The good news first: even if the winter gets really cold, nobody has to freeze. You can get a good winter jacket for as little as 130 euros - such as the Controlshield from BBB or the Escape Softshell Jacket from Pearl Izumi's Elite series. The decision as to how warm a winter jacket must or should be depends on both your personal perception of cold and the actual purpose of use. While the cosy and quickly shivering biker prefers the comfortably soft and thick winter coat, a comparatively thin skin is sufficient as thermal protection for the cold-resistant pulse rider. The range extends from Craft's winter jersey, which weighs a good 300 grams and is brushed on the inside, to the Primaloft-padded Mavic parka, which is twice as heavy. The difference becomes clear as soon as you put it on: while you want to heat up your blood circulation as quickly as possible in the Craft, you get an "oven-like" feeling in the Mavic as soon as you put it on with a resting pulse.
You can find these mountain bike winter jackets in the test:
- Assos MilleJacket evo7
- BBB Controlshield
- Craft Gran Fondo Jacket
- Endura Pro SL Thermo Windproof Jacket
- Gore Bike Wear Oxygen Windstopper Jacket
- Löffler Hr. Bike WS Softshell Jacket
- Mavic Ksyrium Pro Thermo Jacket
- Pearl Izumi Elite Escape Softshell Jacket
- Scott Jacket RC AS
- Specialised Element 1.5 Windstopper Jacket
- Sugoi RSE Alpha Bike Jacket
- Vaude Men's Alphapro Jacket
Apart from its insulating properties, the ideal jacket should fit the body like a second skin. To achieve this, the cut must be adapted to the bent riding position. The slightly more expensive models from Assos or Gore Bike Wear are convincing in this respect, although the rear pockets of the latter candidate should not be overloaded, as the slightly too loose waistband of the jacket would otherwise lift up at the back and allow cold draughts to reach the kidneys.
Drizzle or sleet should roll off the outer skin, because it quickly gets lousy cold when the outer fabric is wet. The Sugoi jacket is convincing in this discipline, with raindrops not finding a foothold. The Scott jacket, on the other hand, soaks up water quickly, which increases the cooling effect of the wind. Accordingly, it is more suitable for sunny rides. Anyone who also rides intensive units in winter appreciates a functioning climate control system that allows perspiration to escape in the form of water vapour. Adjustable ventilation slits with zip fasteners improve climate comfort enormously. Details such as easy-to-use zips and pockets make handling easier, and well-placed reflective material increases safety when riding in public traffic.
No matter what your winter dress requirements are, the wide range of products offered by manufacturers has something for everyone.
Matthias Borchers, BIKE tester: Not all winter jackets are the same, as the insulation performance of the test candidates varies widely. Primaloft or Polartec insulation is characterised by a high thermal performance. If you want to ride intensive units in winter, you should opt for a thinner model or at least look out for ventilation options.
Winter jacket manufacturers manage to keep mountain bikers warm with clever detailed solutions. The big challenge is to harmonise insulation and ventilation. That's what we noticed:
...
The test results of the MTB winter jackets:
(The thermographic images show the heat loss: the less body heat penetrates to the outside, the better the insulation properties. Good values are shown in dark blue. Green and yellow mean heat leakage.
¹BIKE measurement in size M. ²The BIKE judgement reflects the laboratory measurements and the subjective impression of the test riders. The BIKE judgement is independent of price. BIKE judgements: super, very good, good, satisfactory, with weaknesses, unsatisfactory. Maximum score: 50)
ASSOS MilleJacket evo7
Price 240 Euro
Info www.assos.com
Weight¹ / Country of manufacture 478 g (size M) / Lithuania
Sizes XS-TIR
Colours Black, black-red, -yellow, -white
Valuation
Processing / Quality (10 %) 10 out of 10 points
Beading behaviour (15 %) 9 out of 10 points
Fit / Cut (30 %) 10 out of 10 points
Equipment (15 %) 9 out of 10 points
Insulation (30 %) 8 out of 10 points
CONCLUSION The MilleJacket fits like a second skin, ideal for racing. There is still some air left in the sleeves, so you can move easily on the bike. In keeping with its racing character, the jacket offers good vapour permeability, as the membrane is interrupted on the sleeves and under the armpits. This allows perspiration to evaporate easily and the sensitive areas remain protected from wind and water even when riding fast.
BIKE judgement² VERY GOOD / 45 points
BBB Controlshield
Price 130 Euro
Info www.bbbcycling.com
Weight¹ / Country of manufacture 430 g (size M) / Taiwan
Sizes S - XXXL
Colours Black-yellow, black-red, black
Valuation
Processing / Quality (10 %) 9 out of 10 points
Beading behaviour (15 %) 7 out of 10 points
Fit / Cut (30 %) 7 out of 10 points
Equipment (15 %) 9 out of 10 points
Insulation (30 %) 8 out of 10 points
CONCLUSION The fit and weather protection of the mid-weight jacket are at a decent level. Only small details spoil the picture: the high collar, where the zip can scratch the throat of thick necks, and the somewhat awkward pocket handling due to the narrow openings. Details such as reflective material, thumb gaiters and the rear zip pocket round off the reasonably priced range.
