Pactimo Men’s Flyte Jersey

Pactimo's Flyte Jersey is the lightest and most aerodynamic top in its range. The 'second skin' fit is spot on, though there are a couple of niggles with the zip and sleeve length that make it not quite right for me. Worse, though, is that I found issues with the stitching on both of the jerseys I tried.

If you're interested in the Flyte, check out our guide to the best summer cycling jerseys for more options.

> Buy now: Pactimo Flyte Jersey for £66 from Pactimo

The Flyte is unashamedly race focused. This is immediately evident by the radio pocket on the inside of the jersey on the left lower back, and the lack of zipped pocket for valuables.

The fit is what Pactimo calls 'second skin' – it's spray-on tight, basically, but the fabric is stretchy enough to accommodate my body shape without feeling constrictive. Nicely done.

Pactimo has also deployed a bunch of fabric tech to give this jersey all the aero gainz. The body fabric, Pactimo says, "has been firmly-knitted to create acceleration with air flow around the body". The sleeves are made from "an ultra-fine knit fabric with aero-stripe texture", which Pactimo says creates "speed-inducing, leading-edge turbulence". The idea is that, like the dimples on a golf ball, the striped sleeves and slick body fabric allow you to slice through the wind and ride faster, as evidenced in wind tunnel tests.

I don't have access to a wind tunnel, so can't vouch personally for any of this, but it's nice to know that there is nothing on this jersey that's going to be holding me back aero-wise.

Features

As well as the radio pocket I mentioned, which sits on the inside of the left back pocket, you also get the usual three pocket arrangements. They have expanding bellows at the bottom to allow you to pack more stuff in them. They work well: I've had them fairly full, taking a phone, a waterproof jacket, a gilet, arm warmers, a phone and a snack, without any of that getting unduly in the way.

There are a couple of reflective stripes, one on either side pocket, sized to be unobtrusive when not riding in the dark.

A silicone gripper runs the full circumference of the hem, and I had no issues whatsoever with the jersey riding up.

The full-length YKK zip works well and freely – sometimes a bit too freely. Occasionally it would self-open. It didn't happen often enough that I could predict when it would do it, but often enough to call it a thing. A niggly thing.

The aero sleeves I mentioned have a raw-edge finish, and are tight enough to stay put without silicone grippers. They are quite long; a little too long for my arms. I found they would turn up on the inside of my elbows in use. Not a good look and, I imagine, not maximum aero.

Sizing

I'm 178cm and weigh 78kg. Comparing my measurements to Pactimo's sizing chart, my waist is slightly larger and my chest slightly smaller than what it suggests for medium. Medium is what I'm reviewing here, and it fits me fine; it's the right size for me, apart from the sleeve length.

Durability: not so good

In terms of longevity, it's a similar story to the companion Flyte shorts I reviewed recently.

There are no problems with the fabric itself, but the stitching doesn't appear to be up to the job. The issue is exactly the same as on the shorts; the outer stitching comes apart along short lengths of the seams. So far, this hasn't proved to be a serious wardrobe malfunction as the inner stitching is holding.

Still, as with the shorts, we contacted Pactimo, who were horrified to hear that we had issues with the jersey as well. We were sent a replacement jersey straight away, with the reassurance that, as a consumer, you'd get the same service courtesy of Pactimo's lifetime warranty.

Unfortunately, my experience with the second jersey wasn't any better, with the stitching unravelling in the same way, but in different places.

Maybe I wasn't careful enough putting it on, taking it off, or washing the jersey. The care label says 'Machine wash cold with mild detergent on delicate cycle' but I just bunged it in the wash with other stuff at 40 degrees, exactly as I do with other 'cold wash only' jerseys without problems – including Pactimo's Summit Aero Range SS Jersey, and a Nopinz Pro-1 club jersey – so I don't think that's the issue. I've had the pleasure of trying a lot of racing jerseys, which I didn't treat any differently, and have not had an issue before.

Value

While £120 is a lot of money, it's not outrageous for a premium jersey, setting aside the stitching issue for a moment (and it's currently reduced to £60).

Looking at our guide to the best summer cycling jerseys, our choice for best overall, the Universal Colours Spectrum Light, has the same RRP. It's not quite the same, though, as it's not designed as an out-and-out racing jersey.

Santini's Redux Jersey is, and is our pick for best racing summer jersey. You have to fork out a lot more for that one, though – it costs £190.

You don't have to spend that much, though: Vanelli's Proline Jersey made 'best for value' in our guide and is half the price of the Flyte.

Conclusion

The fit of the Flyte is spot on for a racing jersey, and it feels as aero as Pactimo claims. I like its design, and the price isn't bad for the level of tech going on.

However, there are some niggles. My arms are not unusually short, so I don't think I'll be the only person finding the sleeves a little too long. And a self-opening zip, even if it only happens occasionally, is not a desirable feature either.

And then there's the stitching quality. It's just not good enough, even if Pactimo will replace any jersey with issues such as these, through its lifetime guarantee.

Verdict

Great aero fit, but niggles with arm length and zip, and problems with stitching