Riding to work on one of the ę¾³ę“²å¹øčæ5å¼å„å®ē½åØēŗæę„čÆ¢å¼å„ē»ę:best commuter bikes instead of driving can be hugely rewarding. Not only do you save money on fuel, parking, and poātentially a lot more if you ditch the car entirely, but you get bonus health benefits too. In the winter though it can be a pretty miserable affair, but it doesn't have to be.
Luckily for you, I spend a lot of time riding to and from the office, ašs well as around town, to friends... I don't have a car, so every journey is a chance to find out what works and what doesn't.
Sturdy, protš»ective, dependable, and with a visual package that works as well around town as it does on the bike. Pit vents help keep the temperature down, and the colours are great too, even if my one is all black.
For the price this jacket packs a lot in. The colour selection is a lź§ittle reduced, but you still get a stowable hood, reflective tail, well sealed cuffs, a waterproof zip and a vented back. It's not the most breathable though, so don't hammer it too hard.
A product I was sceptical of and have come to use almoš¬st daily. A windproof exterior, and a front insulated inside with amazing Polartech Alpha, in a package that looks this good išs really hard to beat.
If you want š°to be seen then there isn't really anything that comes close to the Provisš§ Reflect360 Plus. It's not the most comfy, or the most breathable (despite hundreds of perforations), but you'll shine like a beacon.
A commute by bike encompasses many different demands. For some, itš's a smash fest and a normal road jacket suffices. For others it's a slower affair, or electrically assisted, so the same level of breathability isn't needed. Some will be riding only a short distance and will want to be able to step off the bike straight to their desk, so it has to look 'normal'. Some will only commute in dry weather, so don't need a waterproof at all. I've tried to cover all the bases, and I've tested more or less every one of these scenarios over the last few months.
Best Overall
(Image credit: Will Jones)
1. POC Motion Rain Jacket
Reasons to buy
+
Durable and protective
+
Looks good on and off the bike
+
The hood is snug under a helmet
Reasons to avoid
-
Main zip not waterproof
The POC Motion Rain Jacket is my pick for the best commuter cycling jacket. As usual for myšø pick of 'best overall' it takes the top spot because it does many things pretty well, rather than doing one thing exceptionally.
The main thing that endears me to it is its dependability; commuting is harderą½§ on jackets than normal riding. Backpacks rub, they get stuffed into bags, hung on handlebars in office bike stores, run over by swivel chairs, and generally misused. The face fabric of the Motion is thicker than you'll find on road waterproof jackets, and it really holds up toź¦” daily use.
If you're hunting Strava segments then you'll probably get a little warm, but for more normal commute effāorts it's spot on for breathability, and the pit perforations do help a little too. The fit is casual, without being too baggy, and POC always does a decent job of making the arms long enough. You can easily layer under it on a cold day, and it'll never look out of place if you head to to the pub after work for a drink.
I am šnot a mountain biker, but it certainly has the feel of a jacket that would work well on the trails too. There are no side pockets, which isn't a massive issue for commuting, and means if you are wearing a backpack with a waist belt or a hip pack, then the webbing isn't going to be pressing a zip into your hips.
My only real bugbear is that the main zip isn't waterproof. The internal storm flap, folded neatly to stop it ļæ½ą¦ļæ½catching in the zip, does keep water out, but it would be a pretty easy swap to make on the design room floor.
Sadly the colour palette for the Rapha Commuter jacket has reduced somewhat since my tester landed. I have a handsome red,ā and many other colours were available, but now it's only three. Two monochrome, and one highly visible pink option.
Regardless of the reduced colour options, this is to my mind the best budget commuter cycling jacket. For the price, you get a decently protective shell, which is the main thing. Iāt's not something I'd want to ride for hours in thš e rain in, but if you're only commuting for half an hour it's perfectly adequate. The cut is trim, but not anything approaching 'race' so you can throw it over your officewear, and the tail is long enough to keep your rear end dry, provided you're on a relatively upright machine and not a slammed road bike with classic drops on.
If you're only commuting rąµ²elatively infrequently, even more so in inclement weather, then you can probably get away with a cheaper jacket for those 'just in case' days, but for more frequent rides paying a little more is going to net you something more enjoyable to use. My main bugbears here are the zip (very sticky, though well waterproofed), and the lining, which is very clammy against bare skin.
While this isn't a 'jacket' in the truest sense, the Rapha Insulated Overshirt almost immediately became a warš¶drobe staple. ź¦ From the outside you wouldn't know it's a garment designed for cycling; it is simply a neat, well-tailored overshirt. The navy-only colour scheme, including all the finishing hardware, keeps things neat, but I would like to see some other colour options down the line.
