Gore Bike Wear Countdown GT Jacket – A Perfect Bike Commuter Jacket?
The combination of light weight, water tightness, and attention to details make the Gore Bike Wear Countdown GT Jacket my choice for this fall and winter. You can buy it here!
Related: How to Dress for Winter Cycling
Related: 7 of the Best Waterproof Cycling Jackets – How to Choose the Best Cycling Jacket
Fit of the Gore Bike Wear Jacket
The Gore Bike Wear Countdown GT Jacket features a relaxed fit, which I like because it’s comfortable and there is plenty of space for up to three layers underneath. (And I just do NOT like the form-fitting look.) The relaxed fit helps to make this an ideal commuter jacket.
Protection from the rain
Gore promises 100% protection from the rain thanks to its multilayer Gore-Tex membrane. So far it has kept me completely dry (not even damp) through some heavy rainfalls. The drop-tail hem at the back will keep your rear end dry if you’re doing some aggressive riding on a road bike.
Breathability
It’s the time of year when the season is changing rapidly and it’s hard to know what to wear. This morning I opted for a fleece shirt under my Gore jacket, and I was way too hot! However, the jacket definitely breathed well, and I did not build up heat and sweat at all. This is a good thing, as the jacket does not have zips under the armpits. (I don’t miss those – I always felt ridiculous trying to unzip them with my teeth on the side of the road! And I am pretty sure I LOOKED ridiculous too …). You can read the full specs of the jacket by clicking on any of the affiliate links below.
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Gore Cycling Jacket is Lightweight
The Gore cycling jacket is very light, so I can keep it in my all-purpose Arkel bug pannier without impacting weight at all. This is a must for the fall and winter – a good commuter bike jacket must be something you can transport without even thinking about it, so that you are sure to have it when caught in a sudden downpour. (Note I don’t say unexpected downpour, because in Vancouver we expect downpours all the time!)
Plenty of pockets in the Gore Bike Wear Jacket
I love pockets, and the Gore Bike Wear Countdown GT Jacket has plenty. I was delighted to find that it has a napoleon pocket (for my awesome Lumintrail light battery, or my camera, or both), two side pockets (keys and cell phone), and a large rear pocket (snacks and whatever). All the pockets are zipped.
Attention to detail in the Gore Cycling Jacket
There are a lots of great details on this Gore cycling jacket. For example, the zip has an extra-long pull, making it easy to find and manipulate even when I’m wearing honking big winter gloves.
The draw-cord hem is a great little feature as well. It’s neatly tucked away at the back, but you can find it and cinch it up a bit. This is a very handy feature, as you can make it is snug enough that the extra-long back flap does not snag on your saddle. I have almost had accidents in the past when that has happened.
I also like the Velcro adjustability of the sleeves, which help to keep me warm and cozy.
The Gore Jacket Will Keep Your Neck Warm!
This Gore cycling jacket will enable me to put off wearing my cycling balaclava for a few weeks, because the neck is nice and high.
Dry head!
The Gore Bike Wear Countdown GT Jacket has a hood cunningly concealed in the collar. The very first time I wore this jacket I was caught in the rain, and it was great to be able to stop, whip out the hood, and continue with a dry head! Apparently the ladies’ version of this jacket does NOT have a hood, which I find odd. It’s a great feature – one of the details that clinched the deal for me.
I found that it was quick and easy to zip the hood back into the collar when I didn’t need it.
Safety features
I chose a blue and neon-yellow jacket. What a relief to have such a visible jacket! My last Gore-Tex jacket was black (because I bought it when I was caught in a downpour, and the shop only had black that day). I regretted that decision the whole time I had the jacket (six years of buyer’s regret!). Black jackets in winter are depressing. Worse, they make you invisible at night, which is NOT what you want on a bike.
This jacket comes in several bright combinations of colors, AND it has plenty of reflective piping as well.
One thing I would change – the neon-yellow part of the sleeves should be placed so that it makes your arm stand out when you use hand signals. On the other hand, at the moment the neon-yellow stripes are positioned so that you are very visible from the front, which is also a good thing. I guess in the best of all worlds, there would be two neon stripes – one for hand signals and one for visibility from the front.
Bottom Line on the Gore Bike Wear Countdown GT Jacket
I am LOVING this jacket! I even wear it when I’m NOT cycling, because it keeps me dry and visible. On the bike, this jacket provides a waterproof, accommodating, comfy outer shell, making it an excellent investment for bike commuters planning to bike through rainy seasons. Its comfort fit also makes it a good choice for mountain bikers. And given the soggy weather forecast, I bought this jacket just in time to weather the fall Hub Bike to Work Week. The Gore Bike Wear Countdown GT Jacket gets an Average Joe Cyclist Gold Star!
Update: I cannot find this jacket for sale anywhere any more. The closest match is the Gore Bike Wear Oxygen Jacket. Buy it here from Amazon, and get a full refund if you don’t happen to like it.
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