CyclistBest cycling jerseys for summer reviewed and how to choose oneWhile bib shorts are rightly regarded as the most important bit of kit to invest in, the cycling jersey worn with them is no less important. It can have a similar effect on performance and is often as technical in design too.Not only do cycling jerseys shield us from the elements, they are also where we generally have pockets to store items. Being the most visible part of the kit that we wear, they also offer the opportunity to display personal style, be that bold and flashy, or more muted classic and refined. Theyre also where we show our club or pro team allegiances.A key thing to look out for in a summer cycling jersey is a highly moisture-wicking fabric that offers a good level of breathability. This not only helps to improve airflow to the body, but also improves our temperature regulation, by facilitating the movement of sweat away from the body. Many fabrics also feature UPF protection from the sun. These can all be assisted by wearing the right summer base layer.Another important element of cycling jerseys is the zip, which often can feature a zip guard at the top and bottom to reduce irritation to the neck or pilling of fabric on the shorts. Almost all modern jerseys feature a full zip, although in the past a half zip or even buttons were used and can still be found on retro cycling jerseys. Generally, jerseys will feature three pockets at the rear, and its important to ensure they are big enough to stow everything you will need for a ride. Often a small zip pocket is included for secure items like keys or money.Things that can stand out with jerseys are uses of special fabrics that can aid cooling, improve the fit, increase the range of functional temperatures or even make the rider faster with aerodynamic features. However, these special fabrics often come at a higher price.Reviews of the best summer cycling jerseys Assos Mille GT S11: RRP: 115 Read our full reviewCastelli Espresso: RRP: 125 Read our full reviewIsadore Alternative: RRP: 145 Read our full reviewLe Col Hors Categorie Air: RRP: 165 Read our full reviewMAAP System Pro Air: RRP: 160 Read our full reviewPas Normal Studios Essential: RRP: 125 Read our full reviewQ36.5 Dottore Pro: RRP: 171 Read our full reviewRapha Classic: RRP: 140 Read our full reviewRapha Pro Team Aero: RRP: 185 Read our full reviewSportful SRK: RRP: 75 Read our full reviewHow do we test and why trust our advice?All of our product reviewers are avid cyclists who have been riding for many years. Guided by long-time tech editor Sam Challis (pictured above), they have all built up a huge array of experience from riding in various conditions and testing what kit works and doesnt work in these situations.These jerseys were tested over a range of conditions between April and July, ranging from chilly wet weather below 10C, all the way up to humid and windless days nearing 30C. Theyve been used on fast paced group rides, epic long days in the saddle, and everywhere in between. Weve tested comfort, practicality, usability, and longevity over the course of thousands of kilometres.Best cycling jerseys 2024 reviewedAssos Mille GT S11Price: 115 / $155 / 135Weight: 118gSuperb valueGreat performance in warm weatherVery comfortableSeven colour optionsThe Assos Mille GT S11 jersey uses a new AirCell fabric, which features an ultralight knit with a more open pattern to allow great breathability and moisture-wicking in warm temperatures. This is combined with a UPF 50+ protection to keep you safe from sun damage, and raw cut sleeves aid the comfort significantly with Assoss PushPull fabric.The rear of the jersey features a Stabilizer V11 mesh on the pockets, aimed at improving breathability while providing elasticity at the top and more rigidity at the base. In practice this keeps the pockets nicely in place when riding and makes them easy to access. An additional fabric flap internally helps keep items in them secure.A guard at the bottom of the zipper is also appreciated for protecting shorts from pilling. While a zip pocket is something Id like to see, the performance is exceptional while the price makes the Assos Mille GT S11 jersey superb value.Read our full Assos Mille GT S11 jersey reviewCastelli EspressoPrice: 125 / $129.99 / 119.95Weight: 109gIncredibly breathableComfortable fabricGreat range of 11 coloursThe Castelli Espresso jersey is near perfect. The Air_O Stretch fabric is fantastic, offering great levels of breathability and moisture wicking which make it incredibly comfortable in warmer weather. Add to that a fit that is snug without ever feeling tight, lower cut neck, and raw cut sleeves that offer zero irritation.The YKK Vislon zippers with pull tag are also super-smooth and add some user-friendly elements to the jersey, while the deep pockets and zip-up valuables pocket are also highly practical. A zip guard at the base of the zip would make this the best on test, as even at 125 the performance is worth the cost and the huge range of colours available is nice to see.Read our full Castelli Espresso jersey reviewIsadore AlternativePrice: 145 / $175 / 160Weight: 