..........................................................................................................................................................................................................
rapha brevet flyweight wind jacket
thousands, if not millions of years ago, islay was apparently two separate islands. the oft mentioned uiskentuie strand borders a line of raised beaches where, at one time, according to experts, loch indaal and loch gruinart were merged into one body of water. thankfully this is not the case today, otherwise the velo club would have a harder than usual, not to say wetter time, visiting debbie's for some ritual froth supping. however, things being as they are, on reaching uiskentuie farm at the top of the strand, taking a right turn takes the intrepid cyclist in the direction of gruinart flats, one of two reserves owned by the royal society for the protection of birds (the other is on the oa).
this forms a part of not only my regular saturday ride, but is quite frequently included as a part of the sunday morning perambulations. the flats are a favoured grazing spot for the thousands of overwintering geese, often flooded due partly to their slightly-below-sea-level existence, but recently most likely due to one heck of a lot of rain.
the singletrack road leading to the reserve visitor centre is pretty straight, peppered on one side by plenty of passing places, hoping to offer a safe and unobstructive means for birdwatchers to stop their cars and grab the binoculars or cameras. disappointingly, either through ignorance or arrogance, many still stop on the road wherever they feel the need. that'll be why the rspb drive about in enormous tractors. those are rarely argued with.
there's a short, sharp, steep climb leading up past aoradh farm and ending at grainel, a few hundred metres up the road. the initial ascent, probably due to the aforementioned tractors, is pock-marked with potholes that seem to move location whenever it suits and more gravel than you'd find at the bottom of a large fish tank. this road, heading inexorably towards loch gorm, flattens once more for a while before rising once again, then descending to the loch.
described in this insouciant manner, it likely sounds quite idyllic, but loch gorm is but a few metres from the north atlantic and the wind is already inveigling itself into the crevices in the peloton long before starting the descent. but just before downwards becomes gravitationally necessitous, a pause of a minute or two would allow the eager cyclist to look several kilometres out to sea. on a bright sunny day, i certainly would not dispute use of the word idyllic on any grounds, but on a day like last saturday, all that view offered was portent of an incoming weatherfront. in this case, fuelled by a galeforce wind.
i like to think i have the measure of strong winds. thirty years in the hebrides means that familiarity breeds content and i have, on occasion, offered my wind consultancy to the folks at imperial works. i should make it perfectly plain that i am referring to the meteorological instance and not that engendered by over-indulgence of cruciferous vegetables or beans on toast. however, it seems that my ministrations on their behalf are wholly unnecessary; it would appear they have the subject well under control.
saturday, as i may have implied, was windy; a lot windier than the forecast had indicated. however, the ambient temperature was marginally into double-figures, too cold to dress only in a jersey, but just a tad too warm to feature a full-blown waterproof jacket. the air was damp, but tangible precipitation was conspicuous by its regular presence. the ideal conditions, i might profess, for rapha's latest brevet flyweight jacket; not actually waterproof, but a highly proficient windblock with an all-up weight of 74g (in old money, that's not even three ounces).
to emphasise the compactitude of this marvellous garment (i have thicker toilet paper in the croft), rapha sent out the press sample neatly contained in a tin the size of those employed for their shaving cream. yes, that small (see image above). inside the jacket's diaphanous constitution is a small pocket into which the jacket can be scrunched, resulting in a size that resembles that of their packable emergency backpack or an essentials case. the only fly in the ointment i can foresee would be attempting to put the jacket on in the face of an incoming galeforce wind. i'd suggest finding a modest level of shelter prior to attempting this in the wild.
it's hard to judge whether the flyweight jacket ought to be favoured for its incredible lightness of being or its more than impressive windblocking properties. i'm happy to appreciate it for both those features. and in common with its brevet peer group, there are two reflective and fluorescent hoops to make sure you're seen while being cavalier in the wind.
the full-length zip is simplicity itself to fasten or unfasten while in the saddle, and the rapha emblazoned droptail makes a decent job of keeping agricultural crap off your backside. the sleeves are, dare i say it, a perfect length (medium version reviewed).
whether you indulge in the sort of bikepacking that the brevet range encourages, or, like me, simply have to go out in strong winds that vary their temperature at will, this is the ideal garment to have minimally ensconced in a jersey rear pocket. you really do need one of these.
rapha's brevet flyweight jacket is available in black, chartreuse or burgundy (as reviewed). sizing begins at xs and wneds its way upwards to xxl at a retail cost of £120.
rapha brevet flyweight wind jacket
tuesday 31 october 2017
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................