The Ekoi Road Grey Mid-Season Jersey does what it sets out to do. It's a lightweight, well-made top that's effective for cycling during those cool though not super-cold days. It's made of a super-stretchy material, which is comfortable and breathable, has a full complement of pockets and I think you could wear it all year long – on its own in days around 10°C through spring, summer and autumn and under a thermal or waterproof layer when it's colder come winter.
For more options, our best summer cycling jerseys buyer's guide covers our top short-sleeve choices, while our best winter cycling jerseys buyer's guide also includes options for spring and autumn riding.
> Buy now: Ekoi Road Grey Mid-Season Jersey for £92.18 from Ekoi
As with the short-sleeve Ekoi Monochrome jersey I reviewed recently, the Mid-Season Jersey is very, very, very stretchy. That's the first thing you notice when you put it on. When you're wearing it, though, you're not aware of any undue compression or tightness.
I'm at the upper end of the size range Ekoi recommends for the jersey but its super-stretchy nature made sure the fit was fine. I doubt it flattered my slightly-weightier-than-ideal physique, but pretty much nothing this side of a Demis Roussos-smock would do that (though I'm not that big), and any form of close-fitting Lycra will show off your shape to a lesser or greater degree.
The jersey is very neatly made, with all the features in place in spite of the low weight and minimal bulk.
There are three full-size drop-in rear pockets, the outer two having angled tops for easy access and the centre one accompanied by an outer zipped security pocket, which is big enough to house my Samsung A02 with the zip closed, if the phone's not in its case.
The stretch of the main pockets means they'll take whatever gubbins you carry.
The full-length front zip has quite a small zip pull, but does have top and bottom zip garages to prevent chafing and scratching.
In typical cycling jersey style the rear is dropped, and, like the Ekoi Monochrome, it doesn't have a full circumference gripper, making do with a narrow silicone gripper at the rear, with a narrow elasticated strip for the rest of the jersey. But it proved an effective combination, with the jersey staying in place well. A lot of that I suspect is down to the stretch of the material (have I mentioned the stretch?), which ensures a snug-all-over fit.
During a long ride you might find yourself pulling the cuffs up occasionally as they're also only gently elasticated, but I never found that much of an issue.
I wore this during the sort of conditions it was designed for – days starting out at around 10°C or so and warming up by a few degrees. Well, this was the UK in the middle of the summer, so it's about what you'd expect.
These are the sorts of days where I might otherwise have considered a short-sleeve jersey and arm warmers, but even with my favourite arm warmers I find myself pulling them up my upper arms occasionally. And I found myself reaching for the Ekoi first.
There's no bulkier Windstopper-like fabric anywhere on the jersey, but the material is still effective at keeping the warmth in, and as befits a summer-ish jersey, breathability is pretty good too. After a long day's riding I was still pretty fresh, and the jersey was good for a second day. For testing purposes only, of course...
After yet another beautiful summer ride this jersey came up well-and-truly filthy. The Two Tunnels is a partly unsurfaced Sustrans route south of Bath and when it rains the puddles that form are the size of a small country, and if your bike has no mudguards, you and your kit will end up covered in grime, which is what happened to the Ekoi jersey.
After I threw it in with the usual 30°C cycling kit wash the mud was no longer there, but a handful of specks of road-borne oil were. But with some Vanish and a bit of work, the oil... vanished.
Value
It's generally tricky writing about value because Ekoi's RRP usually bears no resemblance to the price you're actually likely to pay. Initially in this case – unique in the annals of Ekoi's history – the £131.24 RRP was what you'd pay, but just before I submitted my review somebody down in Spain hit the '30% off' sale button on Ekoi's magic marketing keyboard and it's currently around £90...
At its full price it's up against the likes of the £130 Rapha Men's Pro Team Long Sleeve Lightweight Jersey Team, which is very thin, a few grams lighter, and designed to be used in temperatures as low as 6°C. Sun protection is lower at SPF 30.
The Ekoi's RRP is also within a few quid of the £132 Pedla Classic Long Sleeve Jersey Monochrome, another snug-fitting top with SPF50 sun protection.
The Cycology Horizon Lightweight Long Sleeve Summer Jersey is a striking-looking, high-quality top that comes in at less than the Ekoi's sale price at just £80. At 199g it's marginally heavier than the Ekoi and has the same SPF 50 sun protection.
