Agu Secco Pro waterproof jacket – £99.99
I don’t mind riding in the rain so much, I’ll happily admit, if it starts raining during a ride. Starting a ride when it’s already raining heavily outside however, now that’s just another matter entirely.
My motivation hasn’t been quite so challenged since I’ve been testing Agu’s Secco Pro waterproof jacket. It’s made from two-way lamination, combining a soft shell fabric with a Poray 5000 waterproof coating. That means it’s incredibly waterproof no matter hard the rain is bouncing off the pavement.
It’s the only jacket I’ve tested that is so closely based on the jackets favoured by professional riders. The main feature is a full length Velcro closure, instead of a traditional zip, which means it is very easy to pull on and close up – no fiddling with a small zip puller when the conditions take a turn for the worse.
Available in a bright yellow or black, as pictured here, it’s very generously covered with reflective material extending from the hem right to the high collar, making it score highly on the visibility front. It’s really designed for mucky winter training rides; function over form.
This extends to the dropped tail, the high collar and the unique cuff design. A softer material is used at the cuffs and is tapered to ensure a good seal around the wrists, which works very well in practise.
An eyebrow raising detail is a large round clear ‘window’ on the left arm, designed to allow viewing of your watch or heart rate monitor. That’s fine and probably much appreciated if you do wear a watch and need to be able to see it when riding, but we don’t and found it a rather unnecessary detail. The jacket could do without it.
Fit is excellent, erring on the snug side of slim. The Velcro closure really does work and makes it super quick to whip the jacket off during a ride, whether you’ve stopped or not, and allows for easy ventilation when you get a little warm. It’s not the most breathable water proof jacket I’ve tested recently, but its resistance to letting water in is second to none.
Verdict
A pro inspired jacket that hard training cyclists will get on really well with.
£99.99 from www.i-ride.co.uk | www.agu.com
