacket I use for that. It compresses nicely and will fit in my jersey pocket when I need to take it off. This works well for me in changeable weather. I'd suggest one of these. You can find them cheap on Nashbar etc. I can't see a situation where I'd just want a vest. Nor would I want to fiddle with detachable sleeves.

Just my own take. YMMV.

That one looks a bit baggy for my purposes. I have a Gore Phantom which I wear below 50F but only remove the arms if it gets unexpectedly warm. For temps in the upper 40s F and above I wear a vest with arm warmers or long sleeve thermal jersey. In the mid 40s I'll put the both the vest and Phantom on.

I have an older version of that jacket and I keep wondering what I'll do when it wears out. It's an incredibly versatile jacket. There are many times when I'm riding where I'll take the sleeves off and stash them in my jersey and then when it gets colder, put them back on. It also breathes well.

I would advocate the convertible jacket because you get two in one with this. If you get the separate jacket and windvest you lose that advantage.

I wear it in vest mode alone probably half the time. But that half includes part of the day as a full jacket. When I use it is mostly in the spring and fall when it can start and end cool but the main part of the day can be warm.

J.

During the spring and fall, I frequently wear a convertible jacket. Lots of time, it is nice to start out in a jacket until I warm up, and then strip off the sleeves for better ventilation. Sometimes, I just head out in the vest. I love the options in one piece of gear

A convertible jacket works when the conditions change enough during the ride that makes it worthwhile to remove the sleeves -- like when it'll start out cold but warm up during the ride. I use one for commuting where I'll have the sleeves on during the colder ride and the sleeves off on the warmer ride.

It's nice to have a two in one piece, but the convertible jacket I have and most others I've seen are too loose fitting for my preference on recreational rides. On recreational rides, I prefer a tight vest and arm warmers if it's not too cold, but use a tight jacket when it's a colder day.

Nice jacket... not a bad price either... but you'll likely never wear it in vest mode...

I have two of these, but have yet to use either in vest mode. I absolutely love them. Hard to figure out how something so thin and comfortable can work so well, but it does. 50-60 degrees F, I wear a compression underlayer, a short sleeve jersey, and this jacket. I' m never cold or hot. Perfect. No wind gets through, and on sunny days, it seems to radiate heat. On days colder than 50, I prefer high end Gore wear. Gore makes some fantastic stuff, but it's not cheap. The PI can be bought at great prices on Amazon.

I have had 2 convertible jackets. Only thing is, you have to stop for a bit to zip the sleeves off. Should you hit another shower and need to zip the sleeves back on, there's some chance your buddies will get bored watching you and pedal off. So if you're only going to wear it with sleeves on, why not just buy a jacket without the added bulk of zippers? My convertible sits in the closet. I've had the PI, but lost it. If anything, it was worse than the one I have now for speed of converting.

I've never taken the convertible sleeves off mine, but I don't wear it often either. It's a Gore something or other and it's pretty damn tight, apparently I needed the next size up. Oops.

The sleeves are a bit bulky for storage too, after you take them off, so that kind of negates the advantage. I usually prefer a wind vest & arm warmers down to about 40 degrees. The vest and arm warmers both wad up pretty small.

Good ventilation is key for a bike jacket. Also a visible color and reflectors.

I have a Novara bike jacket from REI with removable sleeves. I have never taken the sleeves off, and find they are a pain because they are always coming half unzipped (a little is ok for ventilation, but not to the point where they are ready to fall off.

If it is raining, I'll want the sleeves.
If it is cold, I'll want the sleeves.
If it is warm and dry, the coat stays home.
I just can't think of when I'd want to wear it as a vest.
Perhaps a safety visibility vest, but then maybe I should just buy a good visibility vest and keep the jacket for the rain.

The zipper on the Novara also just seems a bit flimsy, and I'll occasionally miss getting it engaged properly.

My other jacket is an old Burley. It is definitely getting a bit old, but is better made, with better zippers.

Showers Pass is supposed to have Burley-Style jackets. I haven't tried one yet, but it is definitely worth considering.

Thanks for all the input. The day after my OP, I went for a ride. Temps were in the low 30's with decent wind. I was wearing a craft base layer, regular jersey and arm warmers. Decided then that a vest would be the route for me. Ordered it that night. I'll have it Tuesday. If I find I need a jacket when I start commuting in the cool darkness of the morning, I'll get a jacket.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

At $30, it's worth the experiment.

I have this one and love it:
Performance Transformer 2.0 Jacket

I usually wear it as a jacket when it's cool out then if I get warm can take off the sleeves and stick them in the back pocket with my knee warmers and wear as a vest.

I have that one, but in a different color. I will ride with it on recovery rides, and poor weather rides. It feels water proof, and sure blocks some cold wind. It flaps in the wind for me and I think I feel a difference. It will fatigue me much faster if I ride over 20mph, so I don't run it a lot for training.

It is a very high quality jacket, and looks cool also.

I have a PI convertible, similar to the OP, and I'd say I ride it as a gilet 75+% of the time. I've found the sleeves to be too baggy so they flap in the wind, and only pull them on at cafe stops or when the temps really drop mid-ride (over a long-sleeve jersey or arm-warmers). But yes, it is good to have the sleeve option.

i have that PI jacket and use it as a vest 90% of the time.

After my ride this past weekend. It would seem that this is a good route for me at this time. Thanks for confirming my hypothesis.

I have that jacket in the non-convertible version. It is a good jacket, but it is a little loose at times. My experience with convertible jackets is that I never use them as a vest. I tend to wear an under armor base layer, a short sleeve jersey, and then a jacket. When it warms up enough, I just take the jacket off and stuff it in my middle jersey pocket.

So, I ended up getting a separate jacket...

https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/68494...ry&feat=WEB-od (had a 20% off coupon code that pushed me over the edge)

and vest...

Amazon.com: Pearl Izumi Men's Elite Barrier Vest (True Red, X-Large): Sports & Outdoors

I think this was my best option. The jacket for my 11 mile commuting on the cold mornings. The vest for longer weekend rides when temperatures (body and weather) change over the course of many hours and adding and/or removing layers is more critical.

...and to get both for less than $100 is a bonus.

Thanks to everyone for all the advice.

aw **** you get caught up bro