derek guy
About fifteen years ago, Timothy Everest made what I think was the perfect cycling jacket for guys who like classic men's style. The project was done in collaboration with the bicycle saddle manufacturer Brooks England. Stylistically, the jacket looked like a hybrid of a classic English motorcycling jacket (e.g. Belstaff) and an American military jungle jacket. It also featured a bunch of neat details, such as a hidden key fob, storm flap, and reflective piping. The jacket was made from Ventile, a water-resistant stealth fabric used during the Second World War. Ventile is interesting because it's more breathable than waxed or bonded cotton, but when wet, the fibers swell up and prevent moisture from penetrating. Useful for cycling, I think. I've attached a video below where Timothy Everest explains the jacket's features. Unfortunately, since the jacket was made over fifteen years ago, it can be hard to find today (although one sits in my own wardrobe). I bring it up because you'll notice that not all the details are invented from whole cloth. Everest, a Welsh tailor who worked alongside the late, great Tommy Nutter on Savile Row during the 1980s, borrowed much from traditional English tailoring. As I've mentioned in other threads, English tailoring used to be bifurcated between city and country dress. In the city, men wore dark worsted suits with white shirts, silk ties, and black oxfords. But when engaging in sport in the countryside, they often wore sporting clothes made from heftier tweeds. These jackets were often designed so the wearer could quickly raise their arms and point a gun at clay or game. That meant the jacket needed to have high armholes and an action back, a tailoring term for when the jacket has an extra fold near the back of the armhole. This allows the wearer to fully extend both arms without feeling any tension on their back. I imagine this sort of detail might be useful if you're cycling. Since the British countryside can get cold, these jackets also included storm cuffs, which are ribbed woolen cuffs hidden underneath the sleeve. This way, when you raise your arms, cold wind doesn't blow through your sleeve. You can find these details today on Barbour jackets. The Bedale, in particular, has ribbed storm cuffs, while the longer Beaufort has a more rudimentary Velcro fastening design. IMO, the first may be more useful for riding, although Barbour jackets famously have short sleeves, so you may need to send yours into the company to have them extended (a service they provide). Alternatively, you can check out other clothiers, such as Cordings of Piccadilly, Campbells of Beauly, Grenfell, Private White VC, or House of Bruar (their tweed shooting jacket is in the second slide). I particularly like Chrysalis, an English outerwear producer that's carried at reputable US shops such as J. Press and O'Connell's. Although I like them better in the less rustic fabrics. In the third slide, you can see a jacket they made for Foggy & Sunny in Toyoma, Japan. These options can sometimes feel a bit too "English gentleman." I think you can modernize them a bit by styling them in less old-fashioned and rustic ways. But if you want something a little more modern, Japanese designer Tokihito Yoshida did a collaboration with Barbour about fifteen years ago. The resulting line included at least two cycling jackets, one of which is included in the fourth and final slide. I don't remember if these have storm cuffs, but they had a slightly longer back so that your butt doesn't get wet when it rains. You can still find them today on eBay UK. On eBay, search for "Barbour To Ki To." I also like the Japanese company Pedaled, which specializes in cycling clothes. Their styles are much more modern than the options mentioned above, but they are typically made from thin technical shells and may not suit a colder climate. Overall, I don't have specific recommendations, but I hope the details above help you consider what may be useful for your particular situation. A friend of mine is developing an outerwear line for driving cars. Some of the jackets will include sleeves with turnback cuffs, which will allow the wearer to adjust the sleeves based on their arm position. I think that line will debut next year. Perhaps some of the designs will be useful for cyclists. A duffle coat would not be suitable for riding, as the extra long length will get dirty from your wheels.
Dagfinn Gundson
@dieworkwear Hi Derek, I've been thinking about the duffle coat for some time but I usually bike to work. Since I live in a cold climate, I have found that most coats tend to have sleeves that are too short to properly cover my wrists when I'mon the bike. Do you have any suggestions?
