Life In The Saddle

The Rapha Men's Core Rain Jacket II is an affordable and lightweight waterproof cycling jacket, designed to set the standard for everyday weather protection. Riding in wet and inclement weather does not have to be miserable; with the right kit, you can still enjoy your weekend ride even if the weather doesn't play ball. The original Rapha Core Rain Jacket was a staple outer layer for many cyclists—offering lightweight but fully waterproof protection. The new Version 2 is an evolved and adapted take on the award-winning original. Made from a lightweight (129 grams for size small) fully-waterproof fabric with taped seams, and featuring a YKK AquaGuard® zipper; this outer shell will hold off downpours that develop during your ride, but without causing you to overheat in mild but wet conditions. Packability is at the heart of the Core Rain Jacket, and the layer is designed to be stowable in a jersey pocket—so that it can be easily whipped out and donned to protect yourself from the...

Rab Equipment have years of knowledge and experience from creating the finest mountaineering, mountain running and skiing kit. This year, with the launch of the Rab Cinder collection they introduce versatile bikepacking apparel – designed to ' give riders freedom and confidence to take on whatever lies in their path .' I have been testing the Rab Cinder Kinetic Waterproof Jacket and the Rab Men's Cinder Kinetic Waterproof Pants ; two pieces of outerwear that promise to keep you riding even when the heavens open and you are battling against the elements. To put the apparel to the test, I took them on my West Country Way Adventure – a four day journey of five hundred kilometres – over challenging terrain and in some of the worst early season weather that North Devon and Exmoor could throw our way. Review – Rab Cinder Kinetic Waterproof Jacket Tim Fish, Design Director at Rab, said, " Off-road biking adventures require immense versatility in apparel; one moment you'...

Cycle clothing is a long way behind the curve in terms of sustainability; unfortunately, companies within the industry have been slow to recognise the value of natural fabrics that are sustainably sourced. Bamboo clothing is one of the more sustainable clothing choices, and the range of activewear from the brand BAM Bamboo Clothing has fast become my go-to choice for casual wear.  It would be difficult to make a rain jacket out of bamboo, but BAM have had a good go at making one that is sustainable and as recyclable as possible. The BAM Rowtor Waterproof Jacket  (and Women's Longaford Recycled Waterproof Jacket ) is a lightweight and breathable rain jacket; made from 98 percent recycled material.  The Rowtor jacket has proven to be a top performing shell jacket out on the trails, whether on hiking trips, or on off-road bikepacking adventures. It is a fully featured performance shell jacket, with a slim-fit cut, adjustable hood and hem, two zippered front pockets and a 10...

In the ' Kit Care ' series I look at how to rejuvenate and re-use well worn kit; saving you valuable money compared to replacing favourite pieces of cycling apparel. In this post, I consider the frequent question of how to re-waterproof and restore a waterproof cycling jacket. Waterproof shell jackets using fabrics such as GORE-TEX, Polartec NeoShell, and eVent are designed to last. With proper care and attention there is no reason the waterproofing and performance of a jacket cannot last for many seasons. The key is how to wash and treat these waterproof jackets. GORE-TEX and other similar waterproof fabrics such as Polartec NeoShell, eVent and Conduit use an advanced waterproof membrane to provide a waterproof and breathable layer within a garment. This fabric is often coated on the outside with a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish—to provide the 'beading' of water that you see on the surface of a jacket. Two problems occur when using a waterproof jacket in ...

With the arrival of the wet months of autumn and winter, a waterproof cycling jacket is an indispensable layer. The new Chrome Industries Candlestick Coaches Jacket is a cycling inspired development on the classic coach jacket worn by team directors at sports fixtures around the world. The USA brand has taken the timeless style and produced a jacket with waterproof stretch fabric, taped seams, and other great cycling specific features. Much like other Chrome items I have tested in the past, this is a winner… The Colorado based Chrome Industries team produce apparel and luggage made to deal with decades of hard riding on the city streets. I have previously reviewed their bags, shorts, and boots on the blog; all of which continue to do me great service ( see my earlier Chrome reviews here ). The new Chrome Candlestick Coaches Jacket is a waterproof layer that looks at home both chilling at the bar or blasting down the bike path. Whereas a classic coach jacket is designed for ins...

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post ' What is In Your Gravel Adventure Bar Bag? '—it had a great reception and led to another conversation in a similar vein— What to pack in your cycling jersey pockets for a long unsupported off-road endurance ride? This is my line-up of jersey pocket riding essentials for bikepacking and gravel adventures… First, I recommend reading the ' What is In Your Gravel Adventure Bar Bag? ' post before reading this one—because for me, the bar bag is the best place to store most of your essentials on an off-road adventure—as there is less chance of items flying out on bumpy trails. So, what comes with me in my cycling jersey pockets is therefore a selection of easy-to-access essentials—ones that you might want to grab whilst riding, when you cannot stop to access your bar bag. The Jersey — Sportful Super Giara Jersey My gravel jersey of choice is the Sportful Super Giara Jersey . This cycling jersey was designed with gravel and off-road ...

I have not opted for waterproof cycling trousers on past bikepacking and cycle tours, but after reading up on kit lists for the Tour Divide, I decided that a pair of 'rain pants' could be a worthwhile investment. The Vaude Vatten Lightweight Waterproof Cycling Trousers are an impressive and well-made choice. On past bike tours I have taken water-resistant leg warmers as my shielding layer for my lower limbs in cold and wet conditions; normally the GripGrab AquaRepel Leg Warmers or the Sportful NoRain Leg Warmers . These have several advantages: they supply warmth and light water-resistance, and they take up minimal room in your pannier or seat-pack. The downside of just using leg warmers is that on tough days in the saddle the fabric inevitably becomes saturated, and with that loses it wind and water protection properties. This, is where the addition of waterproof rain pants comes in… The Vaude Vatten Waterproof Cycling Trousers are specifically design for bike riding—wit...

The Aussie Grit range of off-road bike shorts, jerseys, gilets and jackets is the brainchild of Australian F1 driver Mark Webber, who has always held a passion for mountain biking and high-level design. It is premium quality apparel, created to excel at providing both comfort and performance out on the trails. I have been testing out three clothing pieces from the Aussie Grit range: the Flint Thermal Bike Gilet, the Flint Bike Shell Jacket, and the Flint Men's Bike Shorts. Despite the time of year, and that two of these garments are foul/cold weather kit, I have managed to get a decent bit of time in the saddle wearing them, and I have been impressed by the quality and design. Aussie Grit Flint 2018 Men's Bike Shorts Review 'Baggy' cycling shorts are tricky to get right. Some brands go for tough and durable fabrics, but at the expense of the clothing feeling cumbersome and overly warm in the summer months. Others go for super lightweight materials, but with t...