I'm beginning to think that layering, with luggage to hold items discarded mid-ride, is the way to go. This morning started out at 28* but had climbed to 32* when I took the dog for his run (I on bike, he running) with strong sun but cold NW wind, so was cold with Wabi Sports LS jersey + merino neck dickie under very light Specialized shell. A couple of hours later it was mid 50s and I could discard the shell, eventually discarding the dickie too, only to put it on again later. 3.5 litre Crumpler seat bag held shell and dickie and wool gloves and bulky repair kit and sandwich. It's hard to imagine a jacket adapting to our typical 30*+ temperature differentials, often 40*, and I've seen 50*.
I also begin to think that, instead of the shell, my second, heavier Wabi Woolen jersey, to which a full length zipper has been added so that it can be used as a light jacket, with dickie or a wool scarf, might be the best mix if you add a more formal alternative to the sheet of newspaper stuffed under the front of the jersey. I must cut a torso-sized square out of one of my lawn and leaf bags. I do have a Leatt cycling shell made from slightly heavier fabric than the Specialized shell, and with a very light lining. This over 2 wool layers (plus scarf or dickie and adequate head and hand and feet insulation) is good down to the upper teens. I had pit zips put in that make the jacket comfortable (if you also open the zipper at the neck a bit) from just below 20* to about 40*, and over just a single light wool pullover, from about 30* to about 50*. SW high desert climate, strong sun, low humidity; not the dank horrible cold that you get in some humid climates. On Mon, Mar 2, 2026 at 7:31 AM Richard Rose <[email protected]> wrote: > Patrick, I had one of those wool jackets with the wind breaker material. > It was a Castelli, was Italian made & fit my then slim anatomy like a > glove. I did love that thing. By the time I had “grown” out of it after > several decades, the wool was thin & the nylon ripped. And the zipper was > stiff. I think I sold it on eBay for close to what it cost me. As good as > it was I think my modern layering is at least as effective but not as > stylish.:) > Sent from my iPhone > > On Mar 2, 2026, at 1:15 AM, [email protected] wrote: > > Mission Workshop sold something like that called the Mission Cardigan. It > was merino wool and had a windproof front on the torso. It was > disappointing that the sleeves were all merino and had no windproofing on > them. This shows what it looked like: > > milled.com > <https://milled.com/mission-workshop/new-mission-cardigan-mission-workshop-z1A2jzSauYv0GyK9> > > <https://milled.com/mission-workshop/new-mission-cardigan-mission-workshop-z1A2jzSauYv0GyK9> > <https://milled.com/mission-workshop/new-mission-cardigan-mission-workshop-z1A2jzSauYv0GyK9> > > The pre-resurrection Ibex had the Breakaway jacket which was perfect. > Decently heavy merino with windproof front. I have two still. One in use > and one in the stash. My favorite cycling jacket of all time. Arc’Teryx > made a similar jacket in their commuter line which was close but not quite > as nice. > > Robert Tilley > San Diego, CA > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Mar 1, 2026, at 2:37 PM, Patrick Moore <[email protected]> wrote: > > > I generally layer wool under a wind shell of greater or less thickness > depending on the temp, wind, and presence of absence of the sun (35* air > temp on shaded front porch at 8:30 am and shirt sleeves on back porch in > full morning sun at 5K feet), and with my very lightly lined Leatt shell I > had pit zips installed so that it’s good over layers from 18*F to (remove > layers to single wool jersey) 60*F with neck and pits open. > > But what I’d really like to find is one of those old-fashioned heavy knit > wool zip up jackets with nylon wind panels on the front and the front of > the arms, leaving the backs open for ventilation through the wool fabric. > Those are IME truly the best of both worlds: very warm, but very > breathable. > > Someone very kindly gave me an Italian one that he’d bought in the 1980s, > but it’s too short — I have a 6’2” torso on a 5’8” width, and this is cut > for a fat Italian. Does anyone know where to find such old-fashioned wool > knit + nylon wind panel jackets? > > On Sat, Feb 28, 2026 at 5:21 PM Jay <[email protected]> wrote: > >> In anticipation of spring, or at least riding in above 0C temperatures, >> I'm looking for a new mid-weight jacket. >> >> My winter jacket is Gore, it's very warm. My current mid-weight jacket >> is screaming-yellow, some Italian brand I can't recall, but it has zero >> breathability. It's good for single-digit (Celsius) temps, but I sweat a >> lot inside the jacket and eventually get cold. I have a thin wind jacket I >> can wear around 5C+ with sufficient base layers, and it breathes better. >> >> I'm looking for something between the warm Gore jacket and the wind >> jacket. Would like some wind resistance (on the front) and some >> breathability. Not racing-tight fit, but not baggie either. I don't have >> any non-cycling jackets that fit the bill. >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To view this discussion visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/e07be37b-a426-413c-a85d-0c791b9c967an%40googlegroups.com >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/e07be37b-a426-413c-a85d-0c791b9c967an%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > > > -- > > Patrick Moore > Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Executive resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, letters, and other writing > services > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > *When thou didst not, savage, k**now thine own meaning,* > > *But wouldst gabble like a** thing most brutish,* > > *I endowed thy purposes w**ith words that made them known.* > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CALuTfguM7j7HdP-3mUnEcm8fbd_f0kVCJZpsBDpQkgpQwUMdXQ%40mail.gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CALuTfguM7j7HdP-3mUnEcm8fbd_f0kVCJZpsBDpQkgpQwUMdXQ%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/FECD08DA-5923-4039-8291-F33ED7F3DCB1%40gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/FECD08DA-5923-4039-8291-F33ED7F3DCB1%40gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/7AE0AA52-3307-4132-A072-DC9E4203D69E%40gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/7AE0AA52-3307-4132-A072-DC9E4203D69E%40gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- Patrick Moore Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Executive resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, letters, and other writing services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *When thou didst not, savage, k**now thine own meaning,* *But wouldst gabble like a** thing most brutish,* *I endowed thy purposes w**ith words that made them known.* -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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