Endura GV500 Foyle T

The Endura GV500 Foyle T is part of a brand new gravel and adventure range, and uses a variety of fabrics to great effect. It's cut for a more hunched position than most technical-yet-casual t-shirts, and while it's not cheap, it's spot-on for gravel use and you do get a lot for your money.

The Foyle T uses different fabric blends on different parts, and this is what makes it stand out. The main body is a lightweight 40% merino blend, the sleeves are a harder-wearing stretchy fabric, and the armpits feature mesh panels for sweat management.

Merino keeps the sweat stink at bay for quite a bit longer than man-made fabrics, but on its own it's really not that good at wicking sweat. This blend strikes a good balance; it's reasonably good at moisture management, and stays smelling fresh for a fair while.

I managed to get some odour going after an all-day effort in 28°C heat, but it was still far better than I'd expect from a non-merino top – anti-bacterial treatment or not.

Fit and cut

When you first put on this t-shirt, the sleeves feel slightly odd; lean into a set of drop bars, though, and that feeling goes away. They're very well cut for gravel (or road) bikes.

The hem at the back is well-shaped too. It's a wide band of double-thickness fabric (with four horizontal silicone grippers), and that thickness stiffens up the fabric and gives it a bit of weight; combined with the grippers, it stops the back riding up. Both features usefully separate this from more mountain-bike oriented technical t-shirts.

On the other hand, the chest pocket seems kind of pointless to me – I can only assume it's there for aesthetic reasons.

The zipped rear pocket on the right is more useful, and it's big enough for a phone. I didn't like putting one in there, though, because the loose fit means the t-shirt then hangs all wrong. Still, it works well for things like credit cards, cash or gels.

If you don't like the rust red, the Foyle T is also available in olive green.

Sizing

My 39inch chest puts me between small and medium on the Endura sizing chart. A medium is what I'm reviewing here and it feels right for me.

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It's a relaxed fit, but slim enough not to be baggy or flap while riding. I'm 178cm tall, and the length – front and back – feels right too.

I'm reasonably sure the small would work for a tighter fit, but then if you want tighter, a regular jersey might be better anyway. Do you think I look pale? I think I look pale.

Value

£59.99 is not cheap, though it should be clear by now this is no ordinary t-shirt. You can easily find cheaper options – for example Endura's own Singletrack Short Sleeve Jersey is £20 less with similar features. However, it's more mountain bike-oriented and its fabric blend lacks merino.

Similarly, Rapha's Technical T-Shirt, which we reviewed last year, is a fiver cheaper but made from 100% polyester.

Technically, the Endura isn't expensive either – Ashmei's Men's T-Shirt is £75, while Assos's Trail SS Jersey is even more at £80. None of them, cheap or expensive, quite match the Foyle T's impressive set of features for gravel riding, though.

Conclusion

If you're after a relaxed top that still performs on serious drop-bar rides, the Endura GV500 Foyle T fits the bill very well indeed. The cut, fabrics and fit all suit gravel riding brilliantly. I like it.

Verdict

Relaxed yet very effective technical T-shirt that works well – especially on drop-bar bikes