Cafe du Cycliste Georgette

The Cafe du Cycliste Georgette jersey brings together some strong performance elements with great ventilation and breathability. The look won't be for everyone, but personally I like it; just make sure you sun screen all the way up.

The British summer may not have been the hottest (so far), but there have still been some incredible days to fully test the Georgette jersey. It is very much a warmer weather top, and I wouldn't want to be wearing it in a standard British summer downpour.

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This is because it is one of the best ventilated jerseys I have used, simply on account of how much mesh is used throughout. Not only the arms, but there is also a strip of mesh running up the back. This has been designed to allow heat to escape quickly and easily, and it works. Opinion will no doubt be divided on the look – I'd have to agree it is a bit of a strange one and takes a bit of getting used to, but I like it.

One slight downside of the amount of mesh used is that you do need to make sure you are fully sun lotioned up, or you end up with Chris Froome skinsuit-esque sunburn, as I found out. However, the ventilation it provides is worth the effort. (Check out the road.cc guide on how to avoid sunburn while cycling, here.)

Away from the mesh, the jersey is made from a merino wool blend; merino, as many people know, is fantastic for wicking (the fabric details list 32% merino, 63% polyester, 5% polyamide). I used it a couple of times without a baselayer and it moved sweat away from the body quickly and easily. I was worried that with the grey colour, I would end up with classic V sweat marks, but this was not the case, even after several hours of riding in the heat. Cafe du Cycliste claims it's a mid-weight technical merino blend, but it was more than adequate for the warmer conditions I used it in, and certainly worked well around 28°C.

The jersey has a full zipper at the front, which also helps with ventilation. The YKK zipper is well made, seems robust and adjusts easily on the move. At the top there is a zipper garage to stop any chafing when it's fully closed, which is always a nice touch.

At the back the jersey has three regular pockets and a valuables pocket. The left and right pockets are both a thick mesh material, which seems like an aesthetic choice as I couldn't find any technical reason for this. The valuables pocket has a decent zip and was easily big enough for my iPhone 6, so would likely fit all but the largest phones. Each pocket is a good size and there is also an elasticated band across the top which means the jersey keeps its shape even if the pockets are fully loaded.

The medium that I wore seemed about standard in terms of sizing and the fit is close, giving it a classy look. Helping with this is the strong silicone gripper running along the bottom of the jersey, which kept everything nicely in place throughout test rides.

The jersey comes with an RRP of £118, which seems a fair price to pay for a well-vented merino blend jersey. It's up alongside some elite offerings in terms of price, but I would say it deserves its place there.

> Check out our guide to the best summer cycling jerseys

Overall, I really like this jersey. Performance-wise, it has great ventilation thanks to the mesh combined with the merino blend fabric, as well as a close cut that helps with aerodynamics. The amount of mesh used won't be to everyone's taste, but personally I think it looks great, even if you need to apply a bit more sunblock.

Verdict

A strong performing, innovative jersey that's great for warmer weather