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Morvelo EFX Nth Series

9
£100.00

VERDICT:

9
10
Stand-out comfort levels from a top-notch fabric selection, with impressive performance however hard you ride
Weight: 
166g
Contact: 

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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Brighton-based clothing brand Morvélo is renowned for its striking colour schemes, and this EFX Nth Series jersey continues that theme. Bold graphics aren't there to mask an average product, though, as this top is impressively comfortable and offers superb performance no matter how hard you're riding.

  • Pros: Soft fabric, breathable and a great fit
  • Cons: Very little if you don't mind paying 100 quid for a jersey

The Nth Series jersey uses a combination of different fabrics in its construction, and by holding the jersey up to the light you can easily see the difference. The main front section uses a material that is pretty thin and has a very small-holed mesh style design which lets through plenty of cooling air but without you getting cold, so the jersey isn't restricted to just the really hot days.

morvelo_efx_nth_series_jersey_-_hem.jpg

This fabric is used around the neck, top of the shoulders and arms, anywhere part of your body will be facing into the wind.

morvelo_efx_nth_series_jersey_-_collar.jpg

The back panels of the jersey and those under the arms use a much wider mesh effect to vent body heat away from you. It's not as extreme and transparent as the fabric found on Castelli's Aero Race 5.1 FZ but still works very well at keeping you cool and dry.

morvelo_efx_nth_series_jersey_-_shoulders.jpg

Even though the fabric is thin, it comes with factor 50 sun protection, which is always good to know.

One thing all the materials in the jersey have in common is how soft they are, the whole jersey feels absolutely lovely against the skin; it's very comfortable indeed.

morvelo_efx_nth_series_jersey_-_sleeve.jpg

This is a performance-orientated jersey and the cut reflects that by way of a long dropped tail to make sure you have plenty of rear coverage when crouched down in the drops. The front sits much higher so you don't get any excess material flapping about or bunching.

morvelo_efx_nth_series_jersey_-_riding.jpg

The rear part of the hem is held in place by a silicone gripper, while the front has nothing and it all works perfectly.

morvelo_efx_nth_series_jersey_-_gripper.jpg

You also get a high, soft neck which houses the zip in a garage to stop any irritation when it's pulled up all the way to the top.

The pockets (made of the same fabric as the front) are taut enough for carrying your ride essentials without fear of bits bouncing around or flying out when riding on a rough surface. Their depth helps too. You get three of them in a traditional style across the back, with the right hand one also having a zipped valuables pocket.

morvelo_efx_nth_series_jersey_-_pockets.jpg

Also on the right hand side you get a slimmer 'gel' pocket which makes mid-ride snacks in the middle of the bunch easy to grab.

Some riders may baulk at paying £100 for a short-sleeved jersey but for that money you are getting a very well made, high-performance product. Quality is high: it's handmade in Europe and you get details like double stitching around the pockets for strength and those technical fabrics. The stitching throughout is neat and tidy with no stray threads, and the fit is spot on for the faster rider.

> Buyer's Guide: 18 of the best summer cycling jerseys

At this price it does have a lot of competition, like the aforementioned Castelli Aero Race 5.1 which is also £100. That's a bit more specialist compared to the Morvélo, aimed at really hot days, but the Nth Series feels very comfortable – something the Castelli was criticised on – and is more adaptable to a variety of conditions.

Milltag's offering, the Sector – which scored highly – is similar to the Morvélo and a touch cheaper at £90.

If funds are more limited, you might want to take a look at dhb's Aeron Speed jersey, designed for racing in warm weather and priced at £55.

Still, for a small company like Morvelo to be producing jerseys of this quality and taking on the big brands for value is impressive.

Verdict

Stand-out comfort levels from a top-notch fabric selection, with impressive performance however hard you ride

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: Morvelo EFX Nth Series

Size tested: M

Tell us what the product is for

Morvelo says, "Inspired by racing, Nth Series Jerseys are lightweight, durable and suited to the intense nature of competition with an aerodynamic fit and robust construction."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

From Morvelo:

Extremely fast drying

DriClim Hydrophobic yarn for breathability

Exclusive soft silicone grippers

Zip guard and garage for comfort

Three rear pockets

Zipped side pocket

Side panel pockets for gels

Two piece stand up collar

Seamless underarm panels

Double stitched pockets

Reinforced pocket stabiliser

Panelled construction for superior fit

Reflective details

Sun Protection Factor 50

Handmade in Europe

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
9/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
9/10

Sizing is exactly as it says on the Morvelo website.

Rate the product for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

It's not alone at this end of the price spectrum – and you can go quite a bit higher.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Following the instructions on its website (listed below – the EFX NTH jersey doesn't have a care label inside), it's cleaned up fine every time:

Machine wash at 30 degrees

Use mild detergent

Drip dry in shade

Do not iron

Do not tumble dry

Do not bleach

Do not dry clean

Avoid washing with velcro

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

A really comfortable and breathable high-performance jersey.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Comfort of the fabric.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

It's pricey.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

This Morvelo jersey offers an excellent fit and performance. Attention to detail is high and the comfort of the materials against the skin is up there with the best I've worn. Yes it's expensive, but I'd pay £100 for it, and I think its exceptional performance justifies it – and the overall score.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 39  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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