New winter kit.

My new, shorter commute means I can now largely do away with my bike-specific kit, and ride in to work in “normal” clothes. Doubtless a relief for those who don’t have to suffer the sight of my lycra-centric outfits any more, but it has required some thought as to exactly what to replace then with.

So I was very pleased when the nice folk at Berghaus asked me to review some outdoor clothing which is just the ticket for a few miles riding through town on an autumn morning. First up, this:

A splendid softshell jacket. It’s warm, windproof, waterproof-ish (the seams aren’t sealed, so I wouldn’t rely on it for a long time in really foul weather, but it’s stood up to 20 minutes or so of steady drizzle just fine). The cut is slightly more relaxed than a dedicated biking jacket (meaning it looks just fine down the pub), but has enough length in the arms and the back to avoid any annoying cold spots when leant over the handlebars. If I were being really picky, I could note that it doesn’t have pit-zips or any other kind of vents, which means it can get a bit wam if you’re working hard (e.g. when racing roadies on the way into work) – so far the weather’s still too warm to wear it for “proper” long rides. It’s also not very reflective, so you need something high-vis to slip over the top now the nights are dark.
But for riding to work it’s been ideal, and it’s also been great for standing on the sidelines of windswept football pitches watching the kids – which at this time of year is a pretty stern test of any fleece!

Item #2 on the list is a new rucksack – specifically, a Terabyte 25l .

As the name suggests, this is optimised for carrying your laptop to work, rather than your ice axes into the northern Cairngorms or your inner tubes round Glentress. It features an impressively solid-feeling padded sleeve which will comfortably take anything from an ipad to a big-ish laptop and hold it securely, as well as a main compartment big enough for a packed lunch and my running kit, and the usual assortment of well-laid-out pockets and attachments. I particularly like the little strap on the back of the pack for attaching a extra bike light to. It’s comfortable even when loaded up, and plenty stable enough to bike with. Highly recommended.

Chris May : 13 Nov 2011 21:36 |  Comments (0) |  Report a problem