Gore Bike Wear Countdown 2.0 AS ZO Lady Jacket

The Countdown 2.0 AS ZO Lady jacket is a jacket designed for year round use, and with its 'comfort' fit it's aimed at all sorts of riders, not just the super sporty.

I like jacket/gilet combos. I think they are a useful thing to have in a climate that's erratic at best. For a mostly insubstantial weight outlay, you get a full sleeved jacket and a gilet in one, meaning you've effectively got twice the clothing options.

It's made from water repellant Windstopper fabric, with a mesh lining. There are two side zipped pockets that double as ventilation, a rear lumbar pocket with a zip and the jacket stuffs into this if desired, and can be worn as a bumbag/belt affair. The jacket is shaped for the bike, with a dropped tail and a streamlined shape that's flattering and sleek yet comfortable at the same time. The sleeves are articulated with plenty of length.

The sleeves zip off independently, and easily stow in the rear pocket (or anywhere else). It's also finished off with a generous smattering of reflective piping. The jacket comes in a wide variety of sizes and colour options. A men's version is available.

It's one of the heavier zip-off jackets I've tried, partly due to the mesh lining. However, as a result, it's pretty robust and there's no feeling of it being prone to damage. The fabric is pleasantly soft and comfortable next to the skin, and is sufficiently breathable that you're not too sweaty in it even when working hard.

It's surprisingly water repellent and sheds even heavy showers reliably, and would probably see you right in all but the mot persistent rain. The main front zip is easy and smooth to operate, although the final pull is a touch tricky one-handed, but not unusually so.

Sadly, the sleeves are far less easy to handle. With the jacket off it's a simple thing indeed to unzip them or zip them back on again, but whilst wearing it, taking the sleeves off is tricky, and putting them back on again all but impossible without a helpful friend. There's a single zip for each and it's hard to locate the ends, even when stationary. The discrete zip that means you can't feel that it's a zip-off sleeve jacket sadly also means it's harder to operate on the bike.

Considering the gilet in this range is £100 on its own, this does mark good value for money, given that you get a jacket and gilet together. If you're not fussed about stopping to sort your clothing out, then it's a genuinely good jacket made from high quality fabrics. But, if you're looking for something that can quickly be changed on the move, there's better elsewhere.

Verdict

Excellent quality as long as you don't mind slightly fiddly sleeve operation.