TICCC Roam Fluro Splash T-shirt

The TICCC Roam Fluro Splash is a simple T-shirt designed for everyday adventures on and off the bike. In spite of the shirt's loose cut, it doesn't flap around when you're riding, and its lightweight wicking material doesn't get sweaty or damp. It's not too overt in its cycling styling either, so it works just as well when you're not riding. It's certainly a much less obvious cycling-flavoured T-shirt than most of those in our best cycling T-shirts guide.

> Buy now: TICCC Roam Fluro Splash T-Shirt for £31.50 from TICCC

The TICCC Roam T-shirt is a technical top for whether you're riding or not. Its technical attributes take in its lightweight, high-wicking and breathable open structure, and the fact that it's made from quick-drying recycled materials. The result is a T-shirt that doesn't look like an item of clothing designed purely for cycling, which will appeal to many.

One of the Roam's few cycling-specific features is that the rear is slightly longer for better bum coverage when you're riding – but that's about it. There are no pockets or any cycling-related designs or motifs, all of which are positives as far as I'm concerned. On a looser-fitting cycling top, pockets just flap and bounce around and pull the T-shirt to the side as soon as you stow something in them and start riding.

The Roam's only nod to cyclism is the TICCC logo on the chest and a large dot on the right rear shoulder, both of which are reflective, with the rear dot perfectly situated to catch the beams of car headlights.

As for the shirt's slightly rave-y arctic white with black, fluorescent orange and yellow splatters, well, if that's not you, there are five other colour options from which you can choose.

The Roam's material is very light, feels soft against your skin and doesn't look or feel much like a technical fabric, some of which can feel very nylon-y. In fact, the only giveaway is the fabric's light sheen.

Fit and sizing

I found the sizing spot on. Our medium-size shirt fitted my medium-sized body and was loose enough to be a casual top without flapping around annoyingly while I was riding.

It is long in the body, and when pulled down straight almost reaches my crotch. So, while the rear only has the slightest of drops, it doesn't feel too short when you're riding in the drops – and won't leave an embarrassing bum-exposing gap between the shirt and your shorts.

The stretch of the fabric also ensures that it's not too tight across your shoulders when you're tucked down low. Its light weight, open fabric and breathability made it a very good option on long, hot rides where the airflow it allowed was very welcome.

Its quick-drying capability ensured there were never any clammy sweaty patches, so I could meet friends after a decent ride confident that I wouldn't arrive a damp and smelly mess.

When it comes to choosing clothing, one aspect that is often overlooked is sustainability, which is something TICCC takes seriously. TICCC is committed to setting new industry standards for sustainability, with a strategy of revive, renew and reduce. This applies to who the company deals with, the fabrics used, where the clothes are made, how often they need to be washed and even the packaging. The Roam T-shirt is manufactured from low-impact materials 'close to home' in Europe.

The TICCC Roam is an excellent T-shirt for following the mountain biking and gravel bike fashion code – where Lycra isn't de rigueur and you carry your stuff in bags rather than your pockets. And it's ideal for casual cycling, when you don't want to end up at your destination with a manky top.

It may be a simple piece of kit without any extra features – but that's its charm. It's light and loose, without billowing like a sail when you're riding, breathes well and looks just like a normal T-shirt, with only the slightest shine to the fabric a clue to its more technical nature.

Rivals

The Rapha Technical T-Shirt that Dave reviewed comes closest to the Roam, in that it doesn't look explicitly like cycling kit. It's still in Rapha's range and while pricier than the TICCC Roam Fluro Splash, it does have more features.

The Chapeau! Dry Tech Tee that Steve reviewed is similar to the Roam, but is made from a heavier fabric, was a little short in the body and it came with a superfluous chest pocket. Its cheaper price is perhaps reflected in its poor finishing.

Matt rated Endura's SingleTrack Merino T, which looks just like a T-shirt but gets a bit more technical with its 15% merino-infused fabric. You can use use it as a baselayer as well as a summer T-shirt, which adds to its versatility, but it's hard to find at the moment.

You could also spend a lot more and not come up with a better product. The 7Mesh Desperado Merino Henley costs a hefty £70, but despite a healthy merino content and lots of features Steve wasn't impressed.

Verdict

It may look like a basic T-shirt but the fabric and cut make it great for serious or casual riding and off-the-bike duties