PdC Fashions: Showers Pass Joining the Fray

I recently mentioned in a post about underwear (yay!) that Showers Pass was something of a dominant force on Dexter Ave, the Seattle bike commuting superhighway. Part of the dominance had to do with the ubiquitous yellow jacket, which has been a Showers Pass staple since their founding in 1997, or not long thereafter. You could see them from a long ways off. And in the world of urban commuting, that's a good thing.

But there is another set of riders out there, hanging out in the cafes not far from Dexter, and not planning to ride home right after work, or anytime soon. It's the biker chic set! And if it hasn't come to a neighborhood near you yet, it will soon. [Except for Elvisgoat.]

I am obviously a big proponent of clothes that look good while functioning in ways that make you think the manufacturer really knows something about riding a bike. It's one thing for them to ask us for our money; it's something else when they and us are the same people.

Which is where Showers Pass comes in. Rather than migrating over from fashions to cycling fashions, they are approaching this pinnacle of awesome from the other direction, the commuter world. And their first foray is the Metro Jacket. Or maybe the Amsterdam Jacket, a similarly nice-looking item aimed at surviving truly cold winters. The Metro is the US West Coast version, rainproof but lightweight, weighing about 10 ounces and capable of folding down to something the size of your bottle.

Much better looking for non-spandex dressing than the classic yellow coat. But since it's Showers Pass, the functionality has been dialed in. That's what they do.

It sounds terrific. I will be demo-ing one of these shortly and bringing back a full report.