BIKE judgement² GOOD / 38 points
CRAFT Gran Fondo Jacket
Price 170 Euro
Info www.craft-sports.de
Weight¹ / Country of manufacture 365 g (size M) / China
Sizes S - XXL
Colours Black-Blue
Valuation
Processing / Quality (10 %) 9 out of 10 points
Beading behaviour (15 %) 4 out of 10 points
Fit / Cut (30 %) 8 out of 10 points
Equipment (15 %) 8 out of 10 points
Insulation (30 %) 8 out of 10 points
CONCLUSION The cut of the lightest jacket in the test suits athletic riders with long arms best, and the sleeves offer plenty of freedom of movement. The collar, which is too wide, deserves criticism as it is a gateway for draughts, as well as the weakly impregnated outer skin, as it quickly absorbs water and thus unintentionally increases the cooling effect of the wind. We really liked the supple cuffs.
BIKE judgement² SATISFACTORY / 36 points
ENDURA Pro SL Thermo Windproof Jacket
Price 175 Euro
Info www.endurasport.com
Weight¹ / Country of manufacture 520 g (size M) / China
Sizes S - XXL
Colours Green, red, black
Valuation
Processing / Quality (10 %) 9 out of 10 points
Beading behaviour (15 %) 7 out of 10 points
Fit / Cut (30 %) 9 out of 10 points
Equipment (15 %) 9 out of 10 points
Insulation (30 %) 9 out of 10 points
CONCLUSION You could almost say it's typical Endura. The cut is good overall, the collar with extra cold barrier and the soft cuffs flatter the wearer. Unfortunately, the material on the front of the chest and stomach billows as soon as you bend forwards. The jacket also fails to impress when it comes to pocket handling. Loading and unloading is a little fiddly. On the other hand, the jacket warms well and feels comfortable against the skin.
BIKE judgement² GOOD / 41 points
GORE BIKE WEAR Oxygen Windstopper Jacket
Price 230 Euro
Info www.goreapparel.com
Weight¹ / Country of manufacture 390 g (size M) / China
Sizes S - XXL
Colours Yellow, red, blue, turquoise-black
Valuation
Processing / Quality (10 %) 9 out of 10 points
Beading behaviour (15 %) 8 out of 10 points
Fit / Cut (30 %) 9 out of 10 points
Equipment (15 %) 9 out of 10 points
Insulation (30 %) 9 out of 10 points
CONCLUSION The Gore anticipates the bent position on the bike very well and is relatively short at the front. When the pockets are fully loaded, the jacket lifts slightly at the back due to the loose waistband. The collar closes high, so riders with a thick neck might be bothered by the narrow opening. The air vents at the front of the chest are practical. However, the zip is very difficult to grip with winter gloves because it is so small.
BIKE judgement² VERY GOOD / 44 points
LÖFFLER Hr. Bike WS Softshell Jacket
Price 200 Euro
Info www.loeffler.at
Weight¹ / Country of manufacture 490 g (size M) / Austria
Sizes 46 - 60
Colours Red, green, blue
Valuation
Processing / Quality (10 %) 10 out of 10 points
Beading behaviour (15 %) 8 out of 10 points
Fit / Cut (30 %) 7 out of 10 points
Equipment (15 %) 9 out of 10 points
Insulation (30 %) 9 out of 10 points
CONCLUSION With Löffler you should always look carefully at the size label. Size 48, for example, corresponds more to L than M. Apart from that, the very well-made jacket with good weather protection is very casual. The sleeves are very wide and the jacket is as long at the front as it is at the back, which should only suit upright, sturdy riders. The jacket only has one zip pocket at the back, which means that storage space is limited.
BIKE judgement² GOOD / 39 points
MAVIC Ksyrium Pro Thermo Jacket
Price 200 Euro
Info www.mavic.com
Weight¹ / Country of manufacture 600 g (size M) / Indonesia
Sizes S - XXL
Colours Black
Valuation
Processing / Quality (10 %) 9 out of 10 points
Beading behaviour (15 %) 9 out of 10 points
Fit / Cut (30 %) 9 out of 10 points
Equipment (15 %) 10 out of 10 points
Insulation (30 %) 9 out of 10 points
CONCLUSION At a hefty 600 grams, the Ksyrium is the heaviest jacket in this test, but it is also the warmest. The fit and cut are good, it fits snugly around the body, nothing pinches, nothing flutters. Only when the pockets are full can the drawstring at the back ride up. The features are excellent and, as with the Gore, the inner climate can be finely regulated with two zip openings at the front.
