It could be argued that a winter commuting jacket is the most important item in a cyclist’s wardrobe.
It has to keep you warm, dry and allow you to arrive at work or home looking fresh and not in a sweaty mess desperately needing a showing before beginning the day or settling down for the night.
With the clocks having ticked back and the colder days setting in with reduced daylight, more of us are in the market for a fully functional commuting jacket that not just ticks all of the above prerequisites but makes you visible to other road users.
As a useful bonus, it also helps when the jacket is so stylish that the passerby on the street wouldn’t be able to distinguish it from a regular winter coat.
And that’s a feature that Altura’s Zephyr softshell jacket and Twister insulted coat pull off superbly.
The latter looks so much like a regular puffer jacket that one needs to do a double take to realise that it’s actually an item of cycle clothing. Functionality and style in one.
Altura’s Electron jacket, meanwhile, is the perfect accompaniment on any rainy ride, and unlike other rain commuting cycling jackets, it wouldn’t look out of place being used as a standard waterproof coat.
The trio of jackets all form part of Altura’s highly impressive commuting range, designed to ensure the cyclist gets to and from work in comfort and with a suaveness that has heads turning.
In a world of over-consumerism, having a cycling jacket that doubles up as a ‘normal’ coat is a nod in the right direction towards a more sustainable future, one that puts practicality and the environment at the heart of our choices.
After all, it really is possible to look as good off the bike as on it.
Electron
(Image credit: Altura)
Whether the rain is pouring or just spitting, keeping dry underneath is essential. The Electron achieves that with ease, while also possessing breathability that ensures the fabrics don’t stick to the layers below.
Where the Electron is different to other waterproof cycling jackets is that there is a hood and the pockets are located in more ‘normal’ positions: two on the side and one in the chest area, as opposed to three at the back. This is clever positioning - for a commuting jacket should be as much about the work day as it is the experience of spinning the pedals.
The one thing we all plead while out on the roads is respect from vehicles, and the Electron’s SCILIF Sunfibre Lighting system houses a rechargeable power bank that beams out a bright orange glow. This intelligent feature adds to numerous reflective panels down the sides and on the sleeves to increase visibility
It’s almost as if the Red Hot Chili Peppers knew of Altura’s stunning hardshell waterproof jacket when they penned their hit, The Zephyr Song, for as they sing, the Zephyr requires eyes on it.
A stretch jacket that is both waterproof and reflective, it looks as at home on a walk through an autumnal forest as it does helping a cyclist go from A to B. Fashion and practicality is at the core of this smart commuting jacket.
Boasting large areas of tonal reflective print that keep the rider visible even in low light, there is a ventilation system at the rear that provides breathability and keeps the rider fresh. With three pockets - two on the side and one in the chest area - this is a softshell commuting jacket that is hard to better.
The heavy rain is staying away but the air is nippy: a down jacket is always the way to go.
Altura’s Twister can brag about its high-end 9.95 Tog warmth rating, enough to keep the chill at bay and permit pleasant riding conditions. A nylon ripstop outer shell, meanwhile, possesses a water-repellent coating that keeps the rider dry when scattered showers begin.
Like all the commuting jackets in the Altura range, the Twister looks as at home on the street as it does on the bike. It can very easily be mistaken for a standard hooded insulated jacket such is its casual smartness; the female version has a longer cut that scores it top marks on any fashion scale.
Reflective trims keep the rider visible in low light conditions, meaning the Twister really is the ideal, go-to jacket in the autumn, winter and spring.
A freelance sports journalist and podcaster, you'll mostly find Chris's byline attached to news scoops, profile interviews and long reads across a variety of different publications. He has been writing regularly for Cycling Weekly since 2013. In 2024 he released a seven-part podcast documentary, Ghost in the Machine, about motor doping in cycling.
Previously a ski, hiking and cycling guide in the Canadian Rockies and Spanish Pyrenees, he almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains. He lives in Valencia, Spain.
Anne-Marije Rook's 2024 Gear of the Year: from the best brakes on the market to great earbuds and a statement t-shirt
'Anything can happen': Our men's rider of the year Joe Blackmore looks back on a stellar 2024 and weighs up his future
