Rapha, nice but a bit pricey?

Is the transfer jacket fine for wearing off the bike? Really want it but doubt i'd ever wear it riding, it looks too hot.

Yep, definitely more off-bike, unless it's a quick city hop or -15º. Great warmth to weight, conveniently stowable, great for travelling.

I'd sooner wear a Uniqlo packable coat. Transfer jacket is a weird cut for not being on the bike

nice to have something bike specific when it really is cold enough to ride in it though

Is it cut high at the front? Cant quite tell from the photos.

This very much.

Be interesting to see how small it can pack down compare to my uniqlo.

sorry, I'll correct that; shoulders/sleeves are cut for on-bike fit, with the fabric stretch giving a wider range of movement. Warmth is great if you're on rollers warming up for Cross, nipping across town, or prepping a bike outside at this time of year, but not suitable for rides of 1hr+ unless zero and well below.

Gooz, front zip is not cut short (like Pro Team), and the fit/cut is perfectly suitable to wear in ped mode, no problem. Personally I find Uniqlo uppers boxy(?) and short, the Transfer jacket is great for me off-bike.

Ed, no idea how it compares to other packable synthetic down, but it was never to be superlight backpack/climbing kit. The Primaloft One is the lightest warmth to weight/volume synthetic down, but there's a lot of additional detail and function included over minimal insulation jackets. Plus, it makes a nice pillow when stowed.

Thanks for the clarification. Ordered. Now to sell some other coats!

I got an Arc'teryx atom jacket. So Polartec material. I had a unqlo jacket too. But the polartec is centuries ahead in quality. It's a MUCH better jacket. I live in mine now.

atom is best jacket ever, although I find mine too hot for riding most of the time

Uniqlo offer synthetic down jackets? Bit leery of cheap natural down after reading this:

http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2014/aug/27/goose-feather-down-live-pluck-outerwear-clothing-north-face-patagonia

Transfer uses Primaloft synthetic (IIRC)

Very detailed info! I guess you work for rapha?

Their feathers are “live-plucked”, which activists say causes “bloody wounds as the animals shriek in terror”.

Fucking hell. I had no idea.

Woah y

Woah, you mean any down filled product is made this way?

#notalldownfilledproduct

It's not just down, but also leather, some animal were skinned alive to create fake Ugg boots.

Angora rabbits have a horrific time of it too.

What about the lobsters that are boiled alive to make winter gloves?

Sealskinz have a lot to answer for...

There's a second hand quote in a review of an ultralite down jacket from uniqlo that suggests they don't use live-plucked down. However there is not one word about it on the uniqlo website, and it's certainly a long, long way from Patagonia's comprehensive policy. Just thought I'd mention it since the uniqlo stuff always gets brought up in context of the Rapha Transfer jacket despite being quite different (natual vs synthetic).

Welcome to cruelty against animals. There's a lot more of that if you care to find out.

I'm just a touch butt hurt right now lol. Bought the deep winter overshoes two weeks ago. Used twice.

The soft shell material where it joins a taped seam is ripping apart. The next time I try to fit it over my shoes it will for sure rip a 3-4 inch long gash along the seam.

I wear size 42 sidi and bought medium overshoes. My neoprene ones have lasted two solid seasons and still running strong.

Real disappointed these deep winters lasted a whole 2 weeks before it started ripping.

And nope I didn't force it on at any point. I'm pretty careful with my raffa gear. Not my first rodeo... sigh

I got the transfer jacket a couple of weeks back when the temp really dropped. It is really nice and for its weight is unbelievably warm and snug.

I have been using it as my daily jacket on my commute with nothing but a standard rapha base layer underneath. The journey is 11 miles (mostly flat but an single speed) and by about mile 6/7 I normally have to undo it as running warm. On a chillier day (yesterday!) it is perfect.

It's probably overkill but I hate being cold at the start of my ride. It also dries off in a matter of minutes meaning it's always dry for the return leg!!

I'd buy it again in a heartbeat (or the vulpine one which is very similar)

Do you know if the rapha down is traceable?

It's traceable to a factory. It's synthetic.