The old vest was a proper cycling garment that I’d sewn various patches onto over time. Its worn, knackered look was part of its charm, but when the zip finally broke, I decided it was time to take things to the next level.
You can read about my initial thought process and planning in my previous post: Project High-Contrast Armour.
Back in March, I ordered the base vest. As planned, I decided to go down the high-visibility route, but with a twist—opting for my favourite colour, orange, instead of standard hi-vis yellow. I’m sure once it’s properly worn in, it’ll look the business.
Conveniently, I already had some waterproofing spray to hand. Morticia had bought it for our grandson’s shoes, so that will keep off the lighter showers (I still wear a proper rain jacket on the worst days).
When the base item duly arrived, the supplier had accidentally sent the wrong size. They sent out a replacement and kindly let me keep the original, which turned out to be a stroke of luck—it gave me a donor garment to solve my rear-pocket dilemma. Using fabric from the smaller vest and relying on my 'excellent' hand-sewing skills, I fashioned a very serviceable cycling pocket that should be plenty robust enough to hold my gear without failing.
Next came transplanting the patches from the old vest across to the new one and adding iron on reflective strips.
And here it is: road ready. I know I don’t look like your everyday cyclist—I might even turn a few heads. But then, who wants to look like everyone else anyway? Of course a jacket/vest like this is never finished, it will evolve and develop as time goes on. I already have a few new patches and mods in mind. But for now it's time to unleash it to the world.
Although I’ve already put it through a few road tests, I’ve decided to officially launch the vest today—on Yorkshire Day. It feels entirely appropriate to unveil a piece of gear built on quiet independence, grit, and doing things your own way. Proper Yorkshire craftsmanship—even if it's just me with a needle and thread.
The spirit of the Urban Viking—and the occasional absurdity of navigating the modern world—lives on in my webcomic, Northman. 
You can read the latest chapter here:
The excitement of Yorkshire Day is over for another year. I applaud the fact that your new cycling garment is in hi-vis orange. As a car driver myself, I never knock down cyclists who are wearing easily visible gear - but please do not compromise that visibility with a surfeit of patches and other modifications. Stay Safe and Be Seen!
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