GORE Wear Men's Waterproof Cycling Jacket, C3 GORE-TEX Active Jacket, 100034

Product Information

When the DWR is applied to a fabric, it creates micropegs or microspikes that protrude from the fibres and prevent water from spreading out, forcing it to form beads that slide off the fabric without seeping in.

The treatment does not inhibit breathability because it doesn’t fill the gaps between the fibres. Instead, it bonds the individual fibres to help the garment shed water and prevent saturation. But what's a waterproof rating!?" we hear you cry. Well, it's basically a number, and the higher the better. The number is calculated on the basis that if you put a 1cm x 1cm square tube over the fabric, how high could you fill the tube with water before it starts to leak through. With Shakedry, Gore turned the structure of membrane-based waterproofs inside out. Instead of sandwiching the membrane in the middle of a laminate, the membrane in Shakedry fabrics forms the outermost layer of the garment, supported by a single fabric layer. Firstly you need to hone in on your intended usage. It’s no good using something like the Assos Schlosshund if you’re going to use it to ride to work on an upright dutch bike. Likewise, if you’re planning on doing fast road miles then the Rapha Commuter isn’t what you need.It’s all about layering fabrics. When the Gore-Tex membrane is laminated to an inner and or outer material, it becomes a Gore Fabric.

Durable water repellent, or DWR, is your wet weather gear’s first line of defence. It’s not a laminate or coating but a treatment applied to the fabric’s outer surface. Gore-Tex is the name in waterproofing, but it’s not as binary as Gore-Tex = good, everything else = bad. Indeed, Gore-Tex promise that each of their products provide at least three core benefits: waterproof (even in the heaviest storms), windproof and breathable. The Pertex Shield Air three-layer waterproof fabric is plenty breathable enough for high-output riding, but not quite so much as the Gore-Tex Infinium of the Rapha Trail. The cut is also a little roomier, allowing some more winter layers underneath if you want to venture out in very cold conditions - I’ve taken it out down to about -15 degrees Celsius, but at this point, it’s more of a test for the mid layers than the shell. Finance is subject to application, financial circumstances and borrowing history. Performance Cycling Limited FRN: 720557 trading as Tredz are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. We are a credit broker not a lender – credit is subject to status and affordability and is provided by Mitsubishi HC Capital UK PLC. Terms & Conditions Apply.In all likelihood, you'll probably find the fit a little too generous if you're off doing a chain gang or want to stay aero, but for me, winter riding is a time to slow down and embrace the elements, and this is the best thing to wear to do that; there's always Zwift if you want to do efforts. For commuting especially, some level of additional visibility is definitely advantageous, be that a bright colour or reflective details. Off-road away from traffic, this will obviously be less of a concern. Every square inch of the extremely thin Gore-Tex membrane has nine billion pores, with each of these holes 20,000 times smaller than a drop of water.

Gore-Tex, Thinsulate, Polartec and eVent are all internal membranes that are sandwiched between two other materials – usually something abrasion-resistant on the outside, with a soft liner on the inside. Even the Castelli Gabba Jersey is made using a Windstopper laminate fabric. Plus, all of these pores are each about 700 times bigger than a molecule of water vapour, which means sweat can escape much easier if you up the ante or if the temperature rises. Waterproofness is generally measured in terms of how much water, in mm, can be placed on top of a fabric in a column until it seeps through (though some companies dispute whether this testing method accurately represents real-world conditions). In simple terms, bigger numbers ought to mean the garment’s fabric can withstand more water before any leakage occurs.These are softshell tops that feel like a jersey but use a waterproof membrane or DWR (durable water repellent) treatment to repel precipitation. Gore-Tex is a trademarked fabric invented in 1969, which is both extremely waterproof and breathable. It essentially came about as a happy accident – Bob Gore discovered a new form of polymer made of large molecules that repeat to form long chains. Still, it’s important to keep waterproof fabrics clean because dirt and oil can clog membranes (limiting the fabric’s ability to breathe) and degrade DWR treatments, too. Always read washing instructions carefully.