Little bit of Lulham family history. I was a baby-boomer, born in the mid sixties the youngest of four. My mum and dad married soon after the war and went through rationing and hardship that makes today's austerity look like Club Tropicana. When I was three, my dad died leaving my mum to cope with two small boys and two teenage girls. We were part of the make-do-and-mend generation, and being the last in the line for hand-me-downs is no joke when you have two sisters... Jumble sales back then were brutal affairs, a whirlwind of clothes and women, and the occasional small child who'd been sucked into the vortex.
I was brought up on the maxim that light equalled 'flimsy and cheap' - heavy-duty was the watchword of much of my clothing, right up until the time I could buy my own pants. Therefore, when presented with a garment like the ashmei Softshell Cycling Jacket, my 1960s' inner-self screams "won't last long", "catch my death of cold" and "there's no growing room"...
Luckily, my adult self can override my juvenile prejudice and see the beauty, the quality and the exquisite detail. Yes, the ashmei Softshell is light and feels almost superficial, but a closer look reveals many, many clever design and functional features that set this jacket apart from anything else I've ever cycled in.
It's made of a combination of fine merino and breathable soft-shell and gives temperature regulation and wind/water resistance where it is most needed. Arms and chest are protected at the front, the softshell joined by a two-way rainproof zip, while at the back the super-stretchy merino allows areas out of the wind to breathe and let out the excess moisture that cycling inevitably brings.
There are a pair of zipped vents under the arms should you work that little bit too hard (or need to scratch a hard-to-reach itch). The sleeves are cuffed to stop breezes whistling up your arms, and there is a drop-down flap at the rear to protect your lower back from spray. This splash guard folds up and is held in place by magnets when not required.
The jacket is tailored for a cyclist's profile, though why it fit me so well is an enigma. I'm not a classic cyclist shape but the combination of lines and colouring, I think, made me look as good as I felt (citation required). The stretchiness means the jacket isn't straining whether you're on the tops or the drops, or relaxing in the cafe reaching for the sugar to sweeten your espresso.
OK, it's black but it's also available in red and there is band of hi-viz up the centre of the back (reminding me of the cats chased relentlessly by Pepe Le Pew), coupled with a subtle flash across the chest and reflective piping across the shoulders.
If it were just about the jacket, this would be enough for me, but it's packed full of other superb detail and clever design touches which set it apart from anything else I've ever worn. I've already touched upon the weather-proof cuffs, and I love the offset of the zip, meaning none of my chins get pinched when it's done up to the top.
There are six (yes, SIX) rear pockets, including a water-resistant one for your phone/wallet, a secure 'hidden' one, a narrow one for a mini pump and one with a hole for a headphone cable. I know some people aren't fond of the concept of headphones when cycling, but on solo rides I find them essential and to discover discreet clips inside and out to hold my cable made me almost hug myself with joy. There is even a small key pocket incorporated in the the front storm flap behind the zip.
I first tried the ashmei Softshell out on the notoriously cold Hell of the Ashdown Sportive and it performed brilliantly with what the day threw at me. Starting in sub-zero degrees C, warming up to nearly double figures and then being subjected to the freezing downpour of a winter squall for the last hour, I remained comfortably warm, my core never overheating, despite my thighs, my cheeks and my hands being red raw.
I've been out in it on a couple of occasions since as the weather becomes more spring-like, and have found that whereas I'd normally need two base layers, with the Softshell a single short-sleeved base will suffice. I'm actually beginning to dread it when the temperatures creep up into the teens and I have to resort to stuffy old summer wear. Contemplating moving a bit further north to reap the full benefit of this amazing bit of kit.
I'll send you a postcard from Norway, maybe.
Ashmei Men's Cycle Softshell Jacket, £210 from ashmei.com.
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