Jeff S
Forum Supporter
I did my first ride yesterday with this heated jacket liner - my first ride ever with heated gear. My two complaints about this liner:
1. The 'LOW' setting might be too high. I never had it above LOW, and even in with the temps around 41°, unless I was at quick highway speeds for more than a few minutes, I was a bit on the warm side
2. Related to #1 - the On/Off/Temp control will take some time to be able to find while rolling (it's attached to the jacket, so only a simple pigtail cord is attached to the bike). Once stopped, it's trivial to change settings - but as I got warm later in the day, the easy solution was to just unplug the jacket instead of feeling around for the button.
I got a medium, and it's perhaps a half-size too large (6 foot, 160#). The small was a too restrictive, but the medium is a little roomy. I tightened up my jacket to maintain close contact with my torso, which worked and provides a nice, warm place to ride.
Other than this jacket liner, I was wearing long johns, and my riding jacket with the rain liner (which I use in the cold as extra wind breaker). This was totally sufficient in the low 40's up to short highway jaunts (lime creek, 1431, cow creek, 1174. One longer run of 10 miles at 75+ mph at right at 42° is the only time the cold started creeping it. My fingers were FROZEN and I'll be adding their heated gloves before my next 40's ride. Once I've got these, I suspect I'll be able to comfortably ride in the low 40's all day, and probably even down into the high 30's (remember, I never tried medium or high power) for short rides.
Bottom line: it's hot in Texas, but not always. Electrical gear WORKS and keeps you from having to wear many bulky layers. 40° used to be my absolute low riding temp - and that was in many layers: uncomfortable, sweating while not moving, perhaps dangerously bulky and movement restrictive. With the heated liner, 40° is "easy" and actually enjoyable.
1. The 'LOW' setting might be too high. I never had it above LOW, and even in with the temps around 41°, unless I was at quick highway speeds for more than a few minutes, I was a bit on the warm side
2. Related to #1 - the On/Off/Temp control will take some time to be able to find while rolling (it's attached to the jacket, so only a simple pigtail cord is attached to the bike). Once stopped, it's trivial to change settings - but as I got warm later in the day, the easy solution was to just unplug the jacket instead of feeling around for the button.
I got a medium, and it's perhaps a half-size too large (6 foot, 160#). The small was a too restrictive, but the medium is a little roomy. I tightened up my jacket to maintain close contact with my torso, which worked and provides a nice, warm place to ride.
Other than this jacket liner, I was wearing long johns, and my riding jacket with the rain liner (which I use in the cold as extra wind breaker). This was totally sufficient in the low 40's up to short highway jaunts (lime creek, 1431, cow creek, 1174. One longer run of 10 miles at 75+ mph at right at 42° is the only time the cold started creeping it. My fingers were FROZEN and I'll be adding their heated gloves before my next 40's ride. Once I've got these, I suspect I'll be able to comfortably ride in the low 40's all day, and probably even down into the high 30's (remember, I never tried medium or high power) for short rides.
Bottom line: it's hot in Texas, but not always. Electrical gear WORKS and keeps you from having to wear many bulky layers. 40° used to be my absolute low riding temp - and that was in many layers: uncomfortable, sweating while not moving, perhaps dangerously bulky and movement restrictive. With the heated liner, 40° is "easy" and actually enjoyable.