Looking for a gravel cycling rain jacket?

Gravel biking is a fantastic sport, but once you get started and head out for after-work rounds or short training sessions, certainly at some point "a little gravel biking" will turn into bikepacking! And then you’ll need a gravel cycling rain jacket, because no weather forecast is 100% reliable, especially if you are on the road for several days. So in your panniers there should definitely be a lightweight, waterproof raincoat. But waterproof is not enough, a little wind protection is always good to have, and if your rain jacket is also breathable, chances are good that the weather will never again spoil your gravel bike tour! 

The perfect shape for a gravel rain jacket

Do you need a specific rain jacket for gravel bikers? 

Absolutely! Because gavel biking is a bike discipline all of its own, and there is the perfect clothing to go with it. It is not as casual as mountain bike gear. Those rather wide rain jackets for MTB or leisure riders are not quite the right thing for your gravel cycling. Maybe road bike kits then? But when graveling, not every ounce and every watt counts, so the skin-tight and slick road bike fashion is somehow not perfect either. Our Platzangst rain jackets for gravel bikers, on the other hand, are perfect for overnighters, weekenders or whatever you plan to do with your gravel bike!

The cut of our cycling rain jackets are right in the middle between baggy and tight, "body-hugging" probably sums it up best. We don't design them too wide, so your rain jacket won't flap around you. But cycling rain jackets for gravel biking shouldn't be too tight either, because especially on longer tours or in the fall you might want to wear a sweater underneath it every now and then. 

How to find your Platzangst rain jacket in the right size

In which size should you buy your rain jacket to make sure it’s comfy for graveling? Here we’ve got a few buying tips for you:

• Which gravel rain jacket for warm summer rain?

You only hop on your bike when the weather is nice, and only in summer too? Your raincoat is mainly emergency equipment? Then a particularly light jacket is sufficient. It will also take up less space in your panniers. Since you probably only wear a cycling jersey under your rain jacket in the summer, you can simply click a smaller size if you want to buy a tight-fitting rain jacket. Check out our hardshell jackets, and choose a jacket in your normal size if you like a little more room around you. 

• Which raincoat for graveling in autumn and winter?

Your jersey and a light sweater will fit under any regular sized rain jacket. So for spring or autumn a cycling rain jacket in your normal dress size is perfect. 

• Which rain jacket for cycling through any season, even winter

If you want to wear your cycling rain jacket in winter too, you can of course do that. But then you might want to choose a larger size when buying it. This way you can wear different layers underneath, the jacket becomes a waterproof and windproof outer shell and keeps the base layesr warm and dry. 

The perfect cycling jacket is not too tight, but also not too baggy. 

What’s the best shape for a cycling rain jacket for gravel bikers?

It's not easy to design a cycling jacket, because a "normal" jacket pattern just doesn’t fit well while on the bike, whether it's a gravel bike or any other bike. Because rain jackets for everyday, joggers or hikers are often made of non-elastic fabrics, they can be especially uncomfortable on the Gravel Bike. The rigid fabric restricts your shoulders and arms and the jacket might even "pinch" around the back. Our cycling jackets are comfy to wear at any time, but they’re at their best when you’re on your bike! Why? Because we love to ride gravel bikes and therefore know how wrong a non-cycling rain jacket can feel! The back of our Platzangst gravel rain jackets is slightly longer, for instance. So they leave no gap between your pants and the jacket when you’re sitting on your bike. You may also notice that the sleeves of cycling clothing are longer, "normal" sleeves are always too short for arms reaching for the handlebar.

This way we optimize our rain jackets piece by piece and adapt it to the riding posture and the needs of a cyclist and that guarantees you comfort in the saddle. To make it even more comfortable, many of our fabrics are waterproof and windproof, but still stretchy. This means that your rain jacket adapts to your posture and movements, it doesn't tweak or chafe. 

Gravel cycling rain jackets for sun, wind and weather

Wind is always a problem whilst cycling. Rain alone can be really nasty when you’re biking. But rain and biting wind that penetrates your clothes is a freezing mix. That's why our Platzangst outerwear - especially the gravel cycling rain jackets - is not only waterproof. It also keeps the wind out, and you can - thanks to a windproof rain jacket - brave the worst of the weather! 

A rain jacket is always waterproof, of course, and this also applies to Platzangst gravel rain jackets. No matter how it pours, thanks to a water column of 10 000 mm or more, the rain stays outside.

But you also don’t want to get too sweaty, and that’s why sportswear is always breathable. The fabrics our rain jackets are made from also allow moisture to evaporate to the outside. 

For the summer your biking raincoat should be lightweight and breathable.

What features do you expect of your new rain jacket gravel cycling?

• At Platzangst you can find rain jackets for gravel tours in two different versions, some have a hood, others have a small collar. Which do you prefer?
• Make sure your jacket has enough vents if you want to wear it in the summer, because when it is warm some fresh air is important!
• Every garment has seams, and rainproof jackets should be taped seams. That way water can’t get in, even in critical places like the shoulders.
• The pockets of our rain jackets should have a zipper. It keeps your energy bars, cell phone or change dry. 

Buy your Platzangst gravel bike rain jacket (and other stuff) online

Here in the online store you can find gravel cycling raincoats and other gravel biking clothing. Whether you are looking for a rain jacket, a jacket, pants, shirt or jersey, our garments have one thing in common: They are perfect for short and long gravel tours. They are neither too wide nor too tight (except our Platzangst bibs maybe), the fabrics are perfect for training and leisure and the shape of each garment is adapted to the riding position on the gravel bike. Caps and socks can be found in our accessories section. One more tip: For big tours you should have rain pants. But even if you only want to go for an after-work ride in the rain, rain pants are a good thing to have!