Cycling
10 cycling jackets to keep you warm, dry and seen this winter
There is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes, right? Don't miss a session with these top picks of cycling winter jackets, for men and women.
Winter riding in the UK has its challenges. It can be wet, cold and windy – and, if you're really unlucky, all three at the same time. But that doesn’t mean heading out for a spin come winter has to be a slog – even if Mother Nature’s not on your side.
A good cycling jacket can make winter riding not just bearable, but actually pretty fun, and this list shows the best of the bunch. From the waterproof to the deep-winter thermal options, there is a range of options that should suit most budgets and riding types. If you are blessed to live in one of the rainier corners of the world, you’ll want to keep an eye out for race capes and Shakedry options, while if you’re more likely to suffer extreme low temperatures than sudden downpours, keep an eye out for those fleece linings and wind-breaking properties.
Ultimately, there’s something in here for everyone – from the competitive athlete to the casual cafe rider who just wants to keep warm. Make a brew, kids, it’s time to get cosy.
Men-specific jackets
1. Gore x ROMANCE Shakedry
This jacket is sure to turn heads (and keep you bone dry)
© Gore x ROMANCE
Price: £270
Well shake me dry and call me Shirley. That’s what all the Gore x ROMANCE Shakedry jackets should be affectionately nicknamed: Shirley.
This thing takes all the bells and whistles of Gore’s enduringly popular, super-lightweight and fast-drying technology – Shakedry – and whacked a lairy Romance print onto the material. Who is Romance? It’s a very cool bike clothes brand, lending some of its street cred to the very-practical-but-not-necessarily-stylish German brand, Gore. Jackets with Shakedry have only ever been available in black before and this bold and brave new direction is simply delightful.
2. Castelli Idro Pro 2
Yes, it’s expensive, but can you put a price on staying dry on every ride?
© Castelli
Price: £340
It’s 2001 in New York. Julian Casablancas emerges from legendary studio Transporterraum in the East Village after an all-night session putting down vocals with Gordon Raphael for Is This It. He unchains his bike from the cast-iron railings outside of the studio and then suddenly, the heavens open and a downpour begins.
What does Julian Casblancas wear to protect himself from the rain while cycling? He wears the Castelli Idro Pro 2, of course. Or at least he would if this wondrous piece of kit had been around 18 years ago.
It uses the same Shakedry tech as the Gore x Romance jacket above, plus it comes backed by Castelli’s century-long heritage in the sport of bike racing. Stretchy bits on the wrists keep everything snug and secure to minimise the slow ingress of water on really rainy days, plus the whole piece folds down incredibly small so as not to be an encumbrance when the clouds begin to part. This is the rain jacket of rock stars.
Women-specific jackets
3. Café du Cycliste Women's Heidi
This jacket’s so warm it ought to have a tog rating
© Café Du Cycliste
Price: £189
You know those miserable winter days when you wake up and can see your breath condensing in the air above your bed? When you wish you could stay cocooned in your duvet all day long? The Heidi is the jacket for exactly those situations. It’s like wearing a quilt, but is slightly more aero.
The jacket uses a separate brushed lining and something called a ‘micro face layer’ to wick away any build-up of moisture, keeping you fresh and dry while also maintaining your core temperature. It’s a tricky balance to strike – most cyclists have experienced at least one cold-weather jacket that was as breathable as a bin bag – but the Heidi manages it well.
The brushed inner makes it feel especially good next to the skin, while the two streamlined zipped vents at the shoulders provide further control over temperature regulation when you’re working hard on the hills. Now, stop hitting the snooze button and get your kit on.
4. Alé Women's Pulse Stretch Jacket
Alé's Pulse jacket will protect you from the harshest of weather conditions
© Alé
Price: £145
This jacket is the jacket Sansa Stark would wear if she commuted into Winterfell by bike. If you never got into Game of Thrones and that reference has whooshed over your head, then what it meant was that this is the jacket of choice for cold-weather ladies who are on a mission and have got to get stuff done.
Offering stretchy, warm and windproof protection from the iciest winter winds, the Pulse is going to become the garment you reach for first on the coldest days, whether your commute takes you past Direwolves or dual carriageways. There are three colourways to choose from with this one, but the Black & Prune Pink is simply scrumptious.
Jackets available in both men- and women-specific version
5. DHB Classic FLT thermal soft-shell
This number from DHB is ideal if you're feeling festive
© DHB
Price: £63
Just look at that cosy piece of polyester (and spandex) right there, being all thermal and stuff. It's just toasty to look at – imagine being wrapped up in it. The orange and black colourway even looks a bit like a Christmas jumper for kringles-sakes!
