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endura pro sl primaloft jacket ii
many years ago, when north america had a mountain biking magazine called 'mountain biking', it published an article concerning the art and joys of riding unadulterated singletrack. this differs from the singletrack that would lead the hebridean cyclist on a circular tour close to kilchoman distillery. the singletrack that proved itself suitable for knobbly tyres and a gnarly attitude, consisted of what islanders would probably refer to as a sheep track; a thin strip of denuded ground sitting an inch or two lower than the surrounding tufts of grass. if north american sheep were responsible, they sure as heck travelled a lot further than the woolly farmland animals round these here parts.
at any rate, these lengthy stretches of north american singletrack promoted skilful negotiation of turns, defined as berms, punctuating seemingly endless gentle descents through stunning north american scenery. to do so creatively, speedy reactions were demanded from the rider, along with a sartorial ability to wear baggy shorts and a sweatshirt several sizes too big. but, at the conclusion of the short feature, the author explained that, rather than wallowing in this joy of velocipedinal excess, the whole point of the exercise was the ability to consume copious quantities of doughnuts and coffee, without concerning oneself with any perceptible weight gain.
that, however, is the special life set aside for north american mountain bikers, a lifestyle some considerable distance from that of the european roadie. we are of an altogether different constitution and temerity; in short, we are big and tough and strong, happy to inhabit our hard-won stoicism in direct public gaze. for us, particularly at this time of year, the ultimate outcome to be gained from several tough hours in the saddle, is the comfort to be acquired from warm and cosy outerwear brought to our attention by the chaps on the other side of the country. and at the risk of appearing dangerously contrived, endura's latest pro sl primaloft ii jacket in kingfisher blue, must surely be considered state of that particular art?
the past few days have distinguished themselves by dint of their surprisingly low temperatures. an unseasonal lack of wind across the principality has resulted in a series of crisp, frosty mornings, with scarcely a raise of more than a degree or two over the course of the day. and when that wind does rise to the occasion, it's not just mrs washingmachinepost's pizza that's chilly. road cycling's rich heritage, about which we are frequently reminded, consists of all manner of thermal clothing, much of which totally obliterates any weight savings from that nano-fibre carbon frame and top of the range componentry.
endura's primaloft jacket not only bucks that trend, but gives it a good hiding into the bargain.
although the folks in livingston contend that the jacket will maintain your core temperature even in deep winter conditions, it is versatile enough to adapt to the level of chill in your neighbourhood. ridden from bowmore, to ardnahoe, onto islay house square and ultimately to debbie's for lunch in temperatures of four degrees (probably lowered a smidgeon due to windchill) and i seriously doubt i could have been cosier. add to that, the fact that this warmth came without any weight penalty, and i believe i may just have described the archetypal win-win situation.
the full-length zip works both ways, though the lower portion is scarcely required to allow access to your jersey rear pockets, because endura have thoughtfully provided the primaloft jacket with three of its very own, plus a fourth, zipped security version. the cuffs are tight, precluding unwanted draughts from invading, while the windproofing keeps the primaloft aided cosiness from leaving unnanounced. in the face of unforecast rain, i accessorised with an fs260-pro adrenaline race cape; the joy simply increased. my only complaint concerns the lack of a collar loop with which to hang it on the back of the cupboard door.
so, before anyone accuses you of failing to ride in unbecoming weather, i have posted the link below.
endura's pro sl primaloft jacket ii is available in sizes ranging from xs to xxl, in either black or kingfisher blue. price is £139.99.
endura pro sl primaloft jacket
tuesday 19 november 2019
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