Jackets That Extend Your Riding Season
Wind? Rain? Whatever. This gear will keep you on your bike through all of it
Don’t let falling rain and falling temperatures force you indoors. These great jackets provide the coverage you need to continue pedalling well into the fall.
Castelli Gabba 2 Convertible $285
The Gabba is the secret and not-so-secret favourite of the pro peloton. Riders who don’t have official sponsorship with Castelli have insisted on wearing this piece in foul weather, mostly without the iconic scorpion logo or with the branding blacked out. These riders are fans of the Gabba’s ability to keep you warm in really nasty weather. Castelli seems to have hit the sweet spot with the garment’s wind and rain resistance, its ability to insulate, its breathability and light weight. The convertible version lets you zip off the sleeves, giving you more layering options. ( mec.ca)
Louis Garneau Neoshell $300
This jacket by Louis Garneau uses Polartec’s Neoshell fabric. It has a bit of stretch in it, making its waterproof and breathable features more comfortable. It comes in what the company calls standard fit, which isn’t as snug as the race fit, but more performance oriented than the comfort fit. Reflective accents on the front and back add a bit of safety for your fall rides with fewer hours of daylight. ( louisgarneau.com)
Endura Luminite II $229
The Endura Luminite II is a great jacket for staying dry and visible while out on the road. It has a solid waterproof rating of 10,000 mm and good breathability, 10,000/m2/24 hours. It comes in black, but really, high-viz green or yellow are the way to go. Those bright colours combine with reflective details to make sure motorists see you on the road. Also, you’ll never have to worry about where you left your rear light. The Endura jacket has an led unit built into the back pocket. Simply select one of the three light settings, and ride. ( livetoplaysports.com)
Nalini Pro Gara $320
The Nalini Pro Gara jacket has two elements at work to keep you comfortable in crummy conditions. The Air Moa warm fabric is made up of a membrane and a treatment. The Moa Mantotex membrane has a fairly high hydrostatic rating of 10,000 mm, which means it works well in a strong rain shower. To help that membrane keep the water out, the fabric has a coating called Moa Manto w.r.t. It makes sure water beads and rolls off the jacket, while also keeping oil and mud from getting into the fibres. ( f3distribution.com)
Giant Proshield $160
The fabric behind the Giant Proshield’s waterproofness is Protextura Plus. Its hydrostatic rating is 5,000 mm, which means it’s good at keeping light to medium rain showers from soaking through. As for its breathability, 30,000 g of water can pass through one square metre of fabric in 24 hours, perfect for a cyclist pedalling up a hill. The Proshield comes in a club fit with a looser cut around the midsection for comfort. ( giant-bicycles.com)
7Mesh Revelation jacket – Launch Edition $475
7Mesh, the young cycling clothing company from Squamish, B.C., does things a little differently. Its cycling clothing isn’t designed around disciplines, such as road or mountain, but the length of activity. So, wear your Revelation jacket, made with Gore-tex Pro, on long rides on the road or on the trails. The fabric has tiny pores, 1.4 billion per square centimetre, in fact, that keep water from coming in, while letting water vapour out. Although the jacket’s look seems to draw more from the outdoor industry, it is quite at home on the bike, keeping you warm and dry. ( 7meshinc.com)
Bontrager Velocis Stormshell $235
The waterproof/breathable fabric that Bontrager uses is Profila Stormshell. It comes with a strong set of numbers: a hydrostatic rating of 10,000 mm and a breathability of 25,000/m2/24 hours. All that means it will keep you dry in heavy rain and keep your sweat from building up even during strong efforts. The jacket has a streamlined fit and a drop tail to extend coverage well down the back. ( bontrager.com)
Giordana Triseason $290
When the light sprinkles of an autumn rain start to fall, put on Giordana’s light Triseason jacket. It bundles up well and is easy to carry. Made with a fabric called Sentry, it provides great wind protection and water resistance. A full-length zipper lets you get the jacket on and off quickly if the conditions start to change. ( unoimports.com)
Pearl Izumi WRX $230
While the wrx is technically a jacket designed for the trails, this shell is at home on a variety of rides. The jacket’s Barrier fabric is made with polyester twill and a 2.5-layer charcoal membrane for protection. It’s not a delicate garment, very abrasion resistant, so its water and wind protection will last. If the rain really starts coming down, you can deploy the hood that fits over your helmet. ( pearlizumi.com ) – mp