We love a bit of flashy Italian bike kit as much as the next cyclist, but we have to admit to being a bit flummoxed when we first saw this. It’s windproof and very water resistant, but it’s short sleeved. Developed with Cervelo Test Team Rider Gabriel Rasch (nickname: Gabba), it’s designed for cold and wet rides to be worn with Castelli’s water-resistant arm-warmers.
With pro riders in mind it’s ‘performance fit’ – ie, very tight, so Gore developed a four-way stretch Windstopper fabric to make sure it would be soft and stretchy enough. Despite our scepticism, we couldn’t help but be impressed by this jersey, and in our notoriously changeable climate it has really versatile applications. Fit is close and natural, as you’d expect from a pro-rider developed jersey.
We loved the super-long, shaped tail that covers your whole backside perfectly in the drops or an aero tuck. A bold reflective strip at the bottom keeps you visible; three good-sized pockets and an earphone wire hole make it practical. It’s a softshell, so we tested it against bare skin and barely noticed it. True, in cold weather you might as well just wear a long-sleeved softshell, but this is a great piece for rain and shine, autumn and spring days.