Two-way zippers—a first-world problem

[Happy_Days]

I find two-way zippers a fight to do back up once they’ve been unzipped all the way. Which gilets have a one-way zip? Or is it de rigueur for today’s cyclist to have a two-way zip for sartorial acceptability?

 

[Tenkaykev]

I recently discovered that my outdoor trousers ( Alpkit iirc ) have a fly zip that can open from both the top and bottom 🤔

 

[ColinJ]

My Sundried gilet (which I really like) has a one-way zip, but that can also be a pain because it tends to snag on the wind flap that is supposed to cover it. The problem is easy to overcome two-handed, but the zip snags when trying to adjust it one-handed when moving.

 

[HLaB]

Ive only got a two way zipper on one Gilet and one rain jacket and both are my favourites, I like being to open them on the move and not proverbially 'boiling'.

 

[Sea of vapours]

Also remarkably useful for accessing rear jersey pockets, whether moving or not, on gilets and rain/wind jackets.

 

[Cycling Badger]

The challenge with zips is snagging the material in the zipper and it jamming - PITA
However, 2-way zippers introduce another trap - the misaligned zip!
You're riding along and as if by magic your gilet starts to unzip from the bottom up - resulting in another frustration inducing wrestle with garment.

We're on the verge of quantum computing and general intelligence think how much better your cycling gilet would function if we had directed some of the effort into designing a better functioning closing system!

 

[matticus]

We're on the verge of quantum computing and general intelligence think how much better your cycling gilet would function if we had directed some of the effort into designing a better functioning closing system!

This is exactly what I was thinking when I opened this thread!

Is there a more ubiquitous gadget in our (First World) lives that has always been sub-optimal in performance, and seen DECADES of no improvement?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

 

[VinSumRox]

Why do they put such short puller on cycle top zips, doesn't make it easy to grab them on the move.

 

[matticus]

Why do they put such short puller on cycle top zips, doesn't make it easy to grab them on the move.

AND ANOTHER THING - they're always breaking off on mine! Including those on fancy brands. I tried fitting a zip-tie - that made for a nice LOOOOONG puller.

Then last month I took two tops to our local Repair Cafe, and their macrame expert made me some lovely pullers!!! 😍

Turns out some folks have even fancier ones:

 

[Happy_Days]

2-way zippers introduce another trap - the misaligned zip! You're riding along and as if by magic your gilet starts to unzip from the bottom up - resulting in another frustration inducing wrestle with garment.

My gilet causes also this sartorial stress. Who wants to ride around inelegantly unzipped? Deviously, it waits—zipped to lull me into a false sense of wind-shielded security—until the weather turns mid-ride. Then my pesky gilet unzips from the bottom up, just as the weather worsens.

Two-way zips are very naughty.

 

[SuperGalactian]

Why do they put such short puller on cycle top zips, doesn't make it easy to grab them on the move.

I imagine it's so that they don't flap and make an irritating noise.