Jerseys - long sleeve

First things first: this isn’t a Rapha jersey. We’ll come back to that point in a mo. What it is, though, is a lightweight Sportwool jersey that’s versatile enough for use from autumn right through to spring.

A brand new model in dhb’s lineup, the Momentum is quite a heavy-duty winter workhorse jersey with some useful features.

It’s made from a fleecy polyester that provides plenty of insulation. It’s not windproof (you need dhb’s Windslam jersey for that) but it’s thick and warm – certainly an autumn/winter weight rather than one for the summer evenings. The main fabric is reasonably stretchy, especially widthwise, while waffle fleece panels – the white bits – provide more give and extra breathability.

Made from an impressive 97% merino wool, this is a mid-weight, full-zip jersey/jacket with appealing good looks.

Altura might not have the heritage or the racer-chic desirability of some Euro brands but – and here’s the important bit – most of their stuff works incredibly well. In fact, we can’t think of any Altura clothing that we’ve tried that hasn’t been there or thereabouts in terms of function.

A long-sleeved merino based top with windproof properties, the Popsicle is designed as a Spring and Autumn jersey, keeping out the worst of the wind, while still having the breathability and temperature management properties of merino wool.

Dhb’s Finchdean is a shapely and beautifully tailored jersey cum jacket for temperatures between -2 and +12 degrees so ideally suited for cold, early season rides. However, for all its considerable charm you’ll need to stash a waterproof shell in one of the three rear pockets to keep you singing in the rain, sizing excludes smaller riders and its at the absolute limit of what I’d be prepared to pay for a Polyester derived garment.

Tudor Sport’s York Jersey is a timeless classic likely to find popularity with a new audience loving retro chic but loathing boutique prices, while retaining its traditional touring and club market. For all its classic charms, the simple cotton/nylon mix lacks the climate control of modern fabrics so a good base layer is essential-it’s not water-repellent either and will take a good couple of hours at room temperature to dry from saturated but in fairness, getting to this state demanded ninety minutes in the pouring rain.

Describing Protective’s Silas as a hybrid of jersey and winter training jacket implies compromise when it is in fact an ideal addition to your winter wardrobe worn with a high quality base layer. Complete with full-length zip and winter weight it feels every bit as inviting as it looks. Tectron Warm is a very sophisticated double-layered knitted fabric proving that not all Polyester garments are the same.