Home of the Winter Cyclist
And Other Crazy People.
|
And Other Crazy People. |
|
ICEBIKE Tights!!
|
Fahren
|
Centi
|
|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Buffalo Mountain Shirt
A novel solution to cold/wet weather has been developed in the UK by a company called Buffalo.
The Buffalo system (and its imitators) is based on a pile inner with a pertex nylon microfibre outer.
Pile is a tougher, higher-performance insulator than fleece, which can best be described as a fluffy nylon carpet. The reverse side of pile (beneath the pertex shell) is quite rough and not so "sellable" in the shop, which accounts for the rarity of pile only jackets. The twin layer garment is worn next to the skin (fluffy side innermost).
The theory goes like this:
Thermal control is achieved by using the full length side-zips and neck zip. Sweat is wicked away through the pile, and into the pertex, where it will quickly evaporate. Rain will be wicked over the pertex and evaporate. Heavy rain will soak through, but the pile does not absorb water, and its thermal qualities are unaffected.
You can squeeze a pile/fleece more or less dry, and any residual dampness will be driven off after 5mins exercise.
My P+P jacket is grossly oversized, and I only use it on cold days for low-intensity cycling like shopping trips. It comes into its own on cold evenings cycling home after a night of dancing in a sweaty disco. I ditch the sweat covered T-shirt, don the P+P jacket and head out into a freezing night. Within 30 seconds I am pretty cozy, and a sharp hill climb will get me warm.
P+P is rated as professional gear and used by the military and mountain rescue units in Scotland.
Buffalo make a standard pullover, a cycle specific shirt with heavyweight pertex and lightweight pile, and a professional version (heavyweight everything). These shirts don't weigh much and cost about £90 (roughly $150). They last for ever, don't cost too much, and they work.
You don't need to develop Gore-Tex paranoia around smokers and those nice old ladies with charity tins and lapel badges. You can repair any damage yourself with no loss in performance.
Very difficult to find in North America, you can order Buffalo products from NeedleSports, they reportedly will ship anywhere.
Review by Michael Wolf