Rapha, nice but a bit pricey?

Reading around about the gore it looks like there's a soft and a hard shell gilet.

Which one is everyone referring to?

...and its a shame the "visibility" one comes in a baggy fit as that would be quite practical. Albeit less cool.

I can't find Gore stuff in any of the shops here and I don't want to buy clothing that I can't try on (I'm not mailing it back to Wiggle internationally, or whatever). There's loads of Pearl Izumi but it seems to be sized very Japanese (i.e. small and slim, of which I am not particularly either) and some Assos, but that's even more pricey.

Rapha stuff generally fits me well and I can actually go try it on, which is nice.

I found that with Gore, if I picked a Gillet that fit me in terms of circumferance of torso then it finished roughly in line with my kidneys.

Dan must be off his game, why hasn't he used this to infer you're a fatty yet?

I can't find Gore stuff in any of the shops here and I don't want to buy clothing that I can't try on (I'm not mailing it back to Wiggle internationally, or whatever). There's loads of Pearl Izumi but it seems to be sized very Japanese (i.e. small and slim, of which I am not particularly either) and some Assos, but that's even more pricey.

Rapha stuff generally fits me well and I can actually go try it on, which is nice.

You sound like your mind is pretty made up about going for the Rapha gillet. So you're unlikely to be dissapointed by it's VFM or performance. (although I would get the rain jacket, as recommended by Regal)

I like to listen to what some of the guys on here say - as many have ridden more than me and in more varying conditions but I have the ability to easily buy a wide variety of cycling clothing, so it's easy for me to say.

I was talking about the active shell vest but I would hazard a guess that the winter version is similarly excellent. I think smallfurry may have bought one?

Reading around about the gore it looks like there's a soft and a hard shell gilet.

Which one is everyone referring to?

...and its a shame the "visibility" one comes in a baggy fit as that would be quite practical. Albeit less cool.

Mine is a soft-shell. Very lightweight.

Prendas are selling a Craft hi viz gilet for 20 quid that looks pretty good.

You sound like your mind is pretty made up about going for the Rapha gillet. So you're unlikely to be dissapointed by it's VFM or performance. (although I would get the rain jacket, as recommended by Regal)

I like to listen to what some of the guys on here say - as many have ridden more than me and in more varying conditions but I have the ability to easily buy a wide variety of cycling clothing, so it's easy for me to say.

I was talking about the active shell vest but I would hazard a guess that the winter version is similarly excellent. I think smallfurry may have bought one?

Of course I'm open to listen but I will not put down money for clothing I can't try on. I can't try on Gore stuff here so it's a no-go for me. If I can find some and try it, then I will consider it alongside everything else I can find.

Active Shell is a bit funny, as with GoreTex in general. I find it never breathes as well as the advertising would have you think. Active Shell is probably the best of the range but is still clammy when working hard. I have a climbing shell made with Active Shell that I cycled in last summer through some very Japanese afternoon downpours and while it certainly kept the rain out, it sealed a lot of moisture in as well. No hard shell will let you escape that, in my experience. I hear VERY good things about Polartec NeoShell but I've yet to see cycling apparel made from that.

An Active Shell gilet sounds very strange. Why have all that protection from Gore's latest super-fabric if it has huge holes for your arms and doesn't cover them?

bah, ordered large red winter jersey bundle on the 28th dec. Got it first week in Jan, didn't fit so sent it back next day. Royal mail took their sweet time and now medium is sold out, even though when I processed the refund online, medium red winter jerseys were in stock and are still showing as "low".

Hopefully I can get a black instead.

edit: They sent me a voucher for £144, this isn't enough for a replacement so I suggested sending me a black. Got back to me in less than 30mins. Great service, again.

Just been chatting to the guys packing up the team kit in the downstairs of our office.

They declined to sign me up to the pro team, despite my obvious racing pedigree. :'(

bah, ordered large red winter jersey bundle on the 28th dec. Got it first week in Jan, didn't fit so sent it back next day. Royal mail took their sweet time and now medium is sold out, even though when I processed the refund online, medium red winter jerseys were in stock and are still showing as "low".

Hopefully I can get a black instead.

edit: They sent me a voucher for £144, this isn't enough for a replacement so I suggested sending me a black. Got back to me in less than 30mins. Great service, again.

Returns are free so why not just buy two different sizes of the item you want and return one?

They obviously expect this to happen because there's an option for it in the returns drop down menu.

mavic gilets are also very good. not sure if available in japan though

Just been chatting to the guys packing up the team kit in the downstairs of our office.

They declined to sign me up to the pro team, despite my obvious racing pedigree. :'(

Careful what you say, mate. Don't want to find you poisoned and folded up inside the race bag.

I think I'm safe this time - now it's all out in the open.

I'm going to make a replica suitcase - so whenever I show up to the airport, people think I'm a pro.

Although my Hi-5 mix did taste a little 'odd' earlier - I just assumed i'd made it up wrong...

rocks back on chair. Keels over

Mine is a soft-shell. Very lightweight.

Prendas are selling a Craft hi viz gilet for 20 quid that looks pretty good.

Cheers - I'll take a look at it.

I think the hard shell is the one that's won all the review's so I'll prob just have to try them on and see. I prefer the idea of a soft shell for a bit more comfort and mobility.

mavic gilets are also very good. not sure if available in japan though

Not wanting to stereotype (but I will) I'd expect Mavic sizing to go down well in Jpn. IME it's another size down from Italian sizing.

I can get some Mavic stuff here but I've yet to see a gilet by them. I tried on a winter softshell that I absolutely loved, except the pockets were absolute guff (absurdly tiny).

Have you been to Y's Road? They had some decent gear when I was in there Shibuya store last week. Is there a Y's Road in Kyoto?

Cheers - I'll take a look at it.

I think the hard shell is the one that's won all the review's so I'll prob just have to try them on and see. I prefer the idea of a soft shell for a bit more comfort and mobility.

Not wanting to stereotype (but I will) I'd expect Mavic sizing to go down well in Jpn. IME it's another size down from Italian sizing.

i think thats because for some reason they go with international sizing so an int L is a uk M. i got a mavic espoir for 25 quid from bike-discount.de (cheers DJ) and its been fantastic so far. up until i got knocked off i was riding with arm warmers, gilet, and short sleeve rapha base layer and was toasty warm even when it was feckin freezing

Returns are free so why not just buy two different sizes of the item you want and return one?

They obviously expect this to happen because there's an option for it in the returns drop down menu.

I'd suggest this to anyone now, who isn't sure of sizing.

I didn't bother as a medium is meant to fit up to 99cm and I'm 101cm chest. So large seemed the only option.

^All good if cash flow isn't an issue, and you can be fucked to return unwanted items.

^All good if cash flow isn't an issue, and you can be fucked to return unwanted items.

You really shouldn't be buying Rapha if cash flow is an issue. It certainly wouldn't high on my priorities.

ftfy!

Have you been to Y's Road? They had some decent gear when I was in there Shibuya store last week. Is there a Y's Road in Kyoto?

I think there's one in Osaka (not so far away), although I haven't been yet.

Anyone bought a pro baselayer at all? I'm a little concerned about how "race tight" they are.

I'm an easy medium in most of their kit, even the lightweight jerseys - how snug is the pro kit relative to regular?

My Medium Pro Team Jacket is pretty much the same cut as my medium cross jersey.

^^ i bought the string vest type one in a moment of madness. im an M in the standard base layer but needed an XL pro team