Santini Colore Riga Women's Jersey

The Santini Colore Riga Women's Jersey is a classic-fit jersey that offers a more comfortable feel than a race jersey, but one that is still perfectly form-hugging without being restrictive. The fabrics are light and breathable too, though there's no valuables pocket.

> Buy now: Santini Colore Riga Women's Jersey for £90 from Santini

Materials

Santini says this jersey is made with a combination of super-soft technical fabrics that are breathable and that dry quickly.

The jersey is constructed from the same fabric throughout – it's elasticated, feels high quality and is soft to the touch. It isn't as breathable as a mesh-effect fabric, but I never felt like I was overheating, and the lightweight jersey was quick to dry too. Santini says it is best suited to temperatures of 18-35°C.

I found it effective when paired with a baselayer at temperatures of around 15°C and it worked well on its own for temperatures above this. It perhaps wouldn't be as breathable as a mesh jersey in temperatures around 35°C, but this isn't a problem we face during most British summers.

The lack of arm grippers enhanced comfort with the raw-cut finish.

The waistband features an internal silicone gripper, which was discreet and kept the jersey in position when I was riding without digging in anywhere.

The triple-reinforced three rear pockets are a standard design, but slightly unusually this jersey doesn't offer a zipped pocket for valuables. But the fabric is stretchy, and my smartphone fitted in easily and securely. The pockets are big enough for larger items such as rain jackets without sagging, and the middle pocket features some reflective detailing. 

The jersey has a French collar that sits gently against your skin.

The Colore Riga comes in four colour options all featuring stripes on the top of the body and sleeves – and I like the subtle but stylish nature of the design. My test jersey is teal, with the other options lilac, grenadine and black.

The jersey features a full-length, flat zip with a long grippy tag that makes it easy to unzip when riding to let some more air in.

Size and Fit

As with other Santini jerseys, it is offered in an impressive range of sizes from XXS to 3XL.

The jersey sits within Santini's 'classic fit' range, which is the name Santini uses for its regular-fit jerseys. Santini suggests choosing a smaller size if you want a tighter fit. I'm normally a size small in cycling kit and the cut of this jersey was spot on for me.

The fabric is stretchy but there was no extra fabric and I found the jersey figure-hugging despite it being the classic fit. I'm 175cm tall and the length of the body was perfect for me but the slightly longer fit won't suit all. It wasn't restrictive in any area, and I found the jersey comfortable and a good fit.

The sleeves are a good length and stayed in place well whether I was wearing arm warmers or not. There are no silicone grippers, but they aren't necessary as the jersey's stretchy fabric keeps the sleeves in place without any restrictive compression. The raw-cut sleeves also give the classic jersey something of an aero feel.

Value

At £90, the Colore Riga isn't cheap, but you can certainly pay more. The Endura Women's Pro SL S/S Jersey is a similar price, and Suvi found it a high-quality and breathable summer jersey.

Significantly more expensive options include the likes of the £150 MAAP Women's Alt_Road Jersey, which is very breathable, but Janine found it a little short and slightly revealing.

You can get much cheaper options – for example Caroline liked the Van Rysel RCR Women's Short Sleeve Jersey Van Rysel RCR Women's Short Sleeve Jersey, which costs just £39.99 and features a breathable mesh fabric and no fewer than seven pockets!

Overall

This is a comfortable and form-fitting jersey despite being a classic fit. The slightly longer length won't suit everyone but it's a light, stylish option available in a wide range of sizes.

Verdict

Very comfortable summer jersey offering a more relaxed fit without compromising on style