Autumn / Winter Cyclewear Help Needed
TheBigYin
Posts: 5,686 Member
Okay then - time to ask for a little advice - as the Autumn rolls closer, my thoughts are turning to riding in the poorer weather. Now, one of the problems I have from my prior medical conditions is that I need to avoid getting a chill on my chest - it starts the ribs playing up, and I end up sidelined for 3-4 days with pleural pains. So, I need a LS jersey/jacket that's windproof and breatheable - ideally water resistant as well, as it'd very probably be a "all day wear" thing - I know what you're probably thinking... "Sounds like a Gabba to me..." - well - you're right I suppose - I've already got the s/s version (which, in fairness, with the Nanoflex Armwarmers probably is as good/better (in terms of versatility at least) than an additional L/S Gabba.) - BUT, my s/s Gabba is the Mk1 version - i.e. the Henry Ford "any colour you like as long as it's black" - which, lets face it, ain't ideal in autumn/winter lighting conditions...
So, I'm looking for alternatives, ideally in either red or blue (I don't do green - every time I wear green or ride a green bike I end up hospitalised, it's unlucky for me...) - Shortlist I've found so far is Gabba LS, Gore Windstopper Softshell, Sportful Fiandre Light WS Jacket, Sportful WS Resist Jacket or the Lusso Aqua Repel Jacket.
Anyone with any first hand experience of any of these - please help me out folks... Or, if there's anything else of a similar nature (no, not the Rapha Shadow - it's only s/s, and I don't fancy taking out a second mortgage!) that I've missed - basically, we're talking alternatives to the obvious choice of the Gabba L/S here...
Remember, i'm UK based, so we don't get stupid cold weather - probably few days a year that go below freezing by the time I'm up and about and ready to ride - but we get lots of cold-ish, damp, drizzly, foggy days - so there's a premium on water-repellancy, breathability (as it's going to be on all day) and visibility - the only place where my existing Gabba falls down - I often end up wearing it with an extra shirt over the top, purely to be a bit more visible... Also, I don't really want to be paying £30-40 in shipping costs for the jacket, so anything recommended needs to be available for order in the UK ideally...
So, I'm looking for alternatives, ideally in either red or blue (I don't do green - every time I wear green or ride a green bike I end up hospitalised, it's unlucky for me...) - Shortlist I've found so far is Gabba LS, Gore Windstopper Softshell, Sportful Fiandre Light WS Jacket, Sportful WS Resist Jacket or the Lusso Aqua Repel Jacket.
Anyone with any first hand experience of any of these - please help me out folks... Or, if there's anything else of a similar nature (no, not the Rapha Shadow - it's only s/s, and I don't fancy taking out a second mortgage!) that I've missed - basically, we're talking alternatives to the obvious choice of the Gabba L/S here...
Remember, i'm UK based, so we don't get stupid cold weather - probably few days a year that go below freezing by the time I'm up and about and ready to ride - but we get lots of cold-ish, damp, drizzly, foggy days - so there's a premium on water-repellancy, breathability (as it's going to be on all day) and visibility - the only place where my existing Gabba falls down - I often end up wearing it with an extra shirt over the top, purely to be a bit more visible... Also, I don't really want to be paying £30-40 in shipping costs for the jacket, so anything recommended needs to be available for order in the UK ideally...
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I want a L/S Gabba & some Nanoflex Bib-Tights...
I've just ordered (through Kickstarter) Proviz Reflect360 CRS - Should be here in November... I'll let you know
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I want a L/S Gabba & some Nanoflex Bib-Tights...
I've just ordered (through Kickstarter) Proviz Reflect360 CRS - Should be here in November... I'll let you know
in fairness, the Gabba and Nanoflex's is pretty much my "default setting" as well - but I'm just scouting around out there if there's something cheaper that I've overlooked - partly because - well, i'm not 100% sure I'll be doing hyper-mileage in winter anyway through my health issuer, and partly because I'm hoping that with a bit of luck and some serious misery on my part I might be a size smaller by next winter, so splashing £280+ on a outfit that's too big next winter (2017/18) might be thought a little profligate...
(2.5 years ago, at my "this time around best weight" of 109kg, the Gabba and my thermoflex tights were a bit loose (both 3xls) so if I can hit my current targetted 105kg 2XL's will work! - only 20kg or so to go - hence the 12 months timescale...)
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