dhb Women's Blok Dasher Short Sleeve Jersey

The Dasher jersey is one of the several brightly coloured 'fashion forward' items in dhb's new Blok range, which are inspired by jockey racing silks and retro team geometrics. This one is actually the most understated of the three women's jersey designs available, which also includes Australian and British Flag inspired designs in faintly gaudy hues of pink, purple and blue.

So let's talk about the colour. It won't be for everyone, but you do have to admire DHB's bravery, and they've certainly captured the fluoro kit zeitgeist championed by top end brands like Castelli. The contrasting DHB logos and zips - in proper highlighter yellow - really pop out from the bold pattern, and it's just the type of enhanced visibility that will grab drivers' attention without making you look like a geeky traffic cone. If you're really feeling the brightness, you can indulge in matching bib shorts or tights which have a thick fluoro yellow band on the leg hem, and pair with the armwarmers from the range; available in bright fluoro yellow, fluoro pink, or two different patterns that would look at home in an early '90s music video - make of this what you will.

The fit is described as 'anatomic'. In practice, the fabric is highly elastic, and I found the cut figure skimming; stretching comfortably over the hips and chest and in at the waist. I could have happily sized up for a more relaxed fit without compromising a female silhouette. The excellent fit is compounded by the generous length of the jersey. It sits comfortably on my hips, and combined with the added security of a silicone strip running along the hem, doesn't ride up at all. The standard three-pocket design is supplemented by a nifty hi-viz zip on the right, giving access to a smaller pocket easily big enough for keys, coins or a debit card.

Essentially, I put it on and proceeded not to think about it again until I took it off at the end of a ride, which is testament enough to its ability to deal with various climatic fluctuations and exertion levels. The fabric itself is quite light, very soft, and has a silky texture that sits amazingly comfortably against the skin, even when damp. It also wicks well, and the thinness of the fabric lends itself perfectly to a summer jersey.

There's an antibacterial treatment to the fabric, which appears to be quite effective, judging by the heavily subdued lingering lycra smell on the commute home. It still smells fresh after loads of washing cycles, although I imagine the treatment won't last forever.

However, those washing cycles have demonstrated that it needs washing on a gentle programme, because the downside of the silky, comfortable fabric is that it snags easily, so don't wash with anything that can grab or tug it.

It's nice to see a jersey with a quality full length zip that has been properly finished; the inners are stitched flat, so there are no irritating loose edges. Generally, I tend to prefer 1/4 or 3/4 length zips as I don't like material bunching around my waist. I've found the the fabric's elasticity helps to eliminate this effect in the Dasher though, resulting in little to no folding when bent over the bike. There isn't a zip garage, but with the low height collar and tidy zip ends, I didn't miss it.

DHB have a reputation for good value kit, and this jersey, as part of their new Blok range, is the next step up in quality kit at a reasonable price. The company has certainly pushed the aesthetic boat out - some may say too far. However, despite not being a big fan of patterns, fluoro, or pink, this jersey has firmly secured a place in my favorites drawer for the pure comfort and performance factors. I'll even admit to being converted to its quirky, eye catching design.

Verdict

Super comfortable jersey with a great female cut, in a bold, highly visible design