Custom Bike Jacket - Barbour

Hey hey,

I have got my hands on a Barbour Bedale Jacket, one of those green waxed babies for the cuntry set.

I want to take it to a tailor and see if I can get them to make me a custom, one off cycling jacket from it.

It has to be waterproof and work well on my bike, I also have to be able to wear it when I get off.

The question is what features of your current jacket do you really value and what features do you think I can get someone to incorporate into this.

Cheers folks.

see if they can tailor the smell out of it

Yeah fuck, fairy liquid hasn't got the honk off my hand yet.

Im hoping the strange aroma will help me pull one of those public school types in wellies and jack wills with backcombed hair and a comedy overbite.

Breathability, something a Waxed Jacket fundamentally lacks.

Sorry to piss on your cornflakes, but you will sweat to death at anything over walking pace.

Breathability, something a Waxed Jacket fundamentally lacks.

Sorry to piss on your cornflakes, but you will sweat to death at anything over walking pace.

At least the pungancy of stale sweat might overpower the ming of waxed cotton.

Zipped armpits? Might as well carry a wet dog round with you to blame the stench on

I've got a waxed jacket which I treated with Nikwax - it doesn't smell at all. Mind you, I did have to wash it a few times to get the old wax smell out. I inherited it so I didn't mind throwing it in the washing machine - it hasn't done it any harm.

It's not breathable so you'll need a lot of vents.

Barbour already did a "cycle" jacket

http://www.triads.co.uk/triads-i-c1/outerwear-c30/barbour-ltd-edition-x-to-ki-to-wax-bicycle-jacket-p53509

Or you could get the Swrve version

http://www.urbanhunter.biz/acatalog/Swrve_Wax_Riding_Jacket_.html

Barbour already did a "cycle" jacket

http://www.triads.co.uk/triads-i-c1/outerwear-c30/barbour-ltd-edition-x-to-ki-to-wax-bicycle-jacket-p53509

I have one of these in tweed, they are brilliant.

This jacket is old and used and I got it for nothing and there is no way I am going to wear it as a normal waxed jacket so I figured I might as well do something useful with it.

The attraction in this is the "repurposing / recycling" aspect, if you'll excuse the pun. It'll also be one of a kind.

I love my Swrve...

Anyone know anything about tailors. Can I just call into tailors and explain my ideas?

I would go to David Saxby in Fulham and explain what you want to do - he is as experienced as anyone with country/hunting wear, and is an amazing tailor. He also likes bikes and goes on the Tweed run.

He will quite happily have a chat with you

http://www.davidsaxby.co.uk/

Sweet.

Thanks very much, I did google a whole lot of key words in an attempt to find someone that might be suitable. I'll tell him you sent me.

Although in honesty, you will probably end up having to spend a lot of money on adapting the jacket to make it anywhere near suitable as a cycling jacket.
It's a nice thought and everything - but you'd be better doing something else with it, that it would be more suited to. Ive seen them re-lined/different buttons and toggles and finishes..

best of luck though.

Yeah this is true, I am happy to drop a ton on it as I think a decent jacket I can wear off my bike would cost about that and then there is a little premium for it being a one off. If its more than that I'll charity shop it. I'd look like a twat in it as it is but it was free so no loss.

Any reputable tailor will tell you to fuck off as a Barbour is for life, not just for attempting to look 'cuntry'. Nothing annoys me more than Essex wide boys and perm tan slags wearing quilted Barbours mixed with a Carphone Warehouse ensemble and a fucked up Johhny Bravo haircut. If you're not man enough to wear a WAXED Barbour (preferably at least a second generation hand-me-down) and embrace the musty stench, then quite frankly you should consider other options; like a skirt, or some of those fucked up One Direction chinos with crap catcher elastic bottoms. What the fuck are they all about??

As mentioned previously in this thread, by the time you take it to pieces only to cut it up and sew it together again the cost would be relatively astronomical compared to just having a bespoke one made to begin with. Go bespoke. You'll love the experience of walking into a tailor and saying "Listen motherfucker, make me THIS for THIS much cash, capiche?"

Just don't wear it near me and my Barbour wearing cuntry friends, we can spot your sort a mile off.

Oh, and if you want that 'biker' look the easy option would be to for a Belstaff. Just don't get one of those 'Steve McQueen Stars and Stripes lined bike jacket' monstrosities that Barbour now offer. What the fuck is going on in their design department. Keep it British or die if I'm honest.

Me and my Barbour wearing cuntry friends.

What the fuck is going on in their design department.

I think they might be trying to distance themselves from your lot.

Breathability, something a Waxed Jacket fundamentally lacks.

Sorry to piss on your cornflakes, but you will sweat to death at anything over walking pace.

Good point, I thought that because in its current state its really big around the middle so I have material spare to cut in some zippered vents under the arm pits and down the sides with some sort of mesh underneath.

I cant see why it wouldn't work but I am probably taking too simplistic a view.

As there seem to be lots of Barbour fan-boys here can someone tell me what the difference is between a Barbour and a Barbour-like waxed cotton jacket?

The reasons I ask, are it's not made out of anything special is it? Like a high quality down, or goretex? In fact my understanding is that it's almost the opposite. So it's not material. Also my mum bought me one 16 years ago, and it still gets used for gardening activities in the winter and is still in one piece...

...so is it just name? or are there really cleaver design features? or lots of options for customisation?

i'm seeing tweed and barbour *everywhere *lately. i was wondering how much the tweed run has influenced this trend in more mainstream fashion. my missus said "nah tweed's just having a bit of a moment" but i'm not sure. i really think it's had a big impact.

oh teddy.

Or you could get the Swrve version

http://www.urbanhunter.biz/acatalog/Swrve_Wax_Riding_Jacket_.html

Tasty*

*the jacket, not the geezer

Its just a waxed jacket brand. Nothing more.

In the same way Nike make trainers as cheap as possible then sell them as a premuim brand

Barbour do the same with waxed jackets.

Cool.

I just wondered if they were what Rapha is to cyclists rather than... umm what Nike is to a looter... I guess.