Choosing the best mountain bike jerseys can be simple if you're clued up.
But if you base your choice purely on the jersey's colour or that it feels like an old T-shirt you love, you’re probably missing some tricks that could keep you more comfortable on the bike.
So here's our pick of the best mountain bike jerseys, rated and reviewed by the BikeRadar team. You can also jump to our buyer's guide to MTB jerseys at the end of this article.
If you're after a jersey for the colder months, why not check out our guide to the best winter mountain bike jerseys?
Best mountain bike jerseys in 2024
100% Ridecamp Jersey
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL
- Weight: 138g (M)
- Fabric: 100% polyester mesh fabric
- Colours: Black, Fatigue, Slate Blue, Charcoal/Black, Stone/Brick, Terracotta/Black, Light Slate/Navy
- Price: £35 / $39
The polyester mesh fabric used on the Ridecamp feels light and airy, and we found it to be one of the coolest jerseys on hot, sunny days, even when exposed to direct sunlight.
It coped well with sweat build-up, with a constant flow of fresh air across our skin succeeding in drying out excess moisture. Even once it was fully saturated, it remained lighter than jerseys with a higher thread-per-inch count.
While the sleeves are quite short, we didn’t experience any problems with them climbing our arms when riding over bumpy terrain. We found that occasional readjustments of the jersey were needed after particularly rowdy descents, though.
The simple, minimal and very clean design should appeal to plenty of people and we appreciated the in-built goggle wipe, too.
Altura Kielder Lightweight
- Sizes: S-XXXL
- Material: Recycled polyester
- Colours: Blue, Mustard, Black
- Price: £35
Altura's Kielder Lightweight jersey is made from recycled polyester fabric and feels smooth next to the skin.
There’s sufficient airflow through the jersey when you get moving and the dropped hem at the rear helps to keep your lower back covered when you’re seated or tucked over the front of the bike.
The Kielder Lightweight offers good value for money, with the only real limitation being the available colourways.
Endura SingleTrack Core Tee II
- Sizes: S-XL
- Material: Polyester 100%
- Colours: Aubergine, Black, Blueberry, Tangerine
- Price: £40/$55/€45
The SingleTrack Core Tee II is made from a lightweight, recycled fabric that leaves shoulder movement unrestricted thanks to built-in stretch.
The cut delivers ample length in the sleeves and torso, but is close enough that the jersey doesn’t flap about when speed picks up.
When you do get moving, it feels airy, wicks sweat well and doesn’t take long to dry after intense efforts. There are no extra features, such as a lens wipe, but at this price point, it’s hard to knock.
Troy Lee Designs Skyline Air
- Sizes: S-XXL
- Material: Bluesign-approved fabrics
- Colours: Stone, Black, True Blue
- Price: £70/$70/€80/AU$95
True to its name, the Skyline Air has a breezy feel when you get moving. It’s seriously comfy, and the sizing and cut are spot-on. There's enough length in the sleeves and torso for spirited riding, while it features a dropped rear hem to protect your back from wheel spray.
The super-soft fabric soaks up sweat and dries rapidly once you stop, with the integrated lens wipe working well to remove dirt from glasses or goggles.
It’s a small detail, but the 'slight V' neckline is one of the best here, sitting close enough to keep you covered, without being noticeable.
The Skyline Air is a solid performer, but there’s no getting away from the rather high asking price.
Fox Flexair Pro
- Sizes: S-XXL
- Material: 100% polyester
- Colours: Black, Gunmetal Grey, Mocha Brown
- Price: £70/$80/€70
The Flexair Pro is made from a super-soft, lightweight fabric, which is incredibly comfortable next to the skin.
It wicks moisture away effectively and is quick to dry as soon as you stop.
The bonded neck, sleeves and hem all add to overall comfort, and there’s plenty of stretch to keep movement free and easy, though this is reflected in the price tag.
A dropped rear hem keeps you covered in the saddle, and this airy top is lovely to wear on warm days.
We found the Flexair Pro to be a little small, with our tester ending up in a medium rather than his usual small.
There are also a few features missing that you'd expect on a jersey in this price range, such as a lens wipe.
Also consider…
The following jerseys are also worth considering if you don't like the look of our top-rated picks.
100% Celium
- Sizes: S-XL
- Material: Polyester/spandex mesh fabric
- Colours: Grey/Racer Red, Black/Charcoal, Forest Green/Black
- Price: £65/$69/AU$100
The 100% Celium fits just the right side of baggy, with enough length in the sleeves and torso to keep you covered up when pulling shapes in the trees.
The smooth fabric feels soft, light and airy, making the 100% jersey impressively comfortable to ride in. A small lens wipe is tucked on the inside of the hem – a useful feature when riding with goggles or glasses.
While the angular neckline of the Celium feels good and is open enough to promote airflow, the raised fabric at the rear lost its stretch quite quickly on our test sample, which left the neckline looking a little limp in places.
Fasthouse Classic Acadia
- Sizes: S-XXXL
- Material: 100% Polyester
- Colours: Heather Indigo, Heather Gray
- Price: £50/$60
The Fasthouse Classic Acadia jersey fits true to size, with enough length to keep you covered when seated and pedalling.
Long mesh panels at either side, which run the entire length of the jersey (up and under the armpits, and down the sleeves), do a great job of dumping heat when you work up a sweat.
The jersey also features a lens wipe on the inside of the torso, which helped in clearing muck from goggles and glasses.
The Acadia Classic is thicker than on many of the other jerseys here, and it can’t quite match them for how light and airy they feel, even with the mesh side sections.
What to look for in a mountain bike jersey
Materials
Everyone knows sweat-wicking fabrics are good, but how fast a fabric dries after moving the moisture away from your skin is important too. Anything that stays soggy for too long will give you the chills once you start to cool down.
Antibacterial treatments are also a useful feature. Unfortunately, fabrics designed for excellence in transporting sweat can eventually start to smell. We’ve all been halfway into a ride and been overtaken by our own armpits – but it doesn’t have to be that way.
You might also want to think about the weight of the material. Heavier fabrics give more protection but can be warm in the summer months. Lightweight, more open mesh is lighter and cooler but less durable.
Some jerseys combine several fabrics to bring together the benefits of each – a regular solid knit through the body, for example, with mesh inserts under the arms or down the sides, and more durable panels on the shoulders and sleeves to protect against pack rub.
Cut and seams
The cut may not seem as important on jerseys as on shorts, because they tend to be more simply styled.
However, like the best waterproof mountain bike jackets, designs with shaped panels that follow the articulation of your arms and body tend to feel right as soon as you put them on and prove more comfortable on the bike too.
More basic styles often rely on stretchy fabric and a baggier cut to provide movement and more flexibility between sizes.
Once you’ve determined the fit is right for you, get on a bike. Some jerseys feel terrible initially, but once you’re in the saddle the morph into the perfect shape and feel barely there.
Likewise, we’ve tried a few that look cool when standing in front of the mirror but come up short at the back, hang down in swathes at the front, or are just generally uncomfortable once you start riding in them.
Finally, always look at the seams. If you’re going to wear a hip pack, flatlock seams are your best bet to avoid irritation and chafing because there’s nothing to rub or dig in. Raglan sleeves are also good because they’re cut in one piece with the shoulder, so there aren’t any seams at the point of pressure.