125g100% recycled materialsGreat in warm weatherVery comfortableEight colours availableThe Isadore Alternative jersey is made using 100% recycled materials for every panel of the jersey and even the zips. The majority of the panelling is a mesh material to aid in temperature regulation in warmer conditions. A low cut neck and raw cut sleeves without silicone grippers go further to helping performance in warmer weather as well as aiding comfort.The rear panels are thicker, and can therefore get warmer, but aid in keeping the hem of the jersey and pockets in place. Personally, Im a big fan of the available colour options, with a nice mix of garish and a little more refined. The jersey is expensive, but it performs really well and the use of recycled material is good to see.Read our full Isadore Alternative jersey reviewBuy the Isadore Alternative jersey fromIsadore (145)Le Col Hors Categorie AirPrice: 165 / $215 / 200Weight: 147gGreat in varied weather conditionsFairly relaxed fitGood sized pocketsArm grippers a little tightI rated the Le Col Hors Categorie Airs breathability and wicking and its UPF 30+ fabric, making it a great choice for warm, sunny rides. The fit isnt as skin-tight as some jerseys, adding a little insulation for cooler starts, while the anti-odour treatment is an advantage on hot days. The pockets are large and theres a waterproof zip-up valuables pocket, adding to the jerseys utility for longer rides. I did find the sleeves a little tight. This stopped them from riding up, but left indentations on skin post-ride. The more relaxed fit does lead to a little bunching if youre down in the drops.Read our full Le Col Hors Categorie Air jersey reviewBuy the Le Col Hors Categorie Air jersey fromLe Col (165)Maap System Pro AirPrice: 160 / $195 / 170Weight: 116gLightweight mesh fabricQuality zipsGood moisture transportIncorporates recycled yarnsAussie brand Maap has built the System Air Pro jersey with ultra-light mesh fabrics for hot rides. I rated the non-slip YKK front zip and the perforated pockets, although these sit a little high on the back, due to the short cut of the jersey, making access difficult.Despite Maaps claim that its temperature range goes up to 40C, I found the System Air Pro a little hot at much more UK temperatures. The valuables pocket sits inside the main jersey, which I found a little uncomfortable, with my keys cutting into my back. Its a little disappointing, given the jerseys quality and its price.Read our full MAAP System Pro Air jersey reviewBuy the MAAP System Pro Air jersey fromMAAP (120)Pas Normal Studios EssentialPrice: 125 / $160 / 145Weight: 156gGood value for moneyCrash replacement discountNot the coolest in hot weatherHuge range of 12 coloursThe Pas Normal Studios Essential jersey is the brands entry level line of jerseys. Its made of a high-wicking and fast-drying material aimed to aid performance in the heat and temperature management, while also being resistant to pilling and damage from chemicals in sun creams, adding longevity.In practice the jersey performs well between 5 and 20C, but beyond this the thicker material gets warm and is not the best suited to better rides. The zip features zip guards at the top and bottom to avoid irritation on shorts of necks, however the top guard makes it difficult to zip the jersey up fully. These small gripes dont detract from good overall performance at a competitive price point, while the 50% off crash replacement service adds long-term value as well.Read our full Pas Normal Studios Essential jersey reviewBuy the Pas Normal Studios Essential jersey fromPas Normal Studios (125)Q36.5 Dottore ProPrice: 171 / $238 / 181.47Weight: 118gBrilliant in hot weatherPromised aero benefits tooEnvironmentally conscious brandHuge range of 16 coloursThe Q36.5 Dottore Pro jersey uses the standard mix of polyester and elastane but adds 2% silver. This is designed to improve moisture wicking and temperature regulation in hot conditions, and in practice it works brilliantly.The jersey has also been designed with limited seams and to provide a fitted form to improve aerodynamic performance. Thats hard to gauge, but the raw cut sleeves and material around the neck go a long way to aid comfort. The only issue is the neck is quite high for a hot weather jersey.The pockets are great, while metal zips add a premium feel to the jersey. A host of reflective details, the effort from the brand to reduce carbon footprint and 16 colours available do a lot to boost the value of this jersey alongside the high performance. However at 171 it is an exceptionally expensive jersey.Read our full Q36.5 Dottore Pro jersey reviewBuy the Q36.5 Dottore Pro Jersey now fromQ36.5 (171)Rapha ClassicPrice: 140 / $170 / 160Weight: 190gGreat in a broad range of temperaturesVery comfortable relaxed fitExpensive for what it isJust two colour optionsThe Rapha Classic jersey features a classic fit with short sleeves and relaxed body, but with a hem cord to tailor the fit slightly for individuals. The star of the show is the Rapha Performance Merino 150 fabric, which, being high-density merino, offers good levels of insulation in cooler conditions, while