Alé PRR 2.0 Piuma Short Sleeve Jersey

The Alé PRR 2.0 Piuma jersey is great for when the weather is properly hot and muggy thanks to any breeze on offer whipping through the mesh fabric to keep you cool. Although it is cut slim, you don't have to be a whippet-thin racer to take advantage of it either.

Often called 'climber's jerseys' because of how light they are (you wouldn't want to carry an extra few grams up a mountain now, would you?), this type of garment tends to be shaped for those riders who are very slim and can get away with a second-skin-style garment. The Piuma is shaped to fit close to the body to stop any flapping of excess material, but it's not restrictive in any way.

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I've always found Alé's sizing to be more forgiving than a lot of other Italian made clothing, too, never finding the need to go up a size from UK designed wear. The medium tested here sat comfortably around the chest and shoulders and was perfect in length for my torso and arms (it's not me in the photos, by the way).

The tail is dropped to give plenty of coverage when in the saddle, and the front arches up towards the zip meaning you don't get big bunching of the material when in a low crouch on the drops.

The neck is minimal, which gives it an almost skinsuit style appearance, with the front sitting marginally above the top of your chest. The rear is a little taller, but I'd like a bit more material to stop the sun beating down on your neck.

Round the back you get a total of five pockets – three in the traditional position, with the right hand one getting an internal zipped valuables pocket too. It's ideal for cards, cash, keys and so on, but some of the newer smartphones might be a struggle. I've got an iPhone 7 and that pretty much fills it.

The fifth pocket sits on the right hand side of the jersey; it's the same depth as the others but about half the width, just right for holding a gel, an energy bar or an empty wrapper. It's perfectly placed to be able to grab the contents quickly, ideal for race conditions.

I found the three 'main' pockets a decent size, holding an inner tube, multi-tool, mini pump and more without hassle, plus the material is plenty strong enough to support the heavier items.

Performance

The fabrics are what really sets this jersey apart, and Alé has used a few... The front, side, underarm panels and around the back at the bottom of the neck are made from a double density mesh which is very thin but still feels pretty robust, even though it is basically see-through when you are wearing it.

When you are moving you really feel the wind on your front and you are noticeably cooler than when wearing a standard jersey. If, like me, you always wear a baselayer whatever the weather, then pairing the Alé with a mesh one makes sure you don't lose the effect.

On one recent ride that saw the temperature go up to the mid 30s, albeit with a decent breeze blowing, the jersey never got overwhelmed and I felt quite comfortable – at least while I was moving. Even climbing was fine – although my speed dropped I could still feel the cooler air hitting my body.

The sleeves and rear are made of a thicker, tougher material that has rows of tiny little holes to aid breathability – letting the warmed up air from your body escape. When things are really hot the back panel of the jersey did get damp from sweating heavily, but I never noticed it when riding, plus if you dropped the pace a little or cooled down it soon dried out.

Performance-wise it is a very impressive jersey for any day where the temperature goes above 20°C; any lower than that and you might need to stick a gilet over the top.

Value

When it comes to money the Piuma is a fair chunk of cash at £100, but you can pay a lot more: Giro's Chrono Pro jersey is £129.99 – and Le Col's HC is £150, for example.

> Buyer's Guide: 20 of the best summer cycling jerseys

I've always been impressed with the quality of Alé's kit and how long it lasts, and also the attention to detail. You rarely see any rough stitching or stray thread ends inside or out.

This jersey looks the business too, and comes in a range of colours if this one doesn't match your bike or kit.

Verdict

A classy looking summer jersey that you don't need to be a racing whippet to wear