Any tips on where to shop for a reasonably priced jacket ? Internet ? Any particular shoppe that may have deals on ?.
Cheers
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Hi viz jacket
(30 posts)-
Posted 10 years ago #
-
Wiggle is my suggestion. This jacket is what I have, and it's great:
Posted 10 years ago # -
We got an altura night vision for mr SRD a year or so ago via discountcyclesdirect.co.uk.
Really good price. I think it was a previous year's model, but nine the worse for that.
Edit - altura night vision flite http://www.discountcyclesdirect.co.uk/catalog/product.php?CI_ID=10588&Item='Altura%20Night%20Vision%20Flite%20Waterproof%20Jacket%20-%202012'. £61.99
Not sure what the diff between 'evo' and 'flite' is though.
Better deals on other styles too.
Posted 10 years ago # -
on the subject of high visibility jackets - this just happened to me. Copy pasta from my Facebook:
Yep Mr Taxi - if you don't see me in front of you on a well lit street wearing reflective material on shorts, gloves bag and jacket, in your headlights, turning right into the side street you're pulling out of, with a flasher and solid beam on both front and back, then I'm afraid that you need to get your eyes tested far more than I need to wear a "yellow jacket"
Posted 10 years ago # -
For occasional use, Decathlon. £15 waterproof. Hi viz or various colours.
Posted 10 years ago # -
The £15 Decathlon one is pretty good for the money, kept me dry on a several occassions. Folds down to a tiny size for stuffing into jersey pockets or a saddlebag at a push as well. Downside to that is it's very thin and I wouldn't want to tear it.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Any thoughts on the cheap and cheerful ones that are sometimes on sale in Aldi or Lidl I have had their flyers through the door before and they seemed reasonably priced.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Lots of fans of lidl kit here - but I don't recall that anyone has tried/mentioned the jackets.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Another vote for the Alutra Night Vision Evo - the bike Co-op have it for 70 atm
Posted 10 years ago # -
I have an Aldi jacket - it is OK, but (unusually) is a man's jacket that doesn't fit my female shape very well! Also I have become more reluctant to wear hi-vis, so I don't wear it all that much. It is pretty solid (not the kind that packs down small) and I expect I'd get a lot of wear out of it. Not breathable at all, which I would not expect for the price.
I have various bits of Alid/Lidl kit and think it is good value - breatheability is the one thing it doesn't have, so be aware especially if you tend to "run hot".
I might have a look at those Decathlon ones as my cheap-o Halfords packable thing isn't really waterproof any more (if indeed it ever was very waterproof...)
Posted 10 years ago # -
I have an altura night vision windproof jacket for commuting. It's great and has lasted a long time. It's more comfortable & durable than a waterproof but will take a wee shower. Also cheaper than the waterproof versions.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I found a Gore® Paclite™ thing listed as being worth £120 but sold for £60 in the Alpine Bikes sale years ago to be massively less breathable and less waterproof than my older and cheaper Altura Nevis.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I'd go more for Reflective over High Vis. In the Dark you just look like another pale jacket wearer. With reflective you shine out in the dark!
I have a Mavic Vision Vest
Its snug fitting and very reflective. Avaiable as a T shirt or jacket. Even comes in a H2O variety for water resistance. I prefer to wear a vest ontop of a normal cycle jacket, for reflectives, rather than buy a specific Bright Yellow jacket, which gets swetty in the summer.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Old argument, but...despite davec's good point on reflective at night, hiviz does make riders more visible in the sort of grey , foggy, rainy, evenings we often have.
That said, I don't normally wear it myself, although I do have a hiviz/reflective gilet that I out on in heavy rain/fog and some dark conditions when I feel more than usually vulnerable.
Posted 10 years ago # -
The Altura jackets have reflective panels. They do a version in black, if you don't want to wear yellow.
My Aldi jacket is hi-vis yellow and has a reasonable area of reflective panels. My cheap-o Halfords jacket is also hi-vis yellow but does not have reflectives. The Decathlon jackets mentioned above come in various colours (including hi-vis yellow) and have some rather small reflective panels.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I like red - pretty stand-out but not yellow
Posted 10 years ago # -
If I may sum up:
Hi-viz yellow etc. - good in some conditions; not so good in others.
Dark clothing - good in some conditions; not so good in others.
