Showers Pass Metro Jacket

The Showers Pass Metro jacket is something of a wolf in sheep's clothing. It's a performance rainproof that looks like sombre street-wear. It doesn't stand out too much when worn with normal clothes, but then again it doesn't really stand out in the road environment either.

Just to be clear: I don't think cyclists should have to wear day-glow colours. That argument gets too close to victim blaming, and it implies that you can't can't cycle in normal-looking clothes. Having said that, if I'm going to buy a dark jacket specifically to cycle in, I want it to be plenty reflective so that it stands out in any conditions when cars have their headlights on. The Metro has a reflective band across the hem at the back; I wanted the kind of reflectivity you get on the Endura Luminite and Altura Night Vision, both of which come in black as well as bright colours.

For an on-and-off the bike jacket, it's not quite as practical as I'd like when you're on foot. I missed handwarmer pockets at the front. They're useful. They also make a jacket look more like a normal garment, rather than some kind of smock.

On the bike, however, there's little to find fault with, aside from the aforementioned visibility and the steep price. The taped-seam 2.5 layer polyester/nylon fabric - called Artex, oddly, like what you put on ceilings - offers effective rain protection. I rode for 40 minutes through persistent heavy rain at one point and it kept me dry. Some jackets 'wet out' at the shoulders in these conditions. Possibly the shoulder patches, designed for reinforcement for cyclists who carry things on their back, helped out here.

I didn't overheat. The fabric is reasonably breathable. It's also vented. There are long vertical vents either side and another horizontal one between the shoulders, all covered with waterproof zips. The two rear hip pockets can also double as vents, since they're mesh lined. You can get at these small rear pockets if you wear a backpack when cycling. (I don't.) There's an internal chest pocket too, with a media port. I'd only use that to listen to satnav instructions from Google Maps on my phone.

The jacket collar is comfortable against your neck, as it's lined with a fleecy fabric. The main zip is asymmetrical, going off to the right side of your neck instead of tickling your Adam's apple. There's no elastic or shock-cord adjustability here, so the neck can scoop air when you're on the drops; pack a neck gaiter for cold conditions. It is elasticated at the hem, and the cuffs can be tightened with Velcro straps.

The cut is bike-friendly, being long enough in the arms and back, but fairly loose. That's a function of the North American sizing, where I am apparently Small rather than Medium. It did meant that it went easily over whatever I wore underneath, but made it less useful as jacket for training rides.

Training rides? In a commuter jacket? That's the thing: it is a performance jacket, not a boil-in-the-bag rain-shield for short hops only, and it will just about fold small enough to fit a jersey pocket. But training means bike gear, and I'm quite happy to look like a brightly-coloured bike geek then. In fact, I welcome it. So it's a shame this isn't also available in other colours. That way, you'd be getting two distinct uses from one jacket, which would go a long way to justifying its price. As it is, I think I'd just spent half as much on a commuter jacket from Altura, Endura, Madison, or Polaris and invest the rest in a decent wind/showerproof for the road bike.

It can be machine washed cold. Sizes S-XL (but note North American sizing). There's no direct women's equivalent.

Verdict

Subdued styling limits the versatility of this pricey but effective waterproof