FWE LTR women's long sleeve jersey review

Simple but well put-together budget choice

Our rating

4.0

39.99

Phil Hall

Published: February 13, 2017 at 8:00 am

Our review
A breathable jersey with a good fit and plenty of features Buy if, You want a simple jersey that performs well

Pros:

Simple design with all the features you need, good fit, plenty of pockets and a pleasing, simple style

Cons:

Lycra fabric is lightweight and not very structured so heavily laden pockets shift about when riding

FWE or, to give the brand it's longer name, FW Evans, is the in-house clothing and accessories line by high-street bike chain Evans Cycles. The clothing part of the range comprises tights, shorts, jerseys, jackets, caps and various accessories. I took the FWE LTR — short for Lunch Time Ride, according to Evans — for a number of rides to put it through its paces.

For a very reasonable £39.99 RRP you get a well cut lycra jersey that has plenty of features and a fair degree of simple style.

Add to that the fact that the jersey is currently retailing with a 20 percent discount and the value for money side of things boosts in its favour.

Taller women will find the long length of the jersey a boon and although the jersey is lycra and has a women's specific cut, it sits loosely so if you do want a more athletic or snug fit, you'll need to go down a size.

The lycra itself is a fairly lightweight knit, so don't expect any compression qualities here, and features a full-length zip.

It does feature a panelled construction and the seams are pleasingly out of the way of any potential hot spots, featuring a raglan style shoulder seam rather than a seam on top of the shoulder and around the arm pit.

The FWE ensemble of the LTR jersey and the Coldharbour thermal bib tights together comes in at under £100 - Phil Hall

The wrists stay snugly in place due to a soft lycra cuff and a drop tail ensures the lower back stays covered.

The LTR jersey has three generous pockets plus an extra security pocket with a zip closure for stowing things like change, cards or keys.

I did note that because the lycra of the jersey isn't the firmest, if you load the pockets heavily the jersey can pull to the side while you're riding — but a pump, phone and a few snacks didn't cause any huge issues.

As with the bib tights, the jersey features a reflective stripe at the lower back, on each sleeve and another at the back of the neck to help increase rider visibility in the dark.

There are three large pockets at the rear plus a fourth secure pocket with a zip closure - Phil Hall

Price, sizing and availability

The LTR jersey comes in sizes XS to XL and I'd say sizes up true based on my experience and a comparison with the Evans Cycles clothing size chart.

The medium equates to a UK 12-14 and the large to a UK 14-16. If you want a closer fit, you'll need to go down a size.

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