I love the grey and black combination of the Cafe du Cycliste Heidi Winter Jacket – it’s something I want to wear around town everyday even when I’m not on my bike!
The pale pink trim on the zip is feminine but not outlandishly – ‘Look at me, I am a female cyclist!’. Another nice touch is the zip on a slight angle, making the jacket a little different from others on the market.
The three pockets on the back are easy to reach into and big enough to actually be useful. I found the side pockets without the zips perfect for storing a spare tissue as I am prone to a runny nose in the cold! And the middle pocket was great for storing my phone, particularly with it being in the centre of your back, it wasn’t in the way at all and meant I was still evenly balanced.
The Cafe du Cycliste Heidi Winter Jacket’s material is very soft with a fleecy lining inside. The long elasticated wrists are great at keeping the breeze out and I was certainly very snug. In fact to the point where I did over heat a couple of times after setting off on a cold morning and then the Winter sun made it’s appearance. The windproof panels on the front certainly did their job as well.
One thing to be slightly cautious of is the small sizing of the range. I am a size 10 and the small was very tight – especially with a base layer and jumper underneath. Although, on the flip side the tight sizing pulls you into a trim little waistline which I can’t complain about!
It’s also not that great if you’re expecting bad weather. As soon as a bit of drizzle hits you, the material soaks up the water and you are in for a damp ride for the rest of the day.
I’ve worn the Cafe du Cycliste Heidi Winter Jacket just about everywhere as I’m not conscious of it looking to bike specific. My female friends complement me on it all the time as they can’t quite believe it’s designed for cycling. The style and colour works well with just about every single one of my outfits.
Although I’ve mainly used it for commuting and my weekend road cycling outings, I’ve also found it to be very useful when running. It may sound odd, but it’s really comfortable and keeps me sweat free throughout!
Overall, it’s a lovely jacket, which certainly did keep me warm on December to February rides. My only concern would be spending £147 on a jacket. It might be more sensible to invest in a winter jacket which is waterproof as well. But then again, the price you pay here is to have a functional jacket that works to your advantage when cycling throughout winter and also can be worn off the bike.
Price: £163.00, available from Cafe du Cycliste.
UK Distributor: Always Riding