BIKE judgement² VERY GOOD / 44 points
PEARL IZUMI Elite Escape Softshell Jacket
Price 150 Euro
Info www.paul-lange.de
Weight¹ / Country of manufacture 400 g (size M) / Vietnam
Sizes S - XXL
Colours Red-black, black-yellow, blue, grey-black
Valuation
Processing / Quality (10 %) 9 out of 10 points
Beading behaviour (15 %) 7 out of 10 points
Fit / Cut (30 %) 9 out of 10 points
Equipment (15 %) 9 out of 10 points
Insulation (30 %) 8 out of 10 points
CONCLUSION The Pearl Izumi hardly allows itself any weaknesses, only a little bit of material is wavy at the front. The sleeves offer plenty of room and you can move freely. The two zip pockets on the chest also serve to regulate the climate, but overall the storage space is limited with only one zip pocket at the rear. At a price of 150 euros, the Pearl Izumi is one of the price/performance winners.
BIKE judgement² GOOD / 40 points
SCOTT Jacket RC AS
Price 140 Euro
Info www.scott-sports.com
Weight¹ / Country of manufacture 395 g (size M) / Romania
Sizes S - XXL
Colours Black-white, black-green-white
Valuation
Processing / Quality (10 %) 9 out of 10 points
Beading behaviour (15 %) 4 out of 10 points
Fit / Cut (30 %) 7 out of 10 points
Equipment (15 %) 6 out of 10 points
Insulation (30 %) 8 out of 10 points
CONCLUSION Although the Scott jacket is inexpensive and relatively light, its cut is hardly adapted to the bent riding position. The fabric bulges at the front and the jacket barely stays in place at the back. The cuffs on the sleeves are too wide, and the short and wide collar barely warms the neck. In the rain, the outer skin quickly soaks up water, which intensifies the cooling effect. The features are the weakest of the competition.
BIKE judgement² SATISFACTORY / 34 points
SPECIALIZED Element 1.5 Windstopper Jacket
Price 200 Euro
Info www.specialized.com
Weight¹ / Country of manufacture 445 g (size M) / China
Sizes S - XXL
Colours Black
Valuation
Processing / Quality (10 %) 6 out of 10 points
Beading behaviour (15 %) 7 out of 10 points
Fit / Cut (30 %) 7 out of 10 points
Equipment (15 %) 9 out of 10 points
Insulation (30 %) 9 out of 10 points
CONCLUSION Despite the price of 200 euros, Specialized can't quite keep up with the high level of workmanship of the competition. There are many loose threads in the lining and in the front pocket. The cut of the medium-weight shell is also not ideal. There is a lot of material bunching at the chest, and the rear of the jacket lifts up significantly when the pockets are loaded. On the other hand, the jacket is nice and warm and well equipped.
BIKE judgement² GOOD / 38 points
SUGOI RSE Alpha Bike Jacket
Price 255 Euro
Info www.sugoi.com
Weight¹ / Country of manufacture 445 g (size M) / China
Sizes S - XXL
Colours Black, red
Valuation
Processing / Quality (10 %) 9 out of 10 points
Beading behaviour (15 %) 9 out of 10 points
Fit / Cut (30 %) 8 out of 10 points
Equipment (15 %) 8 out of 10 points
Insulation (30 %) 8 out of 10 points
CONCLUSION Sugoi makes small but subtle mistakes with the cut: the cuffs are tight, the seam between the Primaloft and mesh material runs over the elbow and the zip on the collar pinches slightly. The cut suits pilots with a long, slim torso and relatively thin arms best. It keeps the bum and back nice and warm and dry. At a price of 255 euros, the jacket with Polartec Alpha fabric is the most expensive in the test.
BIKE judgement² GOOD / 40 points
VAUDE Men's Alphapro Jacket
Price 200 Euro
Info www.vaude.com
Weight¹ / Country of manufacture 415 g (size M) / Vietnam
Sizes S - XXL
Colours Green-black, blue-black, black
Valuation
Processing / Quality (10 %) 10 out of 10 points
Beading behaviour (15 %) 8 out of 10 points
Fit / Cut (30 %) 9 out of 10 points
Equipment (15 %) 8 out of 10 points
Insulation (30 %) 8 out of 10 points
CONCLUSION In terms of fit, the Vaude winter jacket can keep up with the best. However, the rear could have a tighter waistband to prevent it from riding up with loaded pockets. The collar is long, asymmetrical and does not let in any draughts. The zip runs smoothly and is easy to operate with one hand. As with Pearl Izumi or Mavic, the two front pockets also serve as ventilation openings.
BIKE judgement² GOOD / 42 points
You can read this article or the entire BIKE 1/2017 issue in the BIKE app (iTunes and Google Play) or buy the issue in the DK shop reorder:
Matthias Borchers
Editor
