Wow. That’s a shame. The idea behind is pretty rad, but I guess if it doesn’t work…
They have this jacket at Smith Street Nike, $220 I believe the price was.
I would serously consider looking at either the Cannondale Morphis or Gore Phantom Jackets. Both are fluoro yellow with reflective patches/piping but both have styling that looks half decent.
From my experience as both a cyclist and motorist, I would strongly recommend a fluoro jacket if you plan on riding on 60 - 80kph main roads in wet weather. The floro is so much more visible in bad light than just reflective material.
Why the high viz Steph? Your lighting system both front and back on your commuter can cause permanent eye damage!
That navy rapha jacket would look nice haha
The rapha rain jacket is most likely wank as it’s more stylish then functional. Rapha’s definition of waterproof is more then likely based on an epic through a 5 minute shower. Under heavy rain the ‘waterproof’ shoulders on there bomber jacket feel damp on the underside.
I still love it as in more waterproof then my hoodies and hella stylish and I love a bit of wank, yeah? But for riding when I don’t want to get wet I’ll stick to my Ground Effect Stormtropper which is, actually waterproof. Sorry the jacket has refelective strips but the material doesn’t light up like magical unicorn semen fluid.
*note - never bought the bomber jacket to ride in, just to look good in.
Hahah most likely…
Truth is water proof fabric and cycling don’t play well together…
There is no fabric in the world that can keep water out while yOu push up a hill while using 85% of your heart rate capacity.
You wana be wet from sweat or the rain. l
I try to keep warm… If you wana stay dry stay out of the rain 
One of the most epic days out riding I’ve ever had was the RNP in the pouring rain… Wasn’t very cold. Had a Killer day pushed soo hard in conditions so crazy you can’t even imagine.
I was warm… Nothing in the world would have keep
Any of us dry in that rain and pushing that hard…
Haha I don’t have to worry about commuting to work though. And that’s a different thing all together…
You’ll get that damp feeling in any jacket if you’re out in the rain long enough for the scotchguard coating to fail (where the water no longer beads on the surface) - once the outer fabric gets saturated, any breatheable fabric will get condensation on the inside of the fabric, esp. in warmer tempertures (ie Sydney). It doesn’t mean its leaking. I know from years of hiking (or tramping, as they say) in New Zealand, and years of working in outdoors stores selling the stuff. My Goretexs do it and they are definately waterproof.
And yeah, Ground Effect gear is good gear. Not quite as swish as the American stuff tho’.
EDIT: I think I’ll get a Gore Phantom for my next jacket. I like the removeable sleeves.
Yeah I’m aware of that, i’ve done a few years of retail work between two camping stores. It definatly wet through in the heavy rain sydney had a few months ago (I thought I was safe).
The gore stuff always seems to be a cut above. Any reason for the phantom over the oxygen active?
i don’t like my jackets to think about themselves too much, personally.
The rear pockets and removable sleaves, but I just realised that the Oxygen is Goretex and the Phantom is Windstopper Softshell (not waterproof). So yeah, scrap that, the Oxygen is actually the one I’d get after all.
I agree and I have a good fluoro… I just thought that nike vapor looked pretty rad in the vids/pics… it is seriously bright. Reflective is better than fluoro at night. Apparantely plain white is seen from further away than fluoro. But reflective is seen from several times further away than white.
Why high viz? Shit like this: http://www.fixed.org.au/forums/f21/cyclist-killed-james-st-23237/#post419824
I can only hope my lighting system is burning retinas.
Stop being so selfish, jackets have feelings too.
It’s called “passion” when it’s overpriced bullshit.
Get an opinion or GTFO
In all seriousness reflective doesn’t do squat at the worst times for visibility - dawn, dusk & in the rain. If you want to be seen at those times, put aside your hipster pride - get hi-vis and get lit up.
Drivers still won’t see you.
ftfy
To be honest, that kind of attitude is really boring and stupid. I can tell you now, if you Hi-Vis and light up, you are far more likely to be seen. FACT.
You know how many dumb hipsters I (almost don’t) see when driving at night in my neighbourhood (East Brunswick/Thornbury). They ride around wearing dark clothes and single LED binkers or no lights at all. Honestly they must have death wish. Fucktards.
that was me.
Oh yeah… I thought you looked familiar!
Word !!
Unfortunately the onus is upon us as we come off second best in the event a driver doesn’t see us. Hi-Vis, reflective materials/stickers, lights … it all helps. I cannot tell you how many driver’s say “I didn’t see him/her”. Nothing cool about being in a wheelchair or 6 feet under.
This, but in Richmond, especially Victoria St. If a driver yells, “Get some lights you fucking idiot”. Just give me a wave.
I have a hi viz, reflective vest I picked up for $2 in an op shop. One of those ones that road workers use at night and it lights up like all fuck. If the visibility is bad I chuck that on over top of my backpack. I’d rather be alive quite frankly.