Conclusion
I liked this jersey a lot. It's snug without being constricting, breathable, and warm enough for cool summer days when worn on its own or with an equally thin baselayer. I'd use it for mild autumn and spring days too, and as with some other thin jerseys, its lack of bulk make it suitable for winter use under a thermal or waterproof outer. At its full price it's up there with the likes of Rapha, which I'm not sure it quite justifies, but now it's well under £100 it's well worth looking at.
> Buy now: Ekoi Road Grey Mid-Season Jersey for £92.18 from Ekoi
Verdict
Good quality and an effective alternative to a short-sleeve top and arm warmer pairing that could work in a layering system too
Make and model: Ekoi Road Grey Mid-Season Jersey
Tell us what the product is for
Ekoi says: "Perhaps the missing link between a winter and summer jersey, the Ekoï Road long sleeve jersey has been designed for cyclists in early mild spring weather, with temperatures above 10°C (50°F).
To achieve this, our product manager has selected for the front and back panels a silky smooth fabric, second skin and supple, protective and breathable. The number of seams has been significantly reduced as there are no side panels. The result is more comfort and improved performance.
Special attention has been paid to the sleeves: made from alightweight honeycomb fabric, they have the advantage of offering constant ventilation while protecting the rider from cold air. Soft and pleasant to the touch, the sleeves block out any air ingress. Visually, they contribute to the jersey's contrasting design as they are the same color as the pockets and chest rectangle.
Graphically, the gradient curves represented across a large part of the fabric are a nod and a wink to the route profiles familiar to many climbers.
Designed for hard-core cyclists and the aesthete alike, this new long sleeved jersey is strong in technical features and style and is perfect for getting the season off to the best possible start."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Ekoi lists these features:
Breathable, comfortable honeycomb fabric sleeves
Aero cut (no side panels)
Second-skin-effect fabric for the comfort and performance
4 back pockets, one zipped
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
All fine. Neat seams. Still looking good after multiple washing cycles.
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
7/10
Ekoi describes this as regular fit – but it's a very form-fitting cut. The very stretchy nature of the material should mean it will adapt to various body shapes.
Rate the product for sizing:
7/10
I'm right at the top size and weight on Ekoi's guide – 101cm chest, 82kg weight – and this was a close fit but still comfortable.
Rate the product for weight:
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
8/10
It's lovely – I found this very comfortable.
Rate the product for value:
5/10
Its premium price puts it on a par with the likes of Rapha and Pedla (but less than Pas Normal Studios), but this is available at a fraction of its full RRP...
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
After one of my rides the jersey came back absolutely filthy with the back covered in mud and road-borne muck. After washing at the recommended 30°C it was evident that the mud was hiding some oil stains, which hadn't entirely disappeared. A little work with some Vanish – other stain removers are available – and these stains disappeared. Phew! And it really had been royally filthy.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Spot on. Once the oil spots were off, that is. Comfortable, fully featured top for cooler summer rides – and we've had a few of those this year. This would also make it handy for autumn and even mild winter rides, which were common last winter.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Its comfort – and it's a very good call for cool summer rides, autumn and spring. I'd also consider it as part of a winter layering system. On days when it's cold – though not approaching freezing – or wet, its close fit means you could wear it under a thermal or waterproof layer.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Its price.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
At its full £130+ RRP this is very much at the premium end of the market, a few quid more than the Rapha Pro Team Lightweight and the Pedla Classic. That said, it's much cheaper than the Pas Normal Studios offering. Unusually for Ekoi – in fact unique in my experience – when I first started writing my review it was actually on sale at its full retail price, but it's now been discounted.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
It's a very good lightweight, long-sleeve jersey that's a usable option through a lot of the year. I wore it mainly during rides on nippy summer days, which were plentiful this year, but it would be just as handy in autumn or spring, and its close fit means you could use it as part of a layering system in winter. Its fit isn't flattering on me – but that's my fault, not the jersey's! – but it's comfortable and I like its understated looks. It would have scored a little higher but for the RRP – not that you're ever likely to pay that.
I usually ride: 2018 Giant TCR Advanced 2 with Halo Carbaura disc wheels My best bike is:
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, touring, sportives, general fitness riding,
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