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Jenn says:
If you MUST ride in the rain, then you simply MUST invest in a Showers Pass Jacket
True confession: if I had the choice, I'd ride only when it was between 72-76 degrees, sunny, low humidity...and with a constant tailwind! But since I reside in Portland, Oregon, rather than San Diego, California, I've had to accept the fact early on that if you're going to ride a bike in the Pacific Northwest, you're going to be doing it in the wet at some point. So you might as well invest in some serious rain gear and be prepared.
When it comes to being prepared, I couldn't think of a better company than Portland-based Showers Pass to outfit cyclists accordingly. Rarely a day goes by we here at BicyclingHub.com don't spy bicyclists commuting over the Hawthorne Bridge in one of the products we sell, and Showers Pass remains a perennial favorite both here at home and across the country. Having now ridden in one of their jackets, the reason why becomes readily apparent.
I've been doing some serious field-testing with my new Women's Elite 2.0 jacket in a variety of "interesting" November conditions. A short ride in dry and windy 55 degrees had me thankful for the built-in pit-zips, which help regulate internal temperature once you start cranking. Even though I was already familiar with the brand and its trademark eVent waterproof fabric, I was still impressed with how warm and dry the jacket kept me on my cold wet rainy commute into work--throughout all 17.5 miles of wet! And even with a Camelbak strapped to my back, stuffed with a change of dry clothes, shoes, and a snack, the rear vent panel did an amazing job facilitating air flow and preventing overheating on the hills. I also appreciated the highly-visible Goldenrod color and reflective piping on the material on the dark ride home as an extra safety feature.
Got a Sunday morning group ride when grey skies and "spritzing" from the skies at regular intervals (otherwise referred to as "Oregon sunshine")? You'll be thankful for the wind-stopping fabric on the front panels and extra warm it provides if/when the temps drop.
In summation: if it's 40 degrees and raining, the Showers Pass Elite 2.0 is my new go-to jacket. Whether you commute, do fitness rides, tour by bike, or do all three, I hope it'll be yours too.
Want to learn more about Showers Pass, and the innovations they bring to high-performance technical cycling apparel? Read our feature profile story here.
THANKS! - Jenn |
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