The cuff poppers are neat, allowing you to seal more wind out, thoughš² the arms are a little short for me - Nearly every top I test has this issue though as I have long arms for my sizšØe.
If you arāØe after something you can throw on over a shirt to keep the chill at bay and walk straight into a meeting in, this is the one for you*
*šØI have no idea what your office dress codeš¤Ŗ is, so if you get written up then it's on you!
Most Visible
(Image credit: Will Jones)
4. Provis Reflect360 Plus
Reasons to buy
+
Extremely visible
+
Massive size range
Reasons to avoid
-
Clammy
-
Material rustles constantly
-
Baggy fit
If you've already begun your commuter journey, or come to think of iš³t if you drive in a place with plenty of cyclists, you've almost certainly already seen one of these. It's by far and away the most visible cycling jacket on the market, and in a segment of cycling where safety is a greater priority, this alone warrants its inclusion in this list.
As a jacket, it's not hugely pleasant to wear. The material rustles, the fit is baggy, and it's not all that breathable, but the times when I used it at night I did feel safer, which went a long way to offset the increased sweatiness. When any light souršce hits you, be that a bike light, the headlights of a car, or even bright street lighting, the all-over silver coating lights you up like a Christmas tree to all viewers. The reflectivity is created by loads of tiny beads - pictures don't do it justice I'm afraid.
The 'Plus' model is the one to go for rather than the standard. It's twice as waterproof (10,000mm vs 5,000mm), and more breathable too thanks Ü«to perforations in the š¦outer fabric.
One thing that is also worth applauding is the huge size range on offer. Cycling is oftentimes not inclusive to all bodies, especially at larger āØsize ranges. To offer a 5XL is commendable, and will undoubštedly help open active transport up to more people.
Warmest
(Image credit: Will Jones)
5. Rapha Explore Lightweight Down Jacket
Reasons to buy
+
Super warm
+
Well thought out down placement
+
Packs down small
Reasons to avoid
-
Can easily overheat
If you read the words 'explore', 'lightweight', and 'down', you'd be forgiven for assuming you've stumbled on a bikepacking-focused buyer's guide. This is, technically speaking, a jacket aimedź§ at those who take the #RoadLessTravelled and #PackLightTravelFar, but I have found it works brilliantly on my #Commute.
Often my commute is a tale of two very different rides - A frosty morning chill, and a more temperate afternoon spin home. For the cold starts, I find the Rapha Explore Lightweight Down Jacket to be the perfect thing to chuck on, especially if your commute is short enough that you neverš really get time to properly wašrm up.
All of this means it packs dš«own very small into its included stuff sack, meaning if you only use it on your morning commute it can very easily get chucked in your backpack for the homeward š§leg.
Finally, as with many of the jackets here, it looks great off the bike too, š °so if your dress code allows it's not going to mark you out as a cyclist as you discuss #Synergy and #MergersAndAcquisitions oveš°r the water cooler.
Best Wind Jacket
(Image credit: Will Jones)
6. POC Motion Wind Jacket
Reasons to buy
+
Good and stretchy
+
Slim, but not tight
+
Long in the arms
Reasons to avoid
-
No hood cinch
In much the same way as the Rapha down jacket in this list, the POC Motion Wind Jacket has really shone on days with cooler starts and warmer homeward journeys, just the overall temperature range is warmer. It dšoes a fantastic job of taking š °the chill off, without leaving you nearly as prone to overheating as if you threw on a waterproof shell.
It looks great, it's brilliantly stretchy which makes it extremely comfortable, and the fit is great too, especially if you're long in the arms liką·“e me; POC is great for us lanky types. The cuffs are also angled so more material covers the back of your hand. This makes more sense on a flat bar bike but also adds a slightly more techy aesthetic.
A double zip helps you access jersey pockets if it's going over 'proper' cycling kit, though I found it better for tempšerature adjustments. I find a little bit of undone top and bottom is far more preferable to a lot of undone from the top, which ends up creating a windsock effect.
Speaking of which, thā¦e hood is great under a helmet, but as it's a jacket you'll primarily use in the dry the hood could really do with a way to stow it away. In all honesty, I could do without it altogether, though I do like the way it looks from an aesthetic standpoint.
In terms of versatility, you could well use this on gravel rides as well as wandering around town, but for me, it works best both visuš ally and in terms of performance, with some cycling trousers for urban riding.
I'm sure many of you reading this are coming to cycling to work with a solid grounding in road riding. If you're looking for a jacket that will coveš¤Ŗr you for both the Mon-Fri commute to the office and keep you dry on the Sunday club run, then look no further.
You'll want to go for the highly visible option because it'āØd be daft to make yourself less visible if you're commuting regularly. This visibility, along with the durable feeling outer fabric, is why I gaveš„ this jacket the nod over many others. It's also frequently discounted, which certainly helps if you're prone to trashing your gear on commutes.
The waterproof rating is more than ample for rides of commute length, and it's certainly more breathable than many of its competitors. The fit is slim but isn't what you'd call race fit, so you cašn layer up underneath with normal clothes if the need arises.
My main issues were in the shoulders, which felt rather tight under the armpits (which will be less of an issue if you're not riding a very aero position), and the cuffs, which are elasticated butź¦ rather loose without gloves. This allows air up into the sleeves which can make you a bit more chilly.
Sš°o you work freelance in a hip co-working space, awash with hanging plants, speciality coffee, and organic networking interactions. You don't have a dress code and enjoy the music of Bruce Springsteen. Step right up; performance denim is here.
I've tried riding in a denim jacket before, a standard Levis one, and on anything but an upright bike it's a pain as the thick cotton doesn't stretch in the shoulders. This model from Duer, the Stay Dry Denim Jacket, has ample built-in stretch and so is significantly more pleasant to ride with, especially if you've got an aggressive šposition. It's still cut like a denim jacket, so expect your lower back to be exposed if you aren't wearing either a long t-shirt or trousers cut for riding, but it does open up opportunities, as I have done in the past in combination with Duer dāenim shorts.
To go alongside the stretch the jacket also features a DWR coating, and in my experience, it can just about hold off a shower. I suspect it was designed with rugged lifestyle or rugged lifestyle aspirationalists in mind, but ź¦it's an excellent feature for us cyclists too.
Other than the stretch and the DWR it's a relatively standard denim jacket, albeit a comfy one. This colourway, 'Galactic', is more or less out of stock now, and has been replaced by a darker, unfaded mid-blue,š ŗ but the salient features remain.
(Image credit: Will Jones)
9. Chrome Two Way Insulated Shacket
Two jackets in one
Reasons to buy
+
Two colour options in one
+
Light insulation is great
Reasons to avoid
-
Tight across the back on road bikes
The Chrome Two Way Insulated Shacket is perfect if you want more than one option. One ź¦”side is black, with quilted stitching, and the other side is olive with twin chest š·pockets. I tended to wear black side out, but neither feels like an 'inside' as can be the way with reversible garments.
The insulaštion is light, so it's not nearly as warm as the Rapha down jacket that's in this guide. It feels much more like a wind jacket, just with a little more heft, than a truly insulated option, which to be honest makes it āfar more usable when riding.
The cuffs aren't adjustable, and so are fairly wide-set, but as an overshirt style jacket, it doesn't feel like a piece you really want to hunker down into. It was great as a throw-it-on piece in much the same wšay as the Rapha Insulated Overshirt was.
My main issue with this one was the fit - it's just not cut right for riding a road bike. The mšøaterial has no stretch, which is fine in and of itself, but there isn't any extra room in the shoulders that you normally find by way of pleats or some such. Because it's reversible they can't be stitched in, and so this is a jacket reserved for more upright bikes.
(Image credit: Will Jones)
10. Altura Grid Parka
Maximum Coverage
Reasons to buy
+
Covers more than any other coat
+
Great cuff fasteners
+
Works well off-bike
Reasons to avoid
-
One colour option
-
Oasis album not included
In much the same way as the Duer Denim and the Rapha Overshirt the Antura Grid Parka works well because it's just as good off the bike as it is on it. Given its length, you're going to want to use this with an upright bike or you'll have a lot of material flapping around your front, but on the right bike (a Brompton being a perfect example), the extremely droppāØed tail ensures no water runs down your back and onto your trousers.
Yes, it only comes in olive green, and the hoodź¦¦ has to go under the helmet to be in any way useful, but it's a pšarka, so it has to be in olive green. Them's the rules I'm afraid.
To stop you from overheating it's got a big back vent, though this is negated if you're wearing a cycling backpack. To help there are also two pit zips, though I actually found I rarely needed them. The hood is fine, bš“ut it hāas to go under the helmet which I don't like, so it tended to only get used when strolling around the city singing Champagne Supernova to myself.
The waterproofing is perfectly adequate, all the seams are taped and you're not going to get wet unless you let the DWR wear out. That wasn't the thing that impressed me most though. That, oddly, was the cuff fasteners. They use a pliable plastic hook-and-loop fastener rather than a fabric one, and they allow you to really seal your wrists away better than most other optź¦ions out therą“e.
(Image credit: Will Jones)
11. Chrome Wind Cobra
Another great wind jacket
Reasons to buy
+
Good pockets
+
Comes with stuff sack
Reasons to avoid
-
Not so stretchy
-
Short arms
The Chrome Wind Cobra has easily the best name of any jacket in this guide and answers many of the questions the POC Motion leaves me asking. It has pockets, which arš§øe always good - two at the sides, with zip closures, and one at the back that doubles as a stuff sack - and it doesn't have a hood. I tend to find hoods annoying šÆon a wind jacket, but the lack of one may be a negative in your eyes.