What we need is a sort of reverse-Chameleon clothing that automatically adjusts its colour to provide the starkest contrast with the background.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Probably the best 'reverse chameleon' option is a brickie's vest in your bag that goes over your other jacket when you need it... It's dead cheap and allows you to spend your money on a really good breathable jacket that can also be worn off the bike. This is my solution at the moment, except I wear the brickie's vest less and less these days unless I'm leading a ride and want to look 'official'.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Yes, I persuaded my other half into getting a vest after his previous hi-viz jacket broke as it also means he can wear it in summer without boiling in the bag. He seems happy with it.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I take my hi-viz jacket with me when I go hill walking - it's waterproof/breathable (with zips open) and I once in the Kingshouse in Glencoe (when it was raining heavily in the evening) I got chatting with the mountain rescue folk and they complained bitterly that with most hill jackets "you'd be as well putting on camoflage jackets for all that we can see them from a distance"
Posted 10 years ago # -
I have both a hi-viz yellow waterproof jacket (Altura) and a hi-viz reflective waistcoat/gilet (Respro) which I wear over more 'normal' coloured (usually bright red cycling specific) waterproof jackets.
Both have lasted a good long whle. The waistcoat/gilet has Sam Browne pattern reflective strips plus yellow and orange hi-viz fabric and has been in service for close to 15 years IIRC. Virtually indestructable and still looks almost like new. They still make it, but with a zip now instead of velcro closure (which may reduce longevity IMO).
I tend to wear the Altura jacket in mid winter when it's cold, or if I wear a lid (ie. on Audaxes or faster/more hazardous rides) and it's cold/wet. The rest of the time I'll pack the Respro plus a packable waterproof jacket in case it rains or gets dark.
I have a fair amount of Aldi/LiDL stuff too and most of it is pretty good (soft shell jackets, bib longs, shorts, base layers, socks, even jerseys are good for the price) but I don't rate their waterproof jackets highly.
I also own a couple of traditional cyclists' rain capes, which I use occasionally. They are not great in windy conditions as they act like a sail, but they are very good in heavy downpours. So for summer riding, particularly say a leisurely tour or family outing, they are great because they pack up small and once deployed keep not only the rider (including hands) but also most of the bike and luggage dry. The benefits of a dry saddle are not to be underestimated. Great for kids too, they have them in children's sizes and can be easily donned and removed keeping youngsters dry.
Alas it is more and more difficult to find good quality capes but Carradice still make them. I have several (including ones for the family) made by Danish company Jeantex, but they don't seem to be available any more. I understand new manufacturers have come into the market: many capes are now aimed at women.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Some good deals now at cyclestore
Posted 10 years ago # -
Some fantastic advice again guys ( and girls )
Posted 10 years ago # -
Can vouch for light coloured (yellow white blue) non reflective jackets being totally useless sans reflective strips! Was riding around the seat this evening and there were lots of runners on the road without lights or reflective stuff and I found them incredibly hard to see. Even very close up! I don't mind particularly but it was an interesting experiment.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Aye, Hi-viz and reflectives tend to be taken as one but they are very different. In my experience lights are best for daytime visibility in bad conditions over anything else though. Quite a few times on dull, drizzly days when I've struggled to see a cyclist even with loads of yellow on because there's just not enough contrast with the ambient light levels. A light on the other hand stands out immediately, doubly so if flashing, which you can do during the day without strobing everyone to death at least.
I find having a reflective strip cut off an old Sam Browne belt taped onto the back mudguard is very effective when viewed from either a car or bike. Gets caught brilliantly in dipped beams and it's always there whatever else I'm wearing.
Edit: For any mountain rescue folk, while my raincoat is a dull green, I have recently taken delivery of one of these, which I can assure you on disco strobe mode will get your attention.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Another vote for the altura night vision evo here, with the caveat that the "integrated i-Lume rear light" can switch itself on or off in transit if, like me, you ride with a backpack that can knock against it...
Posted 10 years ago # -
I've got a red Madison Prime jacket which has a bit of reflective detailing on it. Takes me away from another yellow jacket but still keeps visibility. Wear a yellow gillet in nicer weather which gives a bit of warmth.
I do tend to use it with a hi-viz Hump Rucsac cover which gives a nice contrast not to mention two front lights, two rear lights and a helmet light!
Posted 10 years ago # -
I'd also recommend the Endura Lumilite.
Lumi yellow with tons of grey reflectives & and LED émergency backup light in the back too. Very similar to the Altura equivalent
Posted 10 years ago # -
I actually have a cycling cape that I got in Lidl! It isn't great for signalling in, but it is useful in showers, so long as it isn't too windy.
Posted 10 years ago #
Reply
You must log in to post.
posts
