Panache Eleven jersey

This lightweight jersey from Panache is superbly comfortable on hot days. The polyester fabric of the main body is extremely fine and breathable while the underarm and side panels are an even more open weave – you can just about see through them and, more to the point, they let the air flood in to keep you cool. The most surprising quality of the fabric, though, is just how kitten-soft it feels next to your skin, even after a few trips through the washing machine; you’ll be amazed.

The Eleven comes in a traditional slim cut although the neck isn’t quite as high as usual – sealing cold air out clearly isn’t the priority here. The zip is reassuringly high quality and it’s full length for maximum ventilation when the roads start to sizzle (be patient - hot weather is on the way). The three pockets in the lower back are mesh, keeping the weight down and the breathability up, and there’s a reinforced port in one of them for threading your ipod lead inside (what? Listening to music is so much easier than bike maintenance). A stretchy silicone rubber gripper helps to hold the hem down and the build quality is excellent throughout.

The classy, understated design was a real winner in our chain gang although you might prefer the reversed (white body, black stripe) option. As for the price… well, we're in Assos and Rapha territory. There's not getting away from the fact that this is an expensive jersey on the other hand it is certainly of at least an equal quality to Assos or Rapha clothing… so whether you think the price equates to good value probably depends on whether you're in the market for high end cycle clothing.

Verdict

Comfy and highly breathable jersey in an ultra-chic style