Giro Chrono Pro Jersey Short Sleeve

Giro's Chrono Pro jersey is positioned as the American brand's top line performance jersey, and it really doesn't disappoint – but you do pay quite heavily for it.

• Pros: Close aero cut, top performance, good practicality, nice styling
• Cons: Slightly tight arm hems, cost

As you can probably tell from the pros and cons listed above, when it came to identifying the Chrono jersey's strengths and weaknesses, I was taxed far more with one heading than the other. The truth is, after sitting for 20 minutes trying to come up with downsides, all I could think of – bar the price – was the fact that the arm hems were a little tight.

> Find your nearest dealer here

In a race-cut jersey designed to sit on the skin, it's hardly surprising that it'll feel a little small in areas where I'm larger than the average racing cyclist (the arms being one of a few areas), but even with the band-like hems, it's certainly not the most uncomfortable I've been in a jersey of this type.

Mainly that'll be because the undersides don't have a tacky gripper like some jerseys, instead allowing the hems to find their natural sit point. And the surrounding fabric (the whole jersey, in fact) is very flexible so it can mould to the body remarkably well.

Giro calls this fabric a 'gradient stretch woven' material, which is very breathable and light while not looking (or feeling) like a mesh-type fabric. It's very cool against the skin, especially when you've been getting a sweat on, and that bodes well for the kind of weather that the UK has been enjoying this summer.

Stop at the top of a climb on a cool morning after giving it the beans and you can literally see the moisture steaming off the fabric.

Other benefits of the fabric are said to be a light compression, as well as high durability. The higher density of the back panel adds an air of quality and longevity, while the lighter laser-holed front panels and mesh flanks assist with breathability. It's very difficult to overheat in the Chrono jersey in normal conditions, and it's rated to an SPF of 50.

There's no flapping around the torso when on the move in an aggressive position – perfect for a jersey with a nod to aerodynamics – but that doesn't mean it's restrictive. The shoulders allow plenty of space in a medium for someone with wide shoulders to fit in, which means the zip doesn't feel too tight when done all the way up.

The bottom line is that it's very comfortable indeed, with sizing slightly on the generous side so even a 188cm, fairly bulky (albeit slim) guy like me can fit in a medium. The size chart suggests that a medium would be slightly too small for me, but it fits like a glove – even the collar fits around my wide neck comfortably.

There are three good-sized pockets on the back, with the middle pocket overlaid by a zipped security slot for phones and/or keys. There's no weather protection for it, mind, but that's hardly a priority in a performance jersey like this (even though I'd like to see some sort of sweat-and-showerproof lining).

The waistline features an elasticated band with some Giro-branded gripper styling embossed upon it, and it does a grand job of holding the jersey in place. Tighter-fitting jerseys like this can have a habit of working their way up, especially when the fit is marginal – but on me, the Chrono Pro stayed firm, keeping its length on my back.

I like the superficial design too – there's detail in the honeycomb-like design of the shoulders, with a fade-plus-diagonal grading down the body. It looks especially smart in the 'Black Cascade' colour we have on test, while there are white and blue alternatives too.

I can't fault the overall build quality either, and it stands up well to 40 degree washes despite recommendations to machine wash cold.

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

You'd hope that it'd stand up to some punishment too, as it costs £129.99. That's a high price – a tenner more than Le Col's Pro Air jersey. Yet, I'd say the overall quality and comfort puts it in competition with Le Col's premium HC jersey, which is £20 more. There are a number of very good summer jerseys for around the £90-£95 mark, though, from the likes of Sportful, Monton, new brand Saikels, and Hommage au Velo with its very good Bourlon jersey for £95, which does make the Giro look a little overpriced.

Despite that, I'm still very impressed by how well the Chrono Pro works – it offers racy performance in a sympathetic fit, and looks good too.

Verdict

A great high-performance jersey that's hard to fault, though it does cost you