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review
Gilets
Jerseys - short sleeve
Sportful Fiandre Light Short Sleeve Sportful Fiandre Light Short Sleeve Sportful Fiandre Light Short Sleeve Sportful Fiandre Light Short Sleeve Sportful Fiandre Light Short Sleeve Sportful Fiandre Light Short Sleeve Sportful Fiandre Light Short Sleeve Sportful Fiandre Light Short Sleeve Sportful Fiandre Light Short Sleeve Sportful Fiandre Light Short Sleeve Sportful Fiandre Light Short Sleeve
Sportful Cycling Fiandre Light Short Sleeve

Sportful Fiandre Light Short Sleeve

8
by David Arthur @davearthur
UPDATED Fri, Apr 13, 2018 14:48

First Published Nov 2, 2015

1
£95.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Great performance for mixed conditions autumn and winter riding
Weight: 
154g
Contact: 
www.sportful.com
How we test

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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Defeating the bad weather that can be a hurdle to getting out on the bike during winter is key to Sportful's Fiandre clothing range, and this Light Short Sleeve jersey is a really good pick for changeable weather conditions.

It's essentially a souped-up gilet, with more protection than a gilet but less than a jacket. The sleeves are cut off just above the elbow, and much like the iconic Castelli Gabba, it's designed to be worn over arm warmers. It fits really well, as is the norm with