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Galibier Regale Ultralight Jersey

9
£46.88

VERDICT:

9
10
Lightweight and very practical jersey for warm conditions – if a little revealing for some...
Lightweight yet robust
Very comfortable
Good value
Thin enough to be see-through in places
Weight: 
84g
Contact: 
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The Galibier Regale Ultralight Jersey is an incredibly thin design intended for warmer days and, of course, indoor trainer service during the darker months. I've been impressed by its comfort, durability and lack of compromise, especially at the pockets, which are deep and stretchy yet surprisingly secure, and the price is very appealing.

Galibier says its goal with the Regale was to produce the lightest jersey on the market while still offering sun protection (SPF30). Over the past few years I've noticed a trend for much thinner fabrics in summer jerseys; the Scimitar Eco1 Recycled jersey I reviewed last year was the thinnest I thought we'd go, fabrics-wise, but the Regale Ultralight beats it on the scales and feels incredibly thin.

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It's made from three different gauges of polyester and feels a little synthetic to the touch, but goes unnoticed in the saddle when worn directly against the skin. Baselayers do tend to show through, though, especially those with bold colours and graphics, and while the SPF30 in the fabric is welcome, I would still be inclined to apply a heavier-weight sunscreen.

2021 Galibier Regale Ultralight Jersey - chest logo.jpg

I've tested it outdoors in temperatures between 13 and 25°C (its suggested range is 20-40°C) and did a couple of indoor trainer sessions with the heating ramped up to 30, and am pleased to report I've felt comfortable at both ends of the spectrum. At the upper end, any mistiness that crept in quickly evaporated; being so thin, it will quickly saturate but dries with similar haste.

2021 Galibier Regale Ultralight Jersey - back.jpg

The low-cut collar is ideal for hot weather riding, and the full-length YKK zipper, which has performed faultlessly, allows for more ventilation when needed.

2021 Galibier Regale Ultralight Jersey - collar.jpg

The medium on test came up just right for me, with nice length in the sleeves – which incorporate gentle silicone grippers – and bang on in the body too.

2021 Galibier Regale Ultralight Jersey - sleeve.jpg

The stretchy yet clingy fabric offers the best combination of a wind-cheating, racing snakes cut but with sufficient room for summer-weight baselayers; the shoulders will readily accommodate those with short sleeves and, if the weather turns, arm warmers too.

2021 Galibier Regale Ultralight Jersey - shoulders.jpg

Without wind tunnel testing facilities, my comments are little more than anecdotal, but the snug fit seemed to avoid drag and annoying flutter, most notably when I'd decided to do a 30-minute 10-mile blast on my fixed gear TT bike. Silicone at the hem prevents any unwanted lift.

2021 Galibier Regale Ultralight Jersey - gripper.jpg

Round the back, the traditional three terrace pockets are surprisingly generous given the jersey's weight and thickness, with lots of stretch and decent reinforcement around their base. They've proven super-dependable too, swallowing a compact camera, full back bottle and 6in mobile phone, with minimal bobbing or bounce, even along winding singletrack lanes.

2021 Galibier Regale Ultralight Jersey - pockets.jpg

Although it wouldn't be my first choice for gravel or rough stuff touring, there's no sign of bobbling or loose threads despite friskings from overhanging foliage. I certainly haven't mollycoddled it, and it's still in great shape.

I flatted a couple of times during the test period, resulting in some waxy and oily transfer to the fabric, but with some gentle agitation with a toothbrush and a shot of citrus bike wash, it's washed clean at 30 degrees. It also responds well to bucket washing in soap flakes, which bodes well for bikepacking and touring duties.

I love the orange colourway, too, though the lack of alternatives might be a deal-breaker for some.

Value

There are similarly priced jerseys out there, such as the Van Rysel Road Cycling Racer at £44.99-£49.99, which is offered in four colours and apparently made from recycled plastics, but you can spend a lot more.

> Buyer’s Guide: 8 of the best cheap cycling jerseys

Pactimo's Summit Aero is made from recycled polyester and impressed me with its standards of manufacture and performance, but it's £100.

> Buyer’s Guide: 30 of the best summer cycling jerseys

The Lusso R1 Style Breathe is another aero design that offers excellent performance, but is almost £20 more at £65, and the Scimitar Eco1 I mentioned earlier is closer in price, but still £55.

Conclusion

I've been pleasantly surprised by the Regale Ultralight. It does what it promises, and despite the thin fabric seems well made and durable, if a little see-through in places, with sensible amounts of inbuilt protection from the sun. Considering the price, it's an excellent option.

Verdict

Lightweight and very practical jersey for warm conditions – if a little revealing for some...

