Rivelo Thorncombe Softshell Jacket

Tell us what the jacket is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

This softshell jacket is aimed at road cyclists looking for a jacket to keep you warm during the winter and early season. The unique feature of the jacket is the removable internal insulation, which offers good levels of warmth, and can be detached quickly to allow use as a long sleeved jersey. Rivelo note the jersey is intended to be worn like a jersey with a baselayer underneath and provides a slim fit. Although I found the fit to be loose, and would not advise sizing up any further.

Rivelo says: 'Fantastically versatile and lightweight softshell that's as comfortable as a jersey with the protection and performance of a jacket. The removable OCTA Active Insulation lining offers great flexibility when you're just not sure what the weather will do, snap it in for warmth and comfort and remove it once you've warmed up. The water-resistant outer fabric is made from recycled polyester with PFC free DWR, as part of our drive for a more sustainable and environmentally friendly range.

'This jacket has a slim performance fit and is designed be worn like a jersey with a baselayer or minimal layers underneath. If you plan to wear it as a jacket (over a jersey or lots of layers), we would recommend sizing up from your usual size.'

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the jacket?

Rivelo lists these features:

100% Recycled Polyester main fabric, with 38% Recycled Polyester/45% Cationic Polyester/17% Elastane backing

10K water resistant protection & 20K breathability

PFC free DWR coating to aid water resistance performance

57% Recycled Polyester/43% Polyester removable OCTA Active Insulation lining - offers flexible warmth & comfort performance on the move, start with it in place and remove mid-ride as you warm up.

Stretch thermal jersey underarm panels aid freedom of movement and breathability

3 large pockets at rear with elasticated opening

Additional zipper pocket for valuables

Reflective panels at back pocket for added low light visibility

Dropped hem at rear to protect from road spray

Full length 2-way Vislon zip with zip garage & guard for protection

Webbing zip pullers for easy opening

Angled collar, lined in soft microfiber fabric, for comfort and weather protection

Articulated sleeve panelling, for an 'on-the-bike' fit

Soft gros grain ribbon back neck hanging loop

No scratchy labels - care label is sewn flat

It seems well made, and the main fabric of the jacket good quality. The articulated sleeve design provides a good sleeve length while holding the handlebar.

The jacket is nice and warm, especially with the insulation in place, if not the most breathable.

I used the jacket on a few winter and early spring rides, and no sign of any issues. The little road spray wiped off easily.

The waterproof rating of 10k indicates that the jacket can cope with short periods of rain. I would agree that it can cope will with light rain or drizzle. I wouldn't want to wear it in prolonged or heavy rain.

The breathability is rated as 20k, which should allow a reasonable amount of air to pass out of the jacket, but I found it got sweaty if I put in an effort or tackled a longer climb. The breathability is certainly enhanced when worn without the insulation.

Personally, I found the fit to be loose. As a 178cm, 69kg cyclist, the medium jacket did not provide the 'slim performance fit' as advertised by Rivelo.

Going by Rivelo's example of a cyclist of the same height and waist size as me, I tested a medium. The size of the jacket was correct – the length of the arms and torso were good – but see above for 'fit'.

The jacket weighs 377g, which compares well with the competition. Weight isn't a major factor for me as other performance characteristics are more important in a winter jacket, but Rapha and dhb offer similar softshell jackets that weigh around 390g.

Removing the insulation saves roughly 50g.

My only problem with comfort was the excessively long hem at the rear.

How easy is the jacket to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Similar to other cycling kit, it is machine washable at 30 degrees, and OK to tumble dry at a low temperature. It's also easy to wipe away splash from the road with a wet cloth.

Tell us how the jacket performed overall when used for its designed purpose

The jacket's key purpose is to keep you warm and it offers light waterproofing, and performed well in these areas. However, it's not as breathable as some, and the 'performance fit' was looser than I'd expected.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the jacket

I liked the warmth, and the removable insulation is a good feature, making the jacket versatile.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the jacket

I didn't like the fit – I found it too loose around the chest, arms and shoulders. Two of the rear pockets were also too shallow for my phone and mini pump.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market including ones recently tested on road.cc?

It's a little pricey: the dhb Aeron All Winter Softshell Jacket costs £130, while Stolen Goat's Mekon Climb & Conquer Winter Jacket is £149.99. Rapha's Pro Team Winter Jacket is more at £180, but Robin was impressed with how well it insulates and its breathability, and he also really liked the fit.

Use this box to explain your overall score

The Rivelo Thorncombe Softshell Jacket has many positives, but for me there were also some negatives. The key characteristic of the jacket is to keep you warm, and it performs well in this area, but I prefer my cycling clothing to be closer fitting. I'm scoring it 6 for 'above average', factoring in that the price is also a little high, the pockets a little shallow, and the rear excessively long.