The Lusso Paragon is a stylish, very comfortable and breathable jersey with great high-capacity pockets. It's not only one of the best summer cycling jerseys you can get, it's very good for spring and autumn too.
The Paragon is Lusso's top of the range jersey, with a close fit but with comfort in mind for long days in the saddle.
> Buy now: Lusso Paragon Jersey for £100 from Lusso
It's made from an Italian fabric with enough stretch in the material to sit close without any restriction. I have worn this on a variety of rides, including multiple long ones over four hours, and have found it very comfortable to wear throughout.
I tested it in temperatures ranging from 6°C to around 20°C. At only 137g it's fairly light, but a bit warmer and more versatile than the sub-100g ultra-lightweight jerseys that I've tested.
The material is breathable, and it didn't feel overly damp on some hard climbing efforts; it also dried out quickly once I'd picked up some speed.
Fit and sizing
As I said above, the jersey has a close fit but with comfort in mind rather than an aggressive race cut. The sleeves are a good length, and the laser cut ends fit well and remain in place all day.
I found the jersey a good length, too, both on the bike and with no risk of stomach exposure off it (I am 178cm). There's also a thick band of rubbery material all around the base of the jersey to help keep it in position. It's not my favourite type of gripper, but it does the job.
It comes in five sizes, S-XXL, and I tested the medium (my usual size). According to the size guide I was right at the upper end of medium, but I found it a good fit, so I'd recommend you go with your usual size.
Pockets
At the back there are the usual three pockets. Lusso claims these have a larger carrying capacity than other jerseys, and I would agree. This is great as I have worn this a lot on autumnal days, where I set off in gilet and arm warmers but finish in just a jersey.
The zipped valuables pocket is a really good size, too – perhaps the first that I've managed to fit my Samsung S20 FE in. It is a squeeze, but most zipped pockets don't even come close.
There is a zip garage to ensure the YKK zipper doesn't cause any irritation.
The quality of the jersey is great. I wore this regularly during the testing period and there are no signs of wear after frequent washing, and the stitching looks good.
I think it looks good, too – the design is stylish yet simple, which will appeal to a lot of people and the navy colour makes it easy to pair with other garments. If you don't like navy, though, you're out of luck, as it's the only colour option.
Value
While £100 seems expensive for a non-aero-specific jersey, it is good quality and sits alongside many similar options in this price range.
The Assos Mille GT Jersey C2 Drop Head, for example, scored well in our review and costs £110, and the Albion Short Sleeve Jersey, which Alex really liked, sounds a very similar jersey to the Paragon, at £105.
> How to choose the best cycling jersey — everything you need to know about fabrics, fit, features and more
I tested and liked the Spatzwear Shiftr, which was a good close fit and good for spring through to autumn, but it's £40 more than the Paragon at £139.99.
You can get a great jersey for less, though, such as the Van Rysel Road Cycling Jersey Racer that Stu tested recently, which is just £44.99.
Conclusion
Overall, this is a very good jersey. It looks stylish, the fit is great, it's comfortable for long days out and the high-capacity pockets are ideal when you want to take extra clothing.
Verdict
Great fit, breathable, stylish and good high-capacity pockets
Make and model: Lusso Paragon Jersey
Tell us what the product is for
Lusso says: "Our creme de la résistance. A comfort oriented jersey crafted from luxuriously soft materials, anatomically placed seams and raw cut sleeves for the ultimate companion on epic days in the chair."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Lusso lists:
Comfort focused design
Luxurious soft handle fabric
High stretch & durable
Tailored unrestrictive fit
All round gripper
Zip garage
Zipped essentials pocket
Mild to warm conditions
High-capacity cargo pockets
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
8/10
Rate the product for sizing:
6/10
The size guide put my at the top end of medium but I found the size great; I would recommend your usual size.
Rate the product for weight:
7/10
Rate the product for comfort:
8/10
Rate the product for value:
5/10
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
Washed frequently at 30°C with no issues, and dries very quickly.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
It performed well: breathable, great fit and comfortable on all types of road rides.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
It's comfortable, it looks good, and I found the large pockets great for autumnal days when I wanted to carry spare clothes.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
I'd prefer a conventional gripper to the thick band.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
At £100 this is in line with a lot of other jerseys we have tested recently.
The Albion Short Sleeve Jersey received a good review and is priced at £105.
The Assos Millie GT Jersey C2 Drop Head is a similar jersey and scored well at £110.
I liked the Spatzwear Shiftr which was a good close fit and good for spring through to autumn, but it's £40 more than the Paragon at £140.
You can get a great jersey for less, though, such as the Van Rysel Road Cycling Jersey Racer for £44.99.
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
Overall, this is a very good jersey. It looks good, fits well and I liked the high-capacity pockets which are great for autumn days where I wanted to carry a gilet and arm warmers. At £100 it isn't cheap, but it is in line with a lot of the competition.
Age: 35 Height: 178cm Weight: 73kg
I usually ride: Specialized Roubaix My best bike is: Cervelo S3
I've been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, touring, club rides, general fitness riding, Indoor
Utter cobblers - do you even know Watlington? The vast majority of traffic is rat running between the M40 and Reading.
All arguments I am hopeful to see validated, especially (a) and (b) combined....
Old news. The Reform saddle has been available for a couple of years. It's very popular with owners and a fair bit cheaper https://shop.cyclefit.co...
Well, on Lundy the only predators are the humans, and they're far more likely to buy some farmed non-Soay lamb from the pub than try to chase a...
"Just a little bit off the sides"
Given that one of the Oxfordshire councillors took the time to drop into the comments section of the previous article on this story to deny, at...
I'd be interested in what anyone who cycles in south Trafford thinks about the 'best in Manchester' claim....
What you believe doesn't matter. Only physics and engineering does. An undamped steel spring is frikkin lousy for steering where precise tracking...
We're approaching half way through December 24 now- any progress on the Met's hopefully will be live in December 2024, where you will be able to...
I reckon they stopped using this for the bonding: