Jackets

The Gironde comes from Campagnolo's Heritage range, home to clothing that has a classic look to it rather than using traditional fabrics. There is a little bit of wool in the Heritage lineup but this jersey is all synthetic - polyester, polyurethane and elastane.

The Madison Telegraphe doesn't really look like a cycling jacket at all, but as soon as you put it on, you know it'll work on a bike too: a high collar to keep the wind out, sleeves that are long enough to keep your wrists covered when you're stretched out on your bike and pit zips and mesh lining to keep everything well ventilated.

The Packaway Jacket from Zoca is testament to just how compact and light it's possible to make a pakcable windproof now, whilst still retaining genuine usefulness. A super light windproof shell jacket is a godsend for the inconstant British weather. It's easy to pop into the back pocket of a jersey or into a bar bag and makes a hell of a difference to core warmth when required.

Having a lightweight packable windproof jacket makes an enormous difference to comfort levels on a ride in changeable conditions or at the turn of the seasons, Dare 2b's Swept Away Windshell is designed to offer all those benefits to women riders and it's keenly priced too. 

The All Weather Jacket by Sweaty Betty sets out to be a funkier alternative to a standard waterproof, while still trying to retain that functionality. If you are going to ride your bike year-round, no matter what the weather or the season, you are, at some point, going to need a waterproof jacket of some sort. There are a few companies around now seeking to make something as functional as a waterproof cycling jacket a little more stylish at the same time. Most succeed to a greater or lesser degree, but often to the detriment of the very functionality that started the whole thing off.

Made from extremely lightweight Gore-Tex Paclite, the Xenon is available for both men and women and is designed to be a waterproof shell for cyclists wanting protection from the elements with no weight penalty.

It's a pared down jacket as far as features go, with clean lines and just one single pocket at chest height. There's a full length front zip, dipped tail with hem drawcord, plenty of reflective accents and a shaped collar with soft fleecy lining. There's also no hood. Arms are articulated and the cuffs fasten with slimline Velcro fasteners.

We've had plenty of Shutt's clothing in to test at road.cc and it's mostly been very good, but the Race Cape left me a bit cold. Not in the literal sense though, and that was kind of the problem.

Montane's bike-specific Featherlite Velo H2O Jacket gets that balance between waterproofness and breathability pretty much spot on. It's an unavoidable truth that any fully waterproof garment won't be totally breathable. And any fully breathable garment won't be totally waterproof. There always has to be a balance - especially when it comes to performance road cycling.

The Protective Ceduna Kid's jacket is precisely that: a lightweight, scaled down wind/water repellent shell that weighs next to nothing and packs down to the size of a small adult's gilet. A great, race-inspired cut means that young protgs can ride like the clappers without hindrance, while the long elasticated tail and cuffs keep wind-chill at bay.

'Shrink it and pink it' is the approach some manufacturers take towards women's cycle clothing. While the female version of the Polaris Aqualite is available in dark pink, it's not just a smaller gents: it has a women's specific cut that fits very well around the body. The back of the jacket is longer than the front and there's an elasticated hem, so there's no flapping fabric when you're on the move. The sleeves also have elasticated cuffs, although the more generous cut around the upper arms means there is a bit of flap here when riding into a headwind.