also being effective at moisture wicking and keeping you cool in warmer temperatures.In fact, in testing it was comfortable in a range of temperatures from around 5 to 25C. The pockets are a good volume overall, but the side pockets taper down slightly so larger smartphones can stick out of the top, but a silicone strip along the hem keeps the pockets in place nicely even with an open jersey and out of the saddle. Colour options, however, are limited to black and navy, while at 140 this is an expensive jersey.Read our full Rapha Classic jersey reviewBuy the Rapha Classic jersey now fromRapha (140)Rapha Pro Team AeroPrice: 185 / $245 / 210Weight: 107gSuperb aero fitData to back up claimsExpensive thoughThree colours availableThe Rapha Pro Team Aero jersey uses Raphas new Clima fabric, which the brand has found to be an average of 7.8 watts faster (averaged across 32/46/58kmh) than the previous version of the jersey, with plenty of time spent in the wind-tunnel to validate these claims. I cant comment on how aero it is, but the fit is superb, being hugging without being too tight or having any loose areas, both of which are good predictors for aerodynamic performance.The jersey also performs well in warmer weather thanks to the material being great at wicking moisture and to features like the low cut neck. However the high moisture wicking and thin material do mean that sweat can stain quite badly on the darker colours not an issue personally but worth considering. The pockets are deep enough to fit plenty in, while a zip-up valuables pocket is an appreciated practical addition. But at 185 this is the most expensive jersey on test.Read our full Rapha Pro Team Aero jersey reviewBuy the Rapha Pro Team Aero jersey fromRapha (185)Sportful SRKPrice: 75 / $80 / 79.90Weight: 112gAmazing value for moneyGood in a range of temperaturesCrash replacement discountSeven colours availableThe Sportful SRK jersey has been designed to be used for any sort of ride on any sort of terrain. It maintains a performance fit that keeps it close, but not as hugging as an aero fit and closer than a comfort fit. The result is limited bunching at the front even when in an aggressive position on the bike.The fabric aims to be breathable and comfortable while several reflective details are featured front and rear. The jersey performs very well in warmer temperatures while still being comfortable when its cooler.The hem lacks a bit of structure so full pockets can move around a fair bit. The zips also lack some refinement of more expensive competitors. However, at 75 this is the cheapest jersey on test by a good margin and offers brilliant performance and great value. 50% off crash replacements is also appreciated as are the broad range of colours available.Read our full Sportful SRK jersey reviewBuy the Sportful SRK jerseynow fromSportful (75)How to choose the best cycling jersey for youJuan Trujillo Andrades / CyclistWhat should I look for in a jersey?Breathability and moisture-wicking are probably the key elements to look for in the fabric itself as they are fundamental to comfort. Cargo pockets need to be large enough to accommodate everything you need to take on a ride: tools, spares, food and phone, while a zip-up valuables pocket is very useful. Features that improve the fit and reduce the chance of flapping fabrics are also good to help you get more aero on your bike as well.Why use a cycling jersey?The big benefit of a jersey over, say, a technical T-shirt is the zip at the front. In warmer weather this allows for some customised ventilation which you cant get with a T-shirt. Cycling jerseys are also made of specialist fabrics, which help to wick moisture away from your body, promoting evaporation to keep you cool. In contrast a cotton T-shirt will stay damp and become uncomfortable.The other benefit is pockets, as even the best cycling shorts often dont feature anywhere to stow items, so pockets on the jerseys are key for travelling with essentials. For those looking to increase their average speed, a well-fitting jersey will also offer an aerodynamic advantage.Aerodynamic or cooling?This will depend on what type of riding you are doing, what you want to get out of your riding, and the conditions that you are riding in. Our bodies make up the largest proportion of what generates aerodynamic drag, so reducing that can be highly beneficial to increase speed.However, when we cycle we produce a lot of heat: about three to four times more energy becomes heat as goes into propelling us forwards.Especially in warmer temperatures, body heat regulation is vital both for performance and comfort on the bike. For riding in hot conditions or climbing mountains, more ventilation will likely be best; for fast paced group rides or races, aero will be more important. Related Posts Best cycling shorts with pockets 2024: Buyers guide to cargo bib shorts How green is my jersey? The environmental impact of your cycling kit Best cycling shorts: Mens bib shorts reviewed Should you still wear a base layer in the summer? The post Best cycling jerseys for summer reviewed and how to choose one appeared first on Cyclist.