And that's before you get to its technical features. The FLT in the product name stands for “flashlight technology”, which translates into normal-people-speak as ‘a bunch of really bright reflective bits all over the jacket to keep you seen and stop you getting hit by stray reindeers while out on your rides’. The jacket also combines soft, fleecy Roubaix fabric with a windproof outer membrane on the front panels to reduce windchill. There’s also a women-specific version, although sadly no Christmas colourway for the ladies.
6. Sportful Fiandre pro jacket
Great whether out in the elements or sat waiting for the worst to pass
© Sportful
Price: £210
Five words that make the hairs on the back of all cyclists' necks stand up: highly breathable wet weather protection.
OK, so this jacket is all about giving you a great riding experience, even when the weather gets all ‘January is at least seven weeks long, I swear’. The brand Sportful makes elite road cycling kit for professional cyclists – people who don’t have the option to sack off a ride because the rain is going sideways past their bedroom window. As such, Sportful’s kit has to work really, really well at keeping a rider warm, dry and comfortable as they pound out the miles – or in your case, sit fully kitted-up with a digestive and a cup of tea waiting for a brief chink in the jet black skies to open up before you get riding.
Other neat stuff? Three dashing colourways, Polartec® NeoShell® technology to keep sweat moving away from your body and a racy, tight-to-the-body fit.
7. Proviz REFLECT360 Cycling Jacket
Don't just reflect the light from traffic – become it
© Provis
Price: £89.99
Visibility is quite important when you’re riding a bike. It helps other road users see you, and prevents you from being carried off by giant, Lord of the Rings-style eagles who’ve mistaken you for their lunch.
Proviz understands the need for visibility pretty well and has made a jacket that it’s going to be virtually impossible to miss, even by the most near-sighted megabuzzards around your neighbourhood.
The trick to this jacket’s dazzling appearance in the beams of car headlights is millions of tiny-but-reflective glass beads that pick up and bounce back the light. It almost makes you look as though you’re glowing as you ride.
Not content with keeping you seen, the jacket is also waterproof to 5,000mm, so it does an excellent job of keeping you dry as well.
8. Rapha Explore Down Jacket
Ideal for cycling in Iceland, or for just popping down to Iceland
© Rapha
Price: £220
Before going into the main warming benefits of this jacket, it should be pointed out that, thanks to two zips, it appears to have the ability to turn into the vigilante’s most prized accessory – a cape.
Just imagine it. You are wearing the jacket as you ride your bike. You look awesome. Then suddenly, you spot some sort of nefarious act being committed by a street ruffian. Instantly, you zip up the bottom part of the front of your jacket and begin to give chase, the tails of the garment flapping in the wind behind you. The coat has become a cape, and you have become a superhero.
When not being used as a crime-fighting costume, the Explore is an ideal jacket for bikepacking or those really cold rides. It's sold as a unisex piece of kit, although Rapha only uses one size range for both genders (XS-XXL), with no adaptation of fit for women. It weighs just 238 grams (size M) so could easily be stowed in a backpack or pannier for some long-distance adventuring, and the down is treated with a water-repellent coating so it still retains its warmth when it gets damp. The down is sourced responsibly and each jacket is numbered so owners can track the exact origin of the fill inside. Excelsior!
9. Assos HabujacketLaalalai
The HabujacketLaalalai proves not to judge a book (or jacket) by its cover
© Assos
Price: £240
Now look, it might be unfair to say that the good and brainy Swiss folks at Assos aren't taking the names of their products seriously, but who actually calls their standout winter cycling jacket “HABUJACKETLAALALAI”?
Name aside, it’s a light and compact when rolled up and stuffed in your jersey, supremely practical, and looks pretty damn slick when being worn. Assos has used some of its most advanced fabrics in the construction, with Stratagon Light (wind and rain protection) used on the front panels and RXQ (low-volume but super-warm) throughout the jacket’s inner to keep you toasty as the mercury drops. The men’s version of this is the IJ.HABU. Of course it ij.
10. Endura FS260-Pro Adrenaline Race Cape II
The FS260-Pro Adrenaline Race Cape II is pretty in pink, white or black
© Endura
Price: £77.99
History books will tell you that Endura FS260-Pro Adrenaline Race Cape II ascended to the throne after her mother, Queen Endura FS260-Pro Adrenaline Race Cape the First was slain in battle with some particularly nasty headwinds.
What the history books won’t tell you, though, is just how great this jacket is for cycling in the rain. Endura calls the fabric it's used in the jacket ExoShell20ST™, which, while not to most catchy name, is a great bit of tech.
The fabric has a built-in stretchability, which eliminates that irritating flapping that arises when you wear a loose or poorly-fitted jacket as you ride downhill. It’s also waterproof to an incredible 15,000mm. The super lightweight construction is designed to roll or fold up small so you can stuff it into a pocket when it’s not needed, and while the Cerise version is eyecatching, Endura says the white version is translucent enough to see race numbers through – perfect for the competitive riders among you. The Queen is dead, long live the queen!
