How I never get to buy a gilet!

[Seineseeker]

You know I have so much bike kit in my cupboards, jersey after jersey, longs, shorts, overshoes, gloves of all types, leg, arm warmers etc. etc. But what I don't have is a gilet, I have tried unsuccessfully to get one so many times.

Dan of cake stop fame sent me one, it was a medium and way too big, even as a medium.
I ordered an ACF one, when it arrived it was the wrong size, size 6. I sold it to Frenchie.
I ordered a lovely white adistar one from wiggle. They ran out of stock and then they said it was unavailable.
I tried to get one from my cycle club, but no, they had no size small, in fact they hadn't ordered any!
I found another lovely one on wiggle, but I wanted red not black, when I emailed them, they said sorry we don't do red in the size you want (small).

I know it's because I always need a small, and I am picky, in that I want a nice one, to match some other kit or my bike at least.

If anyone knows where I can get a red (called Fire) Campagnolo Heritage Gilet in size small I would be most grateful. It would match my bike, it would match my cycle club kit......

[nuttycyclist]

I too would like a recommendation.


I bought a gilet after advice on the Beast from the East.  I wore it for the first time on the Blue Moon Ride.  It flaps in the wind like a spinnaker on a boat, and the constant noise made me stop wearing it.

Yes it packs down nice and small, and yes it did its job, but it's a bit like wearing a black bin bag    (And this flapping is one of the many reasons I refuse to wear a hi-viz vest).


Where can I get a snug fitting gilet that doesn't bag at speed.

[Greenbank]

It flaps in the wind like a spinnaker on a boat, and the constant noise made me stop wearing it.

Like most things the fit is very important, and this differs not only between brands but different models from the same manufacturer, and is impossible to gauge when purchasing over t'internet. I was lucky with my Gore Windstopper purchase from Wiggle, it fits well.

Get yourself down to a real shop (wearing roughly what you'd be wearing when you'd want to be wearing a gilet) and try some on.

Optionally run around the shop really really fast to see if it flaps in the breeze.

[delthebike]

Where can I get a snug fitting gilet that doesn't bag at speed.

That well known German store that sells stuff cheap has them and it's where I got mine from.
It was Aldis and they'll probably do them the next time round. Not next week, that's the other well known German store that sells stuff cheap. 

[mike]

I've got 2 (one from on-one for ten quid and a more expensive pearl izumi blue one) and they're probably my most-used bits of kit.  Get thee to a bicycle emporium and try some on!

[nuttycyclist]

...
Get yourself down to a real shop (wearing roughly what you'd be wearing when you'd want to be wearing a gilet) and try some on.

Optionally run around the shop really really fast to see if it flaps in the breeze.

This was purchased in a real shop, whilst wearing cycling kit, and was carefully tested in the shop as I feared flap.

The flap starts at around 20mph.  and no I'm not going to cycle slower than that (it could be 5mph into a 15mph headwind)

[Greenbank]

If you can run a 20 second 100 metres then you only need to run that fast into a 10mph headwind.

(20mph is an 11.18 sec 100 metres.)

Or wait until the wind is > 20mph and just ask to nip outside the shop to test it.

[Seineseeker]

Thanks for all the advice! I'll see what I can do. 100 metres in 20seconds? I don't think so.

[vorsprung]

I've owned 3

The first two were from prendas.co.uk and I destroyed them in crashes, 15 quid each

The third is a gore xenon (colour "fireball" looks like a high vis vest), 30 something quid from ctcshop

I see ctcshop are also doing the montane gilets in a variety of colours "for cheap"

[chillmoister]

I've just bought an Endura gilet .....at the opposite of the size scale and have been very happy with it .....I bought it based on the superb value oftheir Gridlock jacket which I have been wearing all winter.  I've only worn the gilet a few times but so far so good

[hugo15]

I have a Castelli one. I wear it a lot.

[Fab Foodie]

Here you go, small and XL only available (boo-hoo) and only £15.  This is the single best piece of cycle apparel I have ever bought mines at nearly 4 years old and starting to fade a bit, but it's still brill, light, windproof, not too sweaty (and I'm a sweaty bastard), not flappy and excellent value.  It doesn't look much but it works a treat.

I recommend heartily...and a steal for the price.

[Seineseeker]

Here you go, small and XL only available (boo-hoo) and only £15.  This is the single best piece of cycle apparel I have ever bought mines at nearly 4 years old and starting to fade a bit, but it's still brill, light, windproof, not too sweaty (and I'm a sweaty bastard), not flappy and excellent value.  It doesn't look much but it works a treat.

I recommend heartily...and a steal for the price.

Where?

[Mr Larrington]

Be advised that if you do finally obtain one, Mal Volio may murder you.  The only reason I've survived this far is coz I'm bigger than him.

[Fab Foodie]

Here you go, small and XL only available (boo-hoo) and only £15.  This is the single best piece of cycle apparel I have ever bought mines at nearly 4 years old and starting to fade a bit, but it's still brill, light, windproof, not too sweaty (and I'm a sweaty bastard), not flappy and excellent value.  It doesn't look much but it works a treat.

I recommend heartily...and a steal for the price.

Where?

Ooops, forgot link in my excitement...apols...

http://www.daleswear.co.uk/ProductDetails.aspx?stockId=_6211

[border-rider]

Be advised that if you do finally obtain one, Mal Volio may murder you.  The only reason I've survived this far is coz I'm bigger than him.

Indeed.  My teeth are already on edge, my face set in  a grimace and my fingers edging toward the nearest pointed object.

[Seineseeker]

Be advised that if you do finally obtain one, Mal Volio may murder you.  The only reason I've survived this far is coz I'm bigger than him.

Indeed.  My teeth are already on edge, my face set in  a grimace and my fingers edging toward the nearest pointed object.

why are you going to murder me or anyone in a gilet, have I missed somat?

[Mr Larrington]

Be advised that if you do finally obtain one, Mal Volio may murder you.  The only reason I've survived this far is coz I'm bigger than him.

Indeed.  My teeth are already on edge, my face set in  a grimace and my fingers edging toward the nearest pointed object.

why are you going to murder me or anyone in a gilet, have I missed somat?

http://www.anothercyclingforum.com/index.php?topic=27023.msg358650#msg358650 and it's not my fault that MV can't spell

[Seineseeker]

Good job I don't want gillet then. Sounds like something you would use in the kitchen.

[border-rider]

http://www.anothercyclingforum.com/index.php?topic=35361.msg481961#msg481961

Is the start of it all

They fill me with a desire to push the wearer into a ditch.  As do gillets, except gillets (I can barely type the word without shuddering) are worse.

[alecstilleyedye]

aldi are selling a gilet from 1st may (or, more likely, on the first, as they will go quickly), or try ebay for the same item in the days after.