Gore Bike Wear Oxygen FZ Lady Jersey

A proper full-on summer jersey this one, designed for those days when the sun is melting both you and the tarmac and speed is the name of the game. The Oxygen FZ Lady is designed with high performance road riders in mind, to deliver comfort and a stable temperature during rides of any distance.

Available in a variety of bright (and more subdued) colours, including the hot pink I tried, this is a stylish jersey with a very sporty look. It's not something you'd probably pop down the shops wearing, so much as attack a race or good length of sportive in. Features include a full-length front zip for great choice of ventilation, although you'd obviously need to be wearing a decent crop top underneath to prevent the wrong sort of attention with the zip lower than about a third down!

The central rear section is secured with a gripper tape, while the rest of the hem is left without. There are three elasticated pouch pockets at the back, and a small zipped pocket for valuables, as well as reflective accents along the sides of the pockets and at the shoulders. Mesh panels work with the main fabric to provide zones of extra ventilation where it's needed most- down the centre of the upper back and at the sides.

The cut is contoured and sleek, without being horrendously unforgiving in a shrink-wrapping kind of way, so will suit those looking for a race fit, but perhaps lacking the physique for most race-fit styles. But (like most things) it'll still suit those blessed with a sporting musculature.

Torso length is pretty average, so should suit all but the very tallest woman. The EU38/Medium I tried was spot on for a UK12- slightly unusual for Gore whose fit is sometimes on the small side.

In wear, the jersey was incredibly comfortable, with a 'barely there' quality to the soft supple stretch microfiber fabric. The fabric wicked moisture really effectively and quickly, even in the hottest conditions, while the mesh panels speed up the cooling process further still.

The rear gripper tape did the job of securing the tail admirably, with no problems, even down on the drops. The pockets were a decent size for the necessities, although it might have been nice to have had the zipped security pocket on one of the side pockets rather than the central largest pocket which of the three was the best suited to a bottle.

The soft fabric does snag easily, so keeping it away from Velcro is a must, and the top is machine washable only at 30, as with many technical fabrics, meaning it could eventually accumulate odours.

£74.99 is a lot for a jersey, but the features and level of comfort and performance offered by this top are up there with other jerseys of a similar price, so it doesn't suffer by comparison. It is also available for much less than the RRP at some retailers.

A men's version of the Oxygen FZ Jersey is available.

Verdict

Not cheap, but worth the money for a genuinely comfortable high-performance summer jersey.