RubeRad

Some people just don't care about going fast.

I used to sometimes try to motivate myself to ride harder and faster, every effort petered out after a week or two. Now I know I'm happy to plod along at a comfortable pace and be outdoors getting moderate exercise, rather than losing money in a car by burning gas and increasing wear.

This has translated to my driving too, my wife is constantly annoyed that I 'get stuck' behind slow drivers and never think to pass them.

I guess I'm an old man now. Get off my lawn.

acidfast7

Well. I'm taking a kid on the front. So no I don't care about going fast

2_i 

I used my Magic Parka today for the first time too today and it worked great. I did sweat a bit, though, but I must say that I was on the edge taking it along as it seemed a bit warm for the Parka. In any case, its strength seems to be in the adaptability to the conditions. With few gestures you can turn it into a rain cape extending up to handlebars and covering helmet. Else you can make it work as long coat or nearly like a sort jacket with its two-way zippers that can work over different lengths. The cloth is quite light in practical operation, without hampering the movements. You can adjust heat retention, though not quite breathability. There are reflective elements within the Parka that you can make visible or cover up if you want it look more like a regular attire.

In the past over 2/3 of year I would you use a coat supplemented by a rain cape and helmet cover. It seems that now all of this will get replaced by the single Parka.

2_i 

I have been riding in the Tucano Urbano Magic Parka for 2 weeks now or so and I must say that it is the best piece of cycling attire I ever encountered. Its greatest strength is in its versatility. With small adjustments, mostly moving zippers while riding, you can allow for more air flowing through, turn it into a rain cape, put on the incorporated gloves or half-gloves etc. I am still in the process of discovering its hidden secrets. Its reflective elements can be made to show or hide. For winter there is a liner you attach from the inner you attach to the Parka or put on like a jacket. The Parka's disadvantages are price and the fact that they do not ship to US. Ahead of a trip to Europe, I had it shipped to my destination there and had to pay VAT - it was 245 euro altogether including shipping. Given what the Parka provides, my misgivings regarding the price slowly evaporate and my wife is more and more inclined to get one for herself - good sign that there was rationality in the purchase decision. The photos illustrate some of the Parka's features.

acidfast7

I feel the same way about my jacket ... getting a lot of use recently out of it.

250€-300€ is about right for any piece of technical sport clothing that can be worn in public without one looking like a super athlete.

I didn't but the inner liner as it rarely gets below 0C/32F in the southern UK but it rains like a mofo.

My jacket is an absolute showstopper. I get a huge amount of complements on it ranging from uni students up through older people (50+). Looks great unzipped, looks great zipped up (6'2"/188cm, 80kg/176# and slim build ... shaved heard / nordic beard that's red/black/grey). Was in Copenhagen speaking to a few designers while shopping and they were quite excited by the rear detail and the specs of the fabric

The windpoofing is great as we're seaside here and it's very windy off the North Atlantic.

10/5 material which is very solid for the material while maintaining fashion sense.

I'll probably get a lot of gentleman compliments (40+ here) while mingling with the young mums (20-25) dropping the new kiddo at the multilingual day care

https://www.rain-couture.nl/us/rain-...nch-green.html

it's their first attempt at a men's coat:






Also, the material is phenom.

KraneXL

It look like something you could get away with for light commuting. But its definitely not a cycling specific jacket.

acidfast7

It's def an ideal European commuting cycling jacket. Double zip in the front. Split in the rear. Have no problem cycling at a high cadence on my FGSS when it's fully zipped. Probably better technical fabric/material than what most people use on this forum (people are free to post the breathabaility ratings from their gear if they want to compete ... hot and uncomfortable ... hardly). Can transfer from bicycle/office along with standard clothes even in heavy rains.

Honestly, it's superb nad if you commute in your regular clothes like most of us do over here, you'd be hard-pressed to beat it.

BobbyG

Since fashioning a rain cape out of a plastic poncho, I have been intrigued with rain capes. The Magic Parka seems like a stylish solution for cold, wet cycling to a professional, office environment. I just look like an orange trash bag blew onto me.

2_i 

Till now I used a rain cape that I threw over a coat when it started dripping. However it is a relief with the Parka when you do not need to stop, search your luggage for the cape, take off the helmet etc. You just move the zippers and, if it stops dripping, you move them back .

KraneXL

No denigration intended. I'm sure its good for what its good for.

2_i 

Let us hope that the availability of such practical clothes for commuters continues. At times there is a tide of commercial products that then disappears possibly due to lack of sufficient demand.

My wife looked critically at the women's version of Parka, deciding that she far favored a freedom of movement on a bike over an emphasized waistline and opting for the eventual men's version.

acidfast7

We'll it is a commuting-specific jacket. No different Levi's commuting denim that you guys get stateside. It's not denigration; it's a demand to back up your commentary with metrics.

acidfast7

I don't think there's a huge difference in men's/women's sizing in Holland. Ther style is slightly different, but I would say that fashion in general is quite blurred as the body-types aren't so different.