Giant Illume Mid-Thermal Long Sleeve Jersey

The Giant Illume Mid-Thermal Long Sleeve Jersey will certainly get you noticed on the gloomiest of days, and its fabric will also keep you warm and relatively sweat-free. It offers comfort and performance for not a lot of money.

• Pros: Impressive warmth from quite a thin material; eye-catching colour
• Cons: No zipped valuables pocket

I'm not normally a huge fan of bright yellow jerseys as they tend to have that 'high-vis' look about them, but the Giant Illume manages to carry it off, being bright enough to make you stand out against the background while still looking like a classy jersey.

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As the name suggests, the Illume also has quite a few reflectives for riding after dark. The black armbands have fine reflective strips all the way round, which is mimicked by the rear tail gripper. There is also a reflective strip on the rear pocket and the Giant logo on the chest will also bounce the light back.

Giant refers to both ThermTextura and TransTextura fabric in the Illume's construction, describing ThermTextura as incorporating "all the benefits of TransTextura fabric by transferring body moisture from inside while insulating you from the cold air outside". I found it worked well: on mild days around the mid-teens centigrade I remained sweat-free even when working hard with a summer baselayer underneath. With the temperature heading towards freezing, the jersey kept me warm down to about 4°C with a long sleeved baselayer beneath. I tend to run quite warm, though, so you might need to vary your layering.

There is no actual windproofing or water resistance here, but that does make the Giant versatile as a three-season jersey for when the temperatures can fluctuate a bit on a spring or autumn ride if you are out for a long time.

The thinness of the fabric also means you can layer up easily with a jacket if it is cold and wet.

The fit is relatively close but not restricted to racing whippets; there's a bit of room and the shape is pretty flattering to an amateur cyclist's build.

The tail is dropped to provide plenty of coverage to your rear even when in the drops, and there is plenty of length in the arms too when you are at full stretch.

The front is arched up slightly to minimise bunching of the fabric and it also stops the bottom of the zip catching the material of your shorts or tights.

There is no zip garage at the neck, but the collar isn't actually that high so irritation isn't very likely. I would prefer a slightly taller collar to stop draughts, and for it to be a little closer cut to the neck, but that's the only real criticism I have when it comes to the overall shape and fit.

Sizing is realistic, more UK than Italian, and Giant's size guide seems accurate.

The Illume has three pockets at the rear, with the two side ones angled down slightly towards the edges for easier access when you're riding. They're still plenty deep enough to stop things being ejected on rough roads and there's plenty of tension in the fabric to keep it taut. I would have liked a zipped valuables pocket for this kind of money, but it's not exactly a dealbreaker.

Priced at £64.99 it is very similar to the dhb Classic Long Sleeve Jersey (£65) although I prefer the Giant's softer fabric and better fit. The Giant Illume feels like a higher quality product, but the dhb does get a valuables pocket and zip garage.

It's a fiver less than the very similar and also very good Lusso Terrain LS jersey.

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

Overall, I really like the Giant Illume jersey. It may be a bit basic compared to some that offer more features and more protection from the elements, but it does what it's designed to very well.

Verdict

Warm and breathable jersey that'll help you stand out in the gloom