The 7mesh Skyline Jersey is a tight-fitting aero jersey that's very effective at dealing with sweat. It's a pleasure to wear, but there's no getting away from price – it's extremely high. It looks and feels great though, and is also available in red and black.
This isn't your usual lycra – that absorbs moisture too much for 7mesh's liking, which adds weight and is not that comfortable. Instead the fabric here is hydrophobic and quick-drying.
The body of the Skyline is a 78% polyester, 22% elastane mix with a waffled texture; the pockets have a slightly higher proportion of polyester and are smooth. The whole lot is treated with Schoeller Textiles' Coldblack, which resists heating under sunlight and gives UPF 30+ protection too.
> Buy this online here
This jersey is not ultra-breathable, but it does work well in heat – there's a full length zip to let the air in – and because the hydrophobic fabric wicks so effectively, the jersey won't be drenched when you get to the top of a climb.
Zipped up and going downhill, you get some protection from chills as the fabric is solid, rather than mesh.
I didn't have access to especially hot weather or long climbs while testing this jersey, but I did have high intensity, sweaty Zwift races. This jersey is indeed very good at wicking sweat – it never feels soaked the way other jerseys do.
Also, a damp top and the fan at full chat usually remind me to switch off said fan when warming down, whereas I don't get that with this jersey.
I've noticed these same properties in the real world, too. Paired with a base layer it works really well in temperatures down to about 10 degrees, keeping out some of the wind but still dealing with sweat. It's not just for summer.
Fit and cut
The Skyline is designed to be aero. 7mesh says the waffled fabric 'encourages speed'... I don't have access to a wind tunnel either, so I can't honestly say, but it does feel fast. It's a spray-on type, race fit jersey, and the arms extend to just above my elbows.
The seams are extremely smooth too – barely there, in fact – as they're ultrasonically welded and taped on the inside. The arms are laser cut at the ends, again to minimise any aerodynamic disturbance.
> Why riders like you need to get more aero and wheel weight doesn't matter
Because the fabric is so stretchy, the minimalist silicone grippers on the hem – and the 2cm band of dots inside the arms – are sufficient to stop the jersey riding up. They're judged well, being comfortable and effective.
Pockets
7mesh uses a slightly different arrangement than most, and calls it the 7mesh Anything pocket panel. You get five: the usual three, plus two zipped pockets that sit behind them. One covers one third of the width, the other the remaining two thirds.
The whole thing is a separate panel that's attached at the top and sides, but not the bottom. The idea is to maintain the jersey's shape even when the pockets are stuffed full. This is another feature that works well.
Sizing
I'm in the middle of the medium sizing range for most non-Italian brands, and the medium here fits me perfectly: it's skin-tight, but not hold-your-breath tight.
My chest size (98cm) is actually between small and medium on the 7mesh chart, and the fabric is so stretchy a small would probably fit me around the chest and waist – but I don't think it would fit my arms.
> 26 of the best summer cycling jerseys — tops to beat the heat from just £10
Then again, I'm a tree surgeon and my shoulders and upper arms are not small. It's obviously not me in the pictures...
Value
Good as this is, you can spend a lot less for similar functionality. Castelli's excellent Aero Race 6.0 Jersey has very similar characteristics and is £120 (£10 more than when we reviewed it). Meanwhile, Dave liked the dhb Aeron LAB Raceline jersey a lot, and that's £110.
The most expensive comparable jersey we've reviewed lately is the Velocio Men's Concept Jersey at £162 – still a good deal cheaper than the 7mesh, then, although it relies on mesh panels so has more limited use.
Amazingly, you can spend more: the Assos Equipe RS Spring Fall Aero SS jersey is £250, but that has some clever windblocking and ventilation aimed at the shoulder seasons.
Overall
There is no getting away from the fact that £200 is a lot of money for a jersey. It's certainly more than I would spend.
Having said that, I can see why you might want to. 7mesh has used expensive materials and expensive construction techniques, and it works very well. There's a crash replacement discount too, though the website does not specify how much.
The 7mesh Skyline Jersey has a great fit, is a pleasure to wear and is very good at what it does. It's too expensive for me, but if you're happy with the price, you won't be disappointed with the performance.
Verdict
Fantastic and innovative aero jersey, but very expensive
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Make and model: 7mesh Skyline Jersey
Tell us what the product is for
7mesh says: "A featherlight, ultra-fast road jersey with Coldblack, built for making the break and beating your best in the heat of competition. To shave seconds against the clock, Skyline features almost invisible ultrasonic stretch seams. A race fit, waffled fabric encourages speed and boosts thermal regulation during the season's hottest rides, while Coldblack 30+ UPF protection reduces heat buildup, and blocks out damaging rays."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Anything Panel 5-Pocket System (3 Rear floating pockets and 2 zippered side pockets)
Wicking and thermal regulating material
Coldblack treatment; cooling effect
Full-length front zipper
UPF 30+
Weight: 120g
Body: 78% polyester, 22% elastane
Pocket: 80% polyester, 20% elastane
Front zipper: #3 reverse coil
Rate the product for quality of construction:
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
9/10
Rate the product for sizing:
7/10
Rate the product for weight:
7/10
Rate the product for comfort:
9/10
Rate the product for value:
3/10
£200 is very expensive for a jersey.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
The instructions say: "Machine wash cold, do not bleach, do not iron, hang to dry, do not use fabric softener, do not dry clean."
I ignored the machine wash cold bit, and just bung it in the wash at 40 degrees with my other stuff... it still looks new.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
I can't tell you whether it saves precious seconds because that's all but impossible to test. I can, however, tell you it's a race fit, lovely to wear, and I would choose over any other jersey I own for any hard ride – including on the turbo.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The fit, the feel of the fabric, the pockets.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
The price.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
You can spend a lot less for similar functionality. Castelli's excellent Aero Race 6.0 Jersey has very similar characteristics and is £120 (£10 more than when we reviewed it). Meanwhile, Dave liked the dhb Aeron LAB Raceline jersey a lot, and that's £110.
The most expensive jersey we've reviewed lately is the Velocio Men's Concept Jersey at £162 – still a good deal cheaper than the 7mesh, then, although it relies on mesh panels so has more limited use. Amazingly, you can spend more: the Assos RS Spring Fall Aero SS jersey is £250.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Absolutely not – the price rules it out
Would you recommend the product to a friend? A very rich one, yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
7mesh's Skyline Jersey is a spray-on tight jersey that wicks sweat better than most. The pocket arrangement works well, and it looks good too. It is very expensive though, you can get similar performance from other brands for considerably less.
Age: 44 Height: 1.78m Weight: 77kg
I usually ride: All of them! My best bike is: Ribble Endurance SL disc
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, club rides, mtb, Zwift
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