Van Rysel Men's Long-Sleeved Road Cycling Summer Jersey Racer Ultralight

The Van Rysel Men's Long-Sleeved UVP Road Cycling Summer Jersey Racer Ultralight not only has a very long name, it's also a great jersey for warm conditions that span spring through to autumn. Lightweight in construction like a traditional summer jersey, it's also breathable while giving you a little bit of extra protection for your arms. It's very good value too.

For a mere £44.99 there is a lot going on across the Van Rysel jersey, with plenty of small details often not even found on jerseys costing double the price.

For instance, you get a zip garage at the top of the jersey to reduce any irritation against the skin of your neck, but you also get one at the bottom. Something many manufacturers don't bother with.

If you are spending a lot of time hunched over in the drops your jersey zip can rub against your expensive shorts, causing bobbling and a lot of wear and tear. This lower zip garage prevents that.

Pockets

You get three rear pockets in the traditional layout although Van Rysel has given a little extra detail by sloping the two side pockets downwards towards the outside, giving you easier access to the pockets when you are riding.

You also get a zipped valuables pocket.

Finishing things off are a couple of reflective strips running down the back.

The overall quality is brilliant for the money too. The stitching is neat throughout with no signs of any stray threads left poking out. It's robust too.

Sizing/cut

The Van Rysel is designed with a racer's fit in mind (size up if you've not got a peloton-ready physique) so the seams are always under pressure, but durability hasn't been an issue over the last six weeks of testing.

The cut is close all the way around, even the arms are snug, almost like you are putting on a pair of arm warmers and the rest of the jersey moulds to your torso, giving a smooth aero finish.

The stretch in the fabric allows for plenty of movement though, so you don't feel restricted on the bike.

The tail is dropped long enough for stints in the drops too.

Heat management

As for performance, the fabrics used are highly breathable and great at wicking sweat.

I was wearing it through the last UK heatwave in temperatures nearing 40°C at times and while I still got hot while climbing, as soon as I hit a descent or flat and picked up speed the breeze soon whipped through the jersey and dried it off.

The arms use slightly thinner material than the main body, but it was nice to have them on those really hot days for protection against the sun as the whole jersey is made from UV-resistant fabric.

As we are now heading into autumn and the temperature is cooling off, I've still got plenty of use out of the Van Rysel. It's been ideal for chucking on when it's still warm enough for just a jersey but you want a bit of arm coverage, and if it's early morning chilly it fits easily under a gilet.

> How to dress for cycling in autumn

With the gilet undone there is no real wind resistance, but with a lightweight baselayer underneath it's thick enough to keep you warm on the climbs in the upper single digits, temperature-wise.

That's how I see the Van Rysel working for the rest of the year, as a great layering-up option.

Competition-wise, well, as you'd expect there aren't a huge amount of lightweight summer long-sleeve jerseys on the market.

The Rapha long-sleeve training jersey has a similar sort of shape and design, although it's designed for cooler days, so it is a little bit thicker. Though you will pay £105 for it.

MAAP makes a long-sleeve Evade Pro Base Jersey. I was very impressed with the short-sleeve version when I tested it, especially in terms of breathability and fit.

Unlike the Van Rysel the long-sleeve option doesn't come with a zipped pocket or zip garage – and it costs a cool £145.

Conclusion

If you want a slim race jersey but with the addition of long sleeves for cooler days or sun protection the Van Rysel is a very good choice, as long as the fit suits. It's a lot of jersey for the money.

Verdict

An impressive race jersey when it comes to performance and quality with the benefits of long sleeves for those who want them