If a Swiss architect and a 2001 Subaru Outback made a love child, and it happened to be a cycling jacket, it would be the Sugoi RSX NeoShell ($300). Or in other words, this jacket is both nicely designed and super reliable.
The cut is full on velo-dork, with a covered butt and long, droopy sleeves while standing. It’s not something your spouse would allow you to wear at a social gathering, but on the bike it feels right. It feels functional. It feels like the perfect bucket seat or an extra thick condom.
I had the chance to really put the RSX to the test earlier this year in a driving New Mexico snowstorm. The temperature was hovering near freezing, the crosswind quickly covered my helmet and jacket with a layer of big wet flakes, and water sheeted down the streets.
All told I was out in the snow for almost an hour, slogging uphill on a heavy fenderless commuter. When I got home, standing in my kitchen breathing hard, I took off the jacket and not one drop of moisture had penetrated my shell. I was dry, warm, and happy.
The RSX isn’t perfect. The zipper pulls are difficult to operate, especially using winter-weight gloves. And while svelte would never appear in my Interpol description, there was still a good bit of extra material in the midsection, enough for a large farmers loaf or a brace of puppies. But in the end, it’s hard to argue with how well it works.
While many cycling pieces today try to be everything as once, Sugoi is honest about where the RSX fits in; it’ll keep you dry and warm in nasty weather. To that end it performs extremely well. The NeoShell material just works and the lack of vents and other features make it light and packable. I won’t hesitate to reach for it on my next cold wet ride.
The Elements
- Cut like a real bike jacket with extra long sleeves and butt
- NeoShell is awesome. Keeps the water out, vents like a champ
- Keeps us happy in all kinds of nasty weather