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Galibier Regale Ultralight Jersey

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for

Galibier says, "The goal of the garment was to create the lightest jersey on the market that still offered SPF30 skin protection. The micro perforated fabric properties provides both a cool feeling during your hardest rides and quick dry."

It's a well-executed lightweight jersey for hot summer and turbo trainer duties. A minor point, but worth noting, darker baselayers (or those with bolder graphics) can be visible through the main fabric. Might be worth applying a heavier sunscreen, too.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Galibier continues, 'All 3 materials were initially sourced on weight, but out of the 5 samples we created this ensemble to survive a summer of machine washing with honours. At just under 90 grams (Size medium), the Regale is lighter than most mesh jerseys, but still offers full skin coverage. A full YKK zip gives additional adaptability and confidence as the striking burnt orange design keep you seen and fresh.

'The jersey features a deep pocket structure with silicone grips on the top, 1/2 length arms with soft arm grippers and a low-cut collar for maximum hot weather performance. The jersey uses a dual fabric silicone waist gripper which allows the jersey to be loaded up without it losing shape on the bike.

'20-40 Degrees C'

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Incredibly thin but reassuringly solid.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Lightweight but feels surprisingly solid too, and I was surprised by how well it regulates temperature, even in the low teens (with a thin, sleeveless baselayer).

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Impressive to date.

Rate the product for fit:
 
9/10

Bang on for me. Second-skin snug but with generous amounts of stretch.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
9/10

Bang on for me.

Rate the product for weight:
 
9/10

Feels incredibly light and thin, but surprisingly resilient too.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Very good when pitted against similar.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

As per Galiber's claims, it has washed and worn remarkably well. The odd oily fingerprint has lifted without a trace, and though I've defaulted to 30, the odd accidental 40-degree machine cycle hasn't proved detrimental.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Overall, the Galibier Regale is a stylish and very practical lightweight jersey. While primarily designed for hot weather, the fabric is also effective at maintaining some welcome warmth when the temperatures dip. For such a thin garment, the pocket's design and capacity is impressive too.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Lightweight but very practical, and the pockets can carry a decent load without pulling on the fabric or ejecting the contents. I really like the colour, too.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The thin fabric is a bit revealing.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

Pactimo's Summit Aero SS Jersey is made from recycled polyester and impressed me with its standards of manufacture and performance, but is double the price at £100. The Lusso R1 Style Breathe is another aero design that offers excellent performance, and is almost £20 steeper. Scimitar's Eco1 Recycled jersey is a bit more at £55, while Van Rysel's Road Cycling Racer, also made from recycled plastics, is £44.99 in one colour, £49.99 for the other three options.

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 excellent – a lightweight but very practical jersey for summer and indoor training. Just be aware that the fabric can be a little revealing.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 47  Height: 1m 81cm  Weight: 70kg

I usually ride: Rough Stuff Tourer Based around 4130 Univega mtb Frameset  My best bike is: 1955 Holdsworth Road Path and several others including cross & traditional road

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,

Shaun Audane is a freelance writer/product tester with over twenty-eight years riding experience, the last twelve (120,000 miles) spent putting bikes and kit through their paces for a variety of publications. Previous generations of his family worked at manufacturing's sharp end, thus Shaun can weld, has a sound understanding of frame building practice and a preference for steel or titanium framesets.
Citing Richard Ballantine and an Au pair as his earliest cycling influences, he is presently writing a cycling book with particular focus upon women, families and disabled audiences (Having been a registered care manager and coached children at Herne Hill Velodrome in earlier careers)

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4 comments

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JF69 | 2 years ago
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I wear a Large in Castelli sizing; does anyone who owns Galibier know the sizing compared to Castelli?

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Freddy56 replied to JF69 | 2 years ago
0 likes

I go by their size chart and havnt had to return anything. My old Gabba isnt the same fit as my new Gabba so..?

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Freddy56 | 2 years ago
0 likes

Colour of this isn't for me but love the brand and their shorts and Winter jackets, best in the business.

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Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
1 like

I love Galibier kit and have a fair bit of it though not this jersey.  Only thing you have to watch is they use a mixture of suppliers whilst most stuff comes in UK sizes like this one, some bits are Italian sizing. 

Im a UK medium and Galibier tends to fit my mamil-esque body shape really well - it's a good size match for my stolen goat and Rapha stuff. I'm permanently 3 months pregnant with a food baby.  
Some of their jerseys are Italian fitting and I seem to lie between a tight gut (L) and slightly ruffly shoulders (XL) from a sample of 1 jersey.

Quality and service on all their stuff is excellent though. 

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