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review
Jerseys - short sleeve
BTwin 500 Women's Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey BTwin 500 Women's Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey BTwin 500 Women's Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey BTwin 500 Women's Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey BTwin 500 Women's Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey BTwin 500 Women's Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey BTwin 500 Women's Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey BTwin 500 Women's Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey BTwin 500 Women's Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey BTwin 500 Women's Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey BTwin 500 Women's Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey
BTwin 500 Womens Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey

BTwin 500 Women's Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey

7
by Lara Dunn
UPDATED Wed, Aug 03, 2016 15:46

First Published Aug 3, 2016

0
£17.99

VERDICT:

7
10
A good-looking jersey offering reliable performance at a low price; a few tweaks and it could have been outstanding value
Weight: 
130g
Contact: 
www.decathlon.co.uk
How we test

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Decathlon's home brand BTwin has long been the go-to option for budget-conscious cyclists looking for affordable kit that usually performs as well as products twice the price (at least). The BTwin 500 Women's Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey is a classic example of how you don't need to spend a fortune to get a decent and effective jersey that actually looks good too.

This is a classic partial zip design, with a gripper tape at the hem but not the sleeves, and three elasticated pouch pockets at the rear.

> Find your nearest Decathlon store here

> Buy this online here

The fabric is a lightweight polyester/elastane mix with tiny perforations throughout and a more mesh-like effect under the arms and down the sides. It's available in a couple of different colours – though not this pink any more (or not at the moment anyway) – and no contrasting shoulder panel on the petrol blue option. I think it's fairly attractive and shouldn't cause any offence to anyone.

BTwin 500 Womens Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey - shoulders.jpg

The fit was neat but not overtight for the sizing and even taller ladies should find the torso length to be okay. The gripper tape at the hem kept everything in place, even when stretched forwards.

BTwin 500 Womens Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey - riding.jpg

The rear pockets are a decent size, taking most of the bits and pieces you'd need them too, including a lightweight windproof jacket. I'd always like a small zipped security pocket to be included somewhere, and sadly this jersey didn't have one.

BTwin 500 Womens Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey - pockets.jpg

The fabric kept me feeling good and comfortable, without too much moisture build-up, but I'd have liked the front zip to be longer really. While billed as a half zip, it's not even that long, giving little in the way of real ventilation.

> Read our guide to the best cheap cycling jerseys

With a more low-key, less overtly sporty look than the Aldi Ladies Performance Short Sleeved Cycling Jersey I tested recently, this would be a good alternative for someone on a budget looking for an effective summer jersey in a simple style.

Verdict

A good-looking jersey offering reliable performance at a low price; a few tweaks and it could have been outstanding value

road.cc test report

Make and model: BTwin 500 Women's Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

BTwin says: "Designed for female riders expecting to be out for up to 2 hours"

Performs well enough for a decent two-hour ride.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

82% polyester/18% elastane

Mesh panels underarm and on sides

Three rear pouch pockets

Front zip

Hem gripper tape

Washable at 30

Available in sizes XS-XL

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
6/10

Not badly finished at all and fabrics feel nice, if not exactly sumptuous.

Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10

Performed well, but fabric felt a little sticky when working harder.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

All OK so far - very washable and not fragile.

Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10

Fit was a good shape and with decent length in the body for a variety of shapes and heights.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10

Sizing was as stated, with a medium being roughly equivalent to a UK12.

Rate the product for weight:
 
7/10

Pretty lightweight.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
6/10

Fabric was comfortable next to the skin, but could have done with a slightly longer zip for ventilation.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Very good value indeed.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Washed very well.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Performed very well as a straightforward, cost-effective cycling jersey.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Price, fabric, style.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Short zip, lack of zipped security pocket.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Possibly

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Certainly one on a budget.

Use this box to explain your score

This is a cost-effective jersey offering good levels of comfort and performance for the price; if the front zip was longer and it had a zipped pocket, it would be truly outstanding value for money.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 43  Height: 1.65m  Weight: 73kg

I usually ride: Boardman Hybrid Fi  My best bike is: Specialized Ruby Elite

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, sportives, general fitness riding, mountain biking

BTwin 500 Women's Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey 2016
BTwin 500 Women's Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey
BTwin 2016
Btwin
Lara Dunn

Lara has been riding bikes for longer than she'd care to admit, and writing about them nearly as long. Since 2009 she has been working as part of the road.cc review team whilst championing women's cycling on the side, most notably via two years as editor of the, sadly now defunct, UK's first and only women's cycling mag, erm, Women's Cycling. 

Believing fervently that cycling will save the world, she wishes that more people would just ride a bike and be pleasant to each other. 

She will ride anything with two wheels, occasionally likes to go fast, definitely likes to go far and is always up for a bit of exploring somewhere new and exciting. 

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