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Shutt Velo Rapide Elite Jersey

7
£110.00

VERDICT:

7
10
Impressive warm weather performance and quality, but you pay for it
Weight: 
142g
Contact: 

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Thanks to its mesh back and side panels, the Shutt Velo Rapide Elite Jersey is a great choice for when the temperature starts to ramp up. It's comfortable too, but at £110 it's priced a little high against some of the competition.

  • Pros: Breathable fabrics, quality finish
  • Cons: White panels get grubby quickly, pricey

The sun has been out for well over a week here while I'm writing the review, and with the temperatures hanging around 18-25°C the Elite jersey has been getting a lot of use.

> Buy this online here

Shutt VR has used a combination of materials from Miti Spa, one of the most highly regarded fabric developers in the business, and it gives the jersey a top quality feel and performance.

Around the front and over the shoulders, the smooth material has plenty of stretch for freedom of movement and its softness against the skin is one of the best I've worn. It provides a small barrier against a cool breeze, making the Elite ideal if you start a ride early in the morning or finish late in the evening but when the sun is out it doesn't struggle to keep you cool.

shutt_velo_rapide_elite_jersey_-_riding.jpg

This is helped by the back and side panels which are made from a wide section mesh type fabric. It really lets the heat and moisture escape, especially as the wind whips over your back when you're down on the drops.

shutt_velo_rapide_elite_jersey_-_back.jpg

As a jersey it's not quite as cool as a full-mesh design like Castelli's Aero Race 5.1 Jersey FZ, but like I say, it's a good compromise if the temperature drops off mid-ride.

Round the front you get a full zip, though oddly no zip garage at the neck. I didn't get any irritation but some might from a neckline that sits reasonably high up.

shutt_velo_rapide_elite_jersey_-_chest.jpg

The tail is dropped at the back although not by as much as some jerseys I've tested, and it's held in place by a silicone gripper which runs just along the rear section. It does the job and I never found the Elite riding up.

shutt_velo_rapide_elite_jersey_-_gripper.jpg

The Shutt VR comes with three traditional pockets which use a heavier weight material than the mesh they are attached to. They are sturdy enough to carry a multi-tool or phone without sagging and they are deep enough to keep everything secure.

shutt_velo_rapide_elite_jersey_-_pockets.jpg

Sizing is quite generous compared with Shutt's website. I was assigned this medium as that is the size I take in the majority of brands and it was great: a close, race-style, form fit with no excess material or restriction, even though I did find the sleeves a little more roomy than I'm used to. Shutt's size guide, though, would have me in either a large or even extra large, so if you want a close fit like the jersey deserves, size down.

shutt_velo_rapide_elite_jersey_-_sleeve_2.jpg

As usual from Shutt VR, the Elite is a quality garment and very well made. All the stitching is neat and tidy, and I like the addition of the clear soft plastic label inside – no chance of irritation from it.

> Buyer's Guide: 20 of the best summer cycling jerseys

You do pay for it, though, at £110. That Castelli Aero I mentioned is £100, as is the excellent Morvelo EFX Nth Series. Another thorn in its side is the Craft Monument jersey, which has many of the same characteristics but is £85.

Overall, I really like the Elite for its performance, but if it was my own money I'd be shopping around.

Verdict

Impressive warm weather performance and quality, but you pay for it

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Shutt Velo Rapide Elite Jersey

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for

Shutt VR says, "A luxurious pro-fit jersey constructed using a mix of the latest technically advanced fabrics for fantastic breathability and moisture management, this jersey works to keep you dry and comfortable when the heat's turned up."

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

From Shutt VR:

Race cut from premium MITI fabrics

High level of breathability and exceptional moisture transfer

Sleek, contemporary design

Anatomically designed

Textured Lycra back and sides

Full length zip

Laser cut arm grippers

Silicon elastic hem

Three large rear pockets

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
5/10

I'd say the size chart on Shutt VR's website is a little off. It has me in between L and XL but the medium fitted me fine, and if I'd gone bigger I wouldn't have had the close fit.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

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

With the jersey being mainly white, I was worried about staining especially from wet, muddy roads, but I've had no issues. It does get grubby quickly, though, and you'll be washing it after every ride.

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

A great jersey for warm-weather performance riding.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Impressive breathability.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

White panels get grubby easily.

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

Overall, the Shutt VR is a great jersey for riding on warm to hot summer days thanks to great breathability, but at £110 value is a consideration as there are many other jerseys out there of the same quality for less.

Overall rating: 7/10

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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2 comments

Avatar
thelighterthief | 5 years ago
0 likes

Looks like a good jersey... but does that mean you don’t wash dark jerseys after every ride stu?

i wrote to shutt years ago asking for freebies for a charity ride i was organising, and they said that whilst they couldn’t help this time with full kit we could have a load of their samples free... which was frankly brillint as i was totally chancing it and didnt expect anything. 

Still got mine 7 years on. 

Avatar
barongreenback | 5 years ago
1 like

Zip garage is such a basic thing and yet so many so called premium brands completely omit it from their designs. Was amazed by a £150 Ornot jersey having a lack of garage. Obviously not essential but at this price point it’s a disappointing lack of attention to detail. 

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