It is black, but a big CHROME logo on the lower back in reflective print helps matters in that šødepartmeš°nt. It's also slightly cheaper than the POC Motion wind jacket.
For me where it fell došwn against the POC is in the fit. The arms aren't long enough for me (I'm relatively gangly), and the material is more rigid and doesn't allow me to move as freely on the bike. Oddly the wrists have a mesh panel, so if you get cold hands this iš±sn't going to help in that department.
All in all, though it's a decent option, and as with Chrome gear in general it feels built to last in a way that many wind jackets donš²'t - it's not flimsy, so if you're hard on your gear then maybe this is a better pick for you.
(Image credit: Will Jones)
12. Altura Grid Field Jacket
All the storage you'd ever need
Reasons to buy
+
Four cavernous pockets
+
Durable cotton construction
+
Reinforced reflective elbows
Reasons to avoid
-
Boxy cut doesn't work so well on road bikes
The Altura Grid Field Jacket is one that I have actually becomeš§ rather fond of, despite it not necessarily being the best for anything in particular. It serves a similar purpose to the overshirts insofar as it's not insulated, but it's far more durable feeling thanks to a heavy cotton construction.
It takes the form š¦¹of what I think of as a classic safari jacket but in navy blue rather than khaki. The four front pockets are all pretty enormous, and I think you'd be hard-pressed to fill them all on a day-to-day basis unless you're trying to ditch a backpack entirely. If you are wearing a backpack the chest strap and hip belt will sit over all of thāe pockets, so bear that in mind.
On the bike though it moves far more freely than it looks. The cuffs, with poppers rather than Velcro, tighten well over gloves, and the more casual fit means the shoulders rarely feel tight. On a road bike, the front feels baggy, evenā more so with full pockets, but if you're riding a hybrid or something more upright it makes way more sense.
The final thing I really like is the elbow patches. Not only do they make me feel like an esteemed professor, but they are also reflective. Having goneą¼ through the elbows on some jackets in the past when I've had an unscheduled lie down it makes me wonder why more jackets don't have elbow patches...
How to choose
Commuting means different things to different riders. Fź§or some it's a rain-or-shine way of life, for others, it's a way to make the most of a sunny day, and as such commuter jackets have to span a lot of use cases. Before you commit to a jacket, be sure it's going to fit your needs.
If you're a fairweatheš¼r commuter then there's no point worrying about the waterproof options, and if you need something that'll stand you in good stead year round then something that won't hold the rain at bay is pointless.
What is a commuter jacket?
In reality, any jacket you use to commute by bike is a commuter jacket. They do tend to differ from your standard waterproof or winter jackets though. Mź§ore durable materials, more pockets, more visibāØle colours and a greater reliance on reflective details are the key differences, and many are styled in such a way that you can wear them out and about on foot as well as on the bike.
Do I need a reflective jacket for commuting?
If safety is a big concern for you, and given the behaviour of some drivers I'm not surprised if it is, then reflectivity should be high on your list. The Provis is second to none in this regard, but no jacket, no matter how reflective, is a substitute for a set of the ę¾³ę“²å¹øčæ5å¼å„å®ē½åØēŗæę„čÆ¢å¼å„ē»ę:best bike lights.
Are commuter jackets worth it?
If you're regularly commuting then the added cycling-specific functź¦ionality really makes sense. That being said, especially if you're not riding a bike with an aggressive position, if you're only commuting by bike on occasion then a non-specific jacket can work just as well, especially if it's not rašining.
How do we test commuter cycling jackets?
Well, I don't have a car, so riding to woź¦rk is the norm for me. It's an hour each way, usually with a backpack on, and a mix of busy roads and cycle paths so as real-world testing goes it's hard to beat. I have also ridden them all around the city while I'm doing other things over the winter months, so I've got a great feel for the details that work and those that don't.
All the jackets in this guide I'm happy to recommend, depending on the specific use šcase.
Will joined the Cyclingnews team as a reviews writer in 2022, having previously written for Cyclist, BikeRadar and Advntr. He’s tried his hand at most cycling disciplines, from the standard mix of road, gravel, and mountš·ain bike, to the more unusual like bike polo and tracklocross. He’s made his own bike frames, covered tech news from the biggest races on the planet, and published countless premium galleries thanks to his excellent photographic eye. Also, given he doesn’t ever ride indoors he’s become a real expert on foul-weather riding gear. His collection of bikes is a real smorgasbord, with everything from vintage-style steel tourers through to superlight flat bar hill climb machines.
