Triban RC 100 Long Sleeved Cycling Jersey

Decathlon continues its theme of offering quality products at great prices with this Triban RC 100 Long Sleeve Cycling Jersey. Under 20 quid gets you a warm, well-cut top that is pretty good in the breathability stakes too.

• Pros: Soft fabric feels great against the skin; great quality for the money
• Cons: Not the most breathable when riding hard; a little rough around the edges

You may or may not have seen that Decathlon's B'Twin cycling brand has been separated into two ranges, Van Rysel for the performance end, Triban more entry level.

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The bikes have been well received. Both the Triban RC 120 Disc Road and the RC 520 Gravel have achieved great reviews, mostly down to their bang for buck, and it's exactly the same here with the new clothing.

This jersey is currently £17.99 on the Decathlon website, and for what you are getting it is pretty remarkable. Made from a blend of 90% polyester and 10% elastane, the fabric has a soft but robust feel to it, and it's warm too.

Riding early in the morning before the sun is up, the Triban has done a sterling job of keeping my torso warm when the temperature's hanging around the mid to high single figures, with just a lightweight baselayer underneath.

There isn't any windproofing to the front panels – not that I'd expect it at this price – but the fleece-lined fabric traps body heat, taking the chill off any cool breeze trying to cut through.

Breathability is pretty good, too. When riding hard or climbing it can get a little overwhelmed compared to some more expensive technical fabrics, but you can always control things a little by dropping the full-length zip.

Fit-wise it's a little on the relaxed side, which is what I was expecting; if you want a slimmer, race-orientated cut you'll want to be looking at the Van Rysel stuff.

Relaxed doesn't mean it's flapping about in the wind, though. The RC 100 is still tailored to fit well when on the bike, with a slightly dropped tail and long arms that don't expose your wrists when stretched out on the drops.

When it comes to pockets you'll find four, three traditionally laid out around the rear, with an extra one on your right hand side, perfect for a bar, gel or your snack of choice.

You don't get a zipped valuables pocket, but again at this money I'm not really going to complain.

There are two colour options, a black version as well as this navy blue. One thing I do like here is the bright orange touch to the wrist; it really makes your arm stand out when signalling to the traffic behind. The black version has bright blue panels.

There are also a few reflectives on the rear too.

For the money you really can't complain, and to be honest at even double the price I'd be scratching my head for any major criticisms. True, it's a little rough around the edges when you take a look at the stitching, but that is only the way in that some of the stray thread ends have been left. It's only on the inside of the jersey, too, so no one will see it.

> Buyer's Guide: 20 of the best long-sleeve jerseys

As for the competition, well, there really isn't that much. Even a good value jersey like the dhb Blok is going to set you back around £65 depending on what discount you have on your wiggle account.

Lusso also scores well for value, but while the Terrain L/S Jersey has a few little tweaks over the Triban, it costs £69.99.

Overall, the Triban RC 100 offers all of the performance, fit and quality of a jersey double, if not triple, the price.

Verdict

A decent performing long-sleeve jersey at an amazing price