Here鈥檚 my dilemma: I want to be seen when I鈥檓 on my commuter bike, but I鈥檝e always been too vain to wear one of those bright-green work vests or jerseys. Thankfully, I just came across Rapha鈥檚 new , which solves all my problems.
The jacket, which is part of Rapha鈥檚 commuter collection, comes in a variety of bright colors, including hot pink. While pink might be too much for some riders, I love its boldness for both fashion and safety reasons. It鈥檚 not often you see someone riding in a jacket that鈥檚 the color of the , so I should be able to get drivers鈥 attention right away.
Primarily intended as a waterproof rain layer, the piece comes with sealed seams, so there won鈥檛 be any leakage in a downpour or snowstorm. It鈥檚 also totally windproof and cut more generously than a regular bike jacket, so I can wear it as an outer layer over a sweater on really cold winter days.
In the back, the jacket鈥檚 tail is extra long to protect your butt on wet commutes. That tail also has reflective dots that stick out below your backpack and alert drivers in the dark. If pink is too much, the jacket also comes in bright orange and green, as well as black, if you don鈥檛 care as much about being seen.
Those of you who are familiar with Rapha will know that the brand鈥檚 kit can be expensive. Thankfully, the company dropped the price on this piece to a more reasonable $135, making it approachable for the rest of us. Here鈥檚 to safe riding.