Gore Cancellara cycling kit review: C5 shorts, C5 Jersey, C7 Shakedry Jacket

Gore’s limited-edition collection from Fabian Cancellara (aka Spartacus) comprises of the premium-priced C7 collection (including the brilliant Shakedry jacket) and this more affordable, but still tech-laden, C5 collection.

• Best cycling kit for riding in the rain
• Best cycling jerseys

Gore Cancellara C5 shorts

The high-trunk section of the C5 shorts is a key feature and it offers support to your core and keeps you comfortable when working hard.

The shorts also feature Gore’s windstopper fabric in the groin area. Gore calls it ‘cup technology’ and just like a sports cup that you’d wear for cricket it’s there to protect your sensitive areas, although not from a spinning high-velocity ball, rather from high-velocity chilling winds.

The preformed double-skin section here has a Roubaix-like fabric back. It’s designed to give added protection to genitalia and it does it well.

The Gore-designed pad is made by market-leading specialists Elastic Interface. The angular-shaped design mimics that of a channelled saddle and, on the bike, I was very impressed with the comfort level from what is a fairly thin, minimal pad; it’s easily the equal of many dedicated endurance pads I've tried.

The construction of these shorts is fairly traditional with flat-locked seams throughout. There is a bit more bulk to them than premium shorts and the thigh material offers a good four-way stretch, but they don’t have the race-day, compressive fit of Gore’s premium C7 range.

For most riders though, the C5’s comfort is more important than compression. The braces and back are lightweight and very open mesh. Detailing throughout is excellent.

The laser-cut leg cuffs feature a 3in deep ribbon of much higher stretch, heavier-weight fabric, with silicone bonded into the textured back keeping them in place, while the reflective Gore logo details add an air of quality that is rarely found on shorts at this price point.

• Gore Cancellara C5 Bib Shorts: £90 / $110 / €100

Gore Cancellara C5 Jersey

The C5 jersey is cut to Gore’s slim-fit pattern, so it leaves little to the imagination, nevertheless, the lightweight material has plenty of stretch and is supremely comfortable, particularly when the temperature rises.

The fabric breathes well, and it has all the details that you’d expect of a jersey at a more premium price. The full-length zip has a metal YKK pull with cam-lock, the minimal collar form fits well with no flaps or gaps, and on the rear the traditional three pockets are well structured with gathered elastic openings to hold your stuff safely.

A centrally zipped security pocket adds to the practicality and reflective strips nod to safety, while the sewn-in silicone strip keeps the jersey in place.

As with the shorts, the jersey looks far more premium than its price would suggest.

• Gore Cancellara C5 Jersey: £80 / $100 / €90

Gore Cancellara C7 Shakedry Jacket

The final piece in the puzzle is Gore’s rather superb Shakedry jacket, which is simply one of the best road cycling jackets I've ever tested.

It packs down to pocket size, the fabric has incredible stretch and, as this is the Cancellara edition C7 model, it fits as close as a race-day jersey so nothing will be flapping in the wind (admittedly you won’t be carrying much in your pockets either).

As the name suggests, when water beads on the surface you just shake it away, however this version has high-stretch sections that run down the flanks of the shoulder blades which don’t shake-off water like the main body material does. This means the jacket can feel damp to the touch, but it doesn’t let water through rather just holds it on the surface of the fabric making it feel a bit cold in heavier rain.

For head-on water spray and rainy conditions when riding at speed and working hard it’s brilliant because of the extra breathability, but if you are looking for something to wear on long rides or commutes in the rain I'd still recommend the fabric, but in something like the C5 Shakedry 1985, which offers superb water-resistance.

I expected the C7 jacket to perform brilliantly, but was still genuinely surprised at the overall quality you get for the price of the C5 kit. The fact that it looks this good is just a bonus, making it highly recommended for your summer riding kit.

• Jacket: £320 / $390 / €350