Shutt Velo Rapide are a British company, based in Oxford. They design their gear in the UK and where possible they make it here too. They're proud of the craft that goes into their clothing, like this Classic Long Sleeve jersey, which is made from Merino and oozes quality. Merino and made in Britain does mean a relatively high price, though.

To make the jersey a bit more hard-wearing, it is made from a stretchy 60% polyester-40% merino mix called MerinoPerform. It is a double-layered fabric, with soft merino against the skin and polyester on the outside (harder wearing, y'see). It's machine-washable at 40 degrees.

In real life, this translates to a jersey that feels really nice. It takes longer to develop a whiff than straight man-made fabrics, though Shutt VR recommend 'regular washing or at least a quick rinse after your ride' on their website.

The fabric is fairly thin, and not that warm. For me, it's been great for early Autumn / late Spring rides or even early starts in the Summer. For colder weather I'd grab a windproof gilet or even a jacket to wear over the top. For winter, it works better as part of a layering strategy (especially good given Merino's anti-stink properties), rather than on its own.

In terms of cut, the body is tight, but not overly so – spot on. The arms didn't work so well for me. I don't have racing snake arms, and on me the upper arms feel a little too tight whereas the lower arms feel a little loose. Not a massive issue, but not quite the spot-on fit of the body.

There are three deep pockets, with the middle one a bit wider than the two outer ones. That middle one has a zipped pocket made from a material Shutt VR claim to be waterproof. I didn't test this, but it's not a waterproof zip, so I'd be careful with stuff that can get water damaged. The zip has a big ring pull, which is a nice detail.

The main zip is made from a reflective material, and has a zip garage to prevent chafing on your neck or chin. There's a silicone gripper on the hem to keep things in place, with more reflective detailing all around the waist.

I like the quirky detailing: the colour bands on the pockets and the left cuff and the embroidered logo on the chest and embroidered cyclist on the right rear pocket.

It's available in black, white and the red we tested. In terms of sizes, the medium we tested is the right size for people who usually take a medium in other non-Italian brands. You can also get it in S, M, L, XL and XXL.

In conclusion, it's a lovely light-weight long sleeve jersey, though it could do with a bit of work on the cut around the arms to be a perfect fit on me. Yes, it's expensive at £120 RRP for a long sleeve jersey, but not unreasonably so considering it's made from merino and designed and made in the UK. It's up to you to decide how much that's worth to you.

Verdict

Lovely lightweight Merino long sleeve jersey made in Britain

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road.cc test report

Make and model: ShuttVR Classic LS Jersey

Size tested: Medium, Red

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

This hand-crafted in Great Britain jersey is classic Shutt. But unlike most classics it's designed, not only to stand the test of time, but also the test of plenty of time on the bike.

Tailored from high-wicking, fast-drying and temperature-regulating MerinoPerform (one of the most advanced sportswear fabrics out there), we've created it to be your go-to jersey from the start of autumn to the first rides of spring. And thanks to our innovative side panel construction and flattering 'sportive' cut, when you pull it on you can expect three seasons of luxurious comfort.

There's a long, contoured hem with reflective trim, a full-length reflective zip, an anti-chaffing zip garage at the neck and three generous reinforced rear pockets – with an additional fourth waterproof pocket with handy ring-pull zipper.

With all this attention to detail, some might say our Classic Jersey shouts quality. But as we've added our colours only to the rear pockets and one cuff, we prefer to think that it just whispers it confidently.

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

Hand crafted in Great Britain

High wicking and fast drying

3 generous, reinforced cargo pockets

Additional 4th zipped waterproof valuables pocket with ring pull zip, for easy access on the move.

Long, contoured rear hem, with soft silicone gripper.

360� reflective trim on the hem for extra visibility.

Zip garage to prevent chaffing on the chin and neck.

Embroidered details

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

A retail price of £120, even for a long sleeve merino jersey as well as made as this – in Britain – is expensive. It can be found for a little under £80 online at the moment, which is a bargain.

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

As a fairly lightweight long sleeve jersey, it's been great. The merino fabric feels lovely and means you can leave it longer between washes.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

It's made from merino wool, it's made in Britain. I like the quirky signature colour detailing as well.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The cut of the arms feels a bit odd, it feels a bit too tight on the upper arm, and a bit too loose on the lower arm.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes, but not at full RRP.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

Shutt VR's classic long sleeve jersey is a really nice bit of extra warmth for the early autumn and late spring. It's made from lovely merino, in Britain, and looks great. It's a bit expensive at full RRP though and it doesn't fit my arms well.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 36  Height: 1.78m  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: All of them!  My best bike is: Cannondale CAAD10

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

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, mtb,