A good bike jacket can make all the difference when it comes to comfort – but it doesn’t have to cost the earth.
The five jackets below have all received rave reviews from Sportsbikeshop customers. Not only that, they all cost £120 or less.
RST Alpha 5 CE Textile Jacket
Customer rating:
An average rating of 4.8 from the first 29 customer reviews means RST's long waterproof textile jacket is assured of a key place in this list. It's designed for touring and commuting with RST's Maxtex fabric making up the main construction. A Sinaqua membrane keeps you dry and there's a removable thermal gilet to help you stay warm on chilly days. It comes with shoulder and elbow armour. The only mild criticism from owners is a lack of back protection, but adding a basic CE L1 insert at the back only takes this jacket to a fiver over our £120 threshold.
Oxford Ladies Iota 1.0 Air Textile Jacket
Customer rating:
The first 10 customer reviews of this vented summer-only jacket all came with a perfect five-star rating. It’s a ladies jacket, but the Oxford Delta 1.0 Air is the mens equivalent and is identical in all except the fit, and that has a very respectable 4.8 rating from the first 12 reviews. Both womens and mens versions have large mesh panels that are rated well by owners, with shoulder and elbow armour that meets the basic Level 1 of the CE standard, but versatility is clearly lacking as there are no waterproof or thermal liners.
Richa Axel Textile Jacket
Customer rating:
As basic all-round jackets go, it’s hard to quarrel with Richa’s Axel jacket. It’s got a tough polyester outer, a breathable waterproof membrane and a removable thermal liner so it’s got all seasons covered. There are air vents to lower the temperature in summer, and it’s armoured at the shoulders and elbows with an overall CE protection rating to A level. The first six customer-reviewers all gave a perfect five-star rating, which reflects the value for a jacket with a list price of £109.99 at the time of writing.