A good jacket for winter - £100 budget

[PH]

In my limited experience (4 jackets over the last 20 years) pit zips do more to stop my overheating than any breathable fabric. My present Gore Goretex Paclite that doesn't have pit zips isn't as good as the cheaper one it replaced that did.
Top tip I've had for not getting sweaty is very obvious but I often see it not followed - If it starts raining on a ride, don't put your waterproof on over your jersey, put it on instead of.

[chris3vic]

I just bought a Night Vision Flite Jacket for those mornings and evenings when it's dark and wet and I want to be dry and visible. Figured decent baselayer and good jersey or two will deal with keeping me warm

It's rare that I'll spend a significant amount of time in the saddle if it's pouring it down. On those rare occasions I guess I will crave a breathable waterproof, such as a Gore or Montane Photon - but honestly can't justify the cost.

That endura windchill is probably the thing I'll go back to if and when I get tired of layering up - especially if winter turns out to be particularly harsh

The Flite cost me £27 for last years version which i think is fairly good.

[chris3vic]

Err, also won an Altura Pocket Rocket, brand new, off eBay. Think I'd prefer this as it's supposedly more breathable

Cripes, got two jackets now.

Anyone want to buy a Flite? Haha

[michael42]

The wife has just informed me Aldi's good ol' cycling special starts on Thursday (26th)

Winter cycling jackets (claiming to be both windproof and waterproof) for £20, plus Merino baselayers for £15.

Worth a look!

Well yeah, looking at the pictures it looks like similar kit to last year.

I got a jacket and to go with it, the shirt. Which last year was blue and matched the jacket - this year they look to be different colours - I'll probably get one of the fluorescent ones.

it's a reasonable jacket in terms of value for money, and has lasted thus far. I thought the zip would fail, but it has proved me wrong and is absolutely fine.

But it's not really going to keep out severe weather or keep you especially warm. Neither is it specifically waterproof.

That said, I'm soaked through to the skin anyway when riding the bike, so a bit of rain is neither here nor there and, if anything
I prefer to wear the breathable polyester tops that dry extremely fast rather than wear something that's supposedly warmer but
simply holding cold and wet next to your skin.

I think layers is more key than a good jacket per se. So Aldis' jacket might well be ideal if you pair it with one of their shirts and perhaps the wool top they are selling too
(or thermal underwear which I'm not sure if they are doing but I think last year they did some)

My so bought me a couple of fleece shirts that are breathable and that I wore underneath my cycling shirts (probably improved my skinny frame with the illusion of muscle)
but my nemesis is my extremities which get cold regardless of what socks or gloves I wear. So I tend to forget cycling if the BBC site says it's below 6°c
hence I haven't really tested what I wear in very cold temperatures, but it was certainly warm enough in cool to cold temps.

The winter trousers are reasonable too. The padding on mine is starting to unstitch though, but for £20 they've not been too bad, I shall probably get another pair this week.

Are some of these new fancy pants superhydrophobic sprays on the market yet? If so, a tin of that may well waterproof your existing kit sufficiently that you don't need a special jacket.

[chris3vic]

I had an Aldi Waterproof once. Just a basic Crane Mesh lined jacket in yellow. Someone actually nicked it from the locker room where I used to work whilst I was in the shower.

Used to work at a hospital and the staff facilities were right by the entrance. Some cretin popped in and took it off the hook and off they went.

The thing was caked in crud and stunk to high heaven. What possessed them to take that over my Rudy helmet, hung right next to it, I'll never know.

[rollinbone]

I bought an Aldi/Crane red cycle jacket for about £18 two years ago and used it for about 2 months
Then I bought a Gore Alp-X jacket for about £100 (in sale from Evans) because I found the Aldi one so useful

The diffs are: the Gore has 4 pockets on back while Crane has two, one zipped
the Gore colour is a different red that I think its more visible (it kinda glows)
the Gore is better fitting especially under the arms so makes for a more comfortable ride

on whole I think you get what you pay for -
but is the Gore worth an extra £82+ ? (normal price for this was about £120)
I think that depends on how often you use it and how long it lasts
I find I'm wearing mine from about november right through to may, sometimes (2013)