Bontrager Sport Commuter Rainshell

Bontrager's Sport Commuter Rainshell jacket cuts a dash whether in the saddle, on tour or just meandering round town thanks to its tasteful blue/grey livery and tailored fit. Pockets are limited to hip and poacher types complete with LED tab but adequate for parking hands and stashing spare batteries, lights, keys and generic nick nacks. The close cut flatters both cycling and civvie wardrobes handsomely but remember when riding to drop the front and pit zips or you'll feel like a steamed pudding after 20 minutes enthusiastic effort.

"Constructed from waterproof, breathable fabric" says the Bontrager website which is another way of telling you it's 100% polyester. The outer shell coupled with fleece collar keeps rain, sleet and snow from finding their way inside, while the internal string vest section and pit zips provide an easy escape route for perspiration. Detailing is what we've come to expect from Bontrager. Subtle Scotchlite piping and logos bring the jacket alive when lit by car headlamps and street lighting while the LED tab shunned by so many competitors is very welcome in suburban and semi rural stretches.

The medium test jacket fitted my contours surprisingly well (depending on manufacturer I'm more often a large), but hunching over the bars for longer than an hour or so saw the tail gather uncomfortably-especially with winter layering.

Minor niggles aside; the jacket is very easy to live with on an everyday basis, striking a reasonable balance between water-repellance and breathability. Common to other polyester-based jackets, the fabric takes a little time catching up when you've been hustling along for a few miles at 20-odd-mph. On the other hand, this increased warmth has been welcomed with the damp mornings and evening chill of autumn. Sharp showers haven't revealed any obvious weakness and it's line dry in 20 minutes straight from the machine wash. Similarly household detergents won't hurt so long as you avoid fabric softeners, and using dedicated wash-in proofings periodically will help it to keep on keeping the rain out.

Verdict

Good jacket for everyday riding, although moisture management could be improved