I’m not sure what you demand from a textile bike jacket, but I have some basic expectations – and this jacket meets them all.
The Ixon Summit 2 textile jacket has proven waterproof, comfortable, reliable and warm through some pretty awful conditions.
I wore it with Ixon’s matching jeans of the same name for a long-distance trip to Cologne for the international bike show, which meant long stints in the saddle and some terrible weather.
The long riding stints were no problem – the comfort was spot-on, with the collar sitting at just the right height to let me ride with it fastened yet not cause discomfort around my throat.
And the breathable waterproof membrane lived up to its job by repelling some of the hardest rain I’ve ever experienced. The downpour on the outskirts of Cologne didn’t last long, but it felt like the raindrops were piercing my riding gloves.
The rain was hard enough to turn the road into a mirror-like surface, but the Ixon jacket kept it at bay very impressively.
By that stage it had already coped perfectly well with low single-digit temperatures in the Eifel National Park.
The cold there had me stopping for a hot drink and full-on winter gloves, but the jacket – and a Dainese thermal mid-layer – kept me warm enough to get going again without too much complaint.
The internal pockets had enough room to keep my wallet and phone – and enough shelter to keep them both dry.
There’s also a short connection zip to keep jacket and trousers from separating and allowing chilly draughts to get through.
Shoulder and elbow armour is comfortable, flexible and meets the higher Level 2 of the CE standard, which is welcome and unexpected from a jacket at this price.
Those are the basics covered. There are some extra qualities that I would have liked, such as a full-circumference connection zip for a better seal between jacket and trousers, and an extra Napoleon pocket so wallet and phone could have one each.
The press-stud closure for the storm flap over the main zip was also more time-consuming than I’d like, and the lack of pockets in which to stuff my hands when not riding was less than ideal. A zip at the cuff would give more room to accommodate a winter glove, too.
But many of those issues are to be expected from a jacket in this price range – and the Ixon delivered the goods I wanted from it. If I was looking for a textile jacket for infrequent long commutes or regular short ones, with the odd touring trip thrown in, then I would be more than happy with this one.
Fit & Comfort
The fit is true to size and everything is in scale. Adjusters at the sleeves and waist help tailor it to suit. Comfort was very good throughout my test, with the collar proving particularly fuss-free.
Waterproofing
One cloudburst near Cologne felt like being attacked with a pressure washer, but the Ixon survived it. The cuff seal did allow a bit of seepage between jacket and gloves.
Breathability
The membrane works well and breathability is good, but not the best. Some air vents would help on this score.
Build quality
The build is pretty good. Use of press-studs for most of the external closures can be annoying, but they will still be working when the cheaper forms of Velcro fastener used on many jackets in this price range have failed.
Features
The basics are there, but extras like a long connection zip (it has a short one), storm collar and air vents would move it up the scale.