Craft AB Classic Jersey

This Craft AB Classic Jersey is a quality jersey, but it's definitely not one for tourists or commuters, or anyone who might wear a jersey more than once before washing.

One of the great pleasures of summer is being able to ditch your winter kit and ride out in just a short sleeve jersey and shorts. This one is made from an ultra-soft silky material, which is a nice change from the usual Coolmax fabric, and in a slightly looser cut with mesh inserts, it feels like an ideal hot weather jersey.

Our sample came in a blinding white with red trim. White, as anyone who has ever changed a tyre knows, is probably the very worst choice of colour for bike kit. Suffice to say that dealing with a broken chain on a recent audax means that my jersey will never be quite the same. Never mind, there are other colours in the range.

Build quality is typically Craft, that is to say very good. The cut is comfortable and you get the usual three pockets plus a bonus fourth zippered pocket which seems to be increasingly popular these days - after all, those sporty types do need somewhere to stash their iPhones and credit cards.

The zip is a short one, which isn't unusual, but a full-length zip would make life easier on pee-stops. There is a neat little zip garage at the top, which prevents chafing, assuming you conform to team regs and zip right up to the neck when crossing the finish line.

Overall it's a very nice jersey but it does have one huge flaw, depending how you chose to use it. It smells terrible after a ride, whether a long day ride or a modest commute. That lovely soft fabric seems to soak up the nastiest bits of your sweat and serves them up as a full blown BO stink.

Before you point the finger, I checked and it's definitely not me; none of my other tops does this. This might not be a problem, depending on what you want it for, but lightweight tourists and long-distance audaxers might be best off buying elsewhere. For day riders and commuters with a huge wardrobe it's a good choice.

Verdict

Lovely jersey, but if you wear it more than once between washes you'll be riding alone.