Showers Pass
11-02-18, 08:53 PM
#26
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.... Anyone have any insight into a good pair of pants that will keep your legs dry, but that dont make you look like an astronaut or some type of safety worker and wont break the bank? I'm not averse to spending up to $100 USD but not without some information first......
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11-03-18, 05:45 AM
#27
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Last edited by rumrunn6; 11-03-18 at 10:59 AM.
11-03-18, 09:56 PM
#29
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Black is less visible, but most of my commute is off-road, and I figured black would provide an extra bit of warmth in the winter from the sun. Plus I run lights day and night, so I’m visible enough. I have a hi-viz Performance rain jacket for warm weather if riding on the road.
11-03-18, 10:04 PM
#30
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Good choice.
Did a Showers Pass Transit jacket, a few years back. Great investment. Wonderfully long pit zips, back vent, tall neck area, very waterproof. Wish it could be a tad lighter/thinner and more breathable, but then I've yet to get soaked while wearing the thing ... and that's far more than I can say about any other "waterproof" clothing I have ever owned.
Nice gear.
I'll bet that the Elite jacket is pretty sweet.
Did a Showers Pass Transit jacket, a few years back. Great investment. Wonderfully long pit zips, back vent, tall neck area, very waterproof. Wish it could be a tad lighter/thinner and more breathable, but then I've yet to get soaked while wearing the thing ... and that's far more than I can say about any other "waterproof" clothing I have ever owned.
Nice gear.
I'll bet that the Elite jacket is pretty sweet.
11-03-18, 10:47 PM
#31
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But, you're right, it's a bit loose of a fit for warmer weather. Wish it had the thumbholes on the wrist area, to allow for opening up the straps for airflow but still allowing the cuff to stay in place. Wish it had a couple of chest area vents. And wish it weren't quite so heavy/stiff on the material. Though, as-is it's still a wonderful jacket. Great value.
11-03-18, 11:44 PM
#32
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Excuse me if I start sounding crotchety, but this kind of focus on the breathability of a jacket's fabric reminds me of the endless debate on which material makes a better bicycle. After a manufacturer gets through waving a material specification around, there's still the matter of designing and building the darn thing. Some jackets feel like sheets of rubber, or plastic wrap, against your body. In a cool (not cold) light shower, the rider gets to choose whether they're going to get soaked from rain or from sweat. Euch. Some manufacturers take a nice fabric, add thoughtful features like two-way zippers, adjustable sleeve cuffs, pit vents, etc., and make a jacket that's comfortable to wear and which seems to minimize rider dampness at the end of the ride. Or perhaps the design goal is something that will block the wind on a brisk ride in low humidity to prevent evaporative cooling leading to hypothermia. It seems difficult to meet both design goals with a single jacket, unfortunately.
For the record, I think the best bike frame material is the one a knowledgeable and skilled designer uses to make a great bike.
For the record, I think the best bike frame material is the one a knowledgeable and skilled designer uses to make a great bike.
Showers Pass jackets work really well as jackets for riding. They are designed and made by people who ride year 'round wearing them and it shows. (They also incorporate a feature I consider a must - a double zipper. I nearly always start the bottom and climb hills with the zippers meeting and sleeves pushed up.)
(For frame materials - I love the ti ride and ride two ti customs but I trust the builder to spec the right tubes for the job. I don't say it has to this tube, this alloy. Or go to another builder because he uses this tube.)
Ben
11-04-18, 10:18 AM
#33
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I bought the Elite 6 years ago. Used it for 2 car-free years in Buffalo NY. Love it! Still use it here in the northern AZ mountains, but not as often (warmer and drier here).
11-05-18, 04:50 PM
#34
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I have the Shower Pass Elite 2.1 also and it worked for a while but now I use it more as winter wind breaker than anything else as it stopped working long time ago. Thanks to the tips on here I am currently washing it with Nikwax Tech Wash and if that doesn't help, I will try the TX.Direct Wash. Thanks for the tips!
11-07-18, 08:16 AM
#35
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Like the "drink before you are thirsty" mantra, take care of your jacket before it starts to lose waterproofness.
After losing a beloved jacket to an early death from sweat, oils, and salt coating the inside of the jacket, I now rinse my jacket in the shower, inside-out, with water only. I am in my third season and it is still like new in terms of water proofness. My other jacket was shot after the third season.
After losing a beloved jacket to an early death from sweat, oils, and salt coating the inside of the jacket, I now rinse my jacket in the shower, inside-out, with water only. I am in my third season and it is still like new in terms of water proofness. My other jacket was shot after the third season.
11-07-18, 02:58 PM
#36
Virgo
IME people spend more time talking about their rain gear than they spend riding in the rain.
11-07-18, 04:45 PM
#37
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3. I'm not so sure. A couple of 45 minute rainy commutes this week (fairly common in the winter) covers a lot of time surfing and posting to BF.
11-12-18, 10:41 PM
#39
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First rain ride tonight. The jacket was great at 42F and light to moderate rain. Forgot to bring rain pants. However the PI AmFIB tights kept my legs somewhat dry, and more importantly, warm. I usually dread riding in cold rain, and would still drive to work if it was raining in the morning or heavy rain was expected for the ride home, but this opens up marginal days for bike commuting.
11-12-18, 11:56 PM
#40
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Ben
11-13-18, 09:32 AM
#41
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I wore my Showers Pass jacket today. It worked, but I got hot. No big complaints. I wear this jacket as infrequently as possible.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
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“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
11-13-18, 01:46 PM
#42
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A frustrating experience with a SP hi viz vest. Returned it because the zipper came apart. Got an email yesterday that they can't fix the zipper, and later in the email they referred me to a repair place that fixes zippers. Odd, so I asked about it. Response to my question was that it would cost them too much to replace the zipper, but I could have it replaced if I so chose. They said they will send the vest back to me so I can return it to REI for a refund. I've worked in and I've been around the outdoor industry since the early '80s. In industry parlance, this is is a "sh*tty" warranty. There are many reputable companies making outdoor wear. I no longer count SP among them.
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Don't complain about the weather and cower in fear. It's all good weather. Just different.
Don't complain about the weather and cower in fear. It's all good weather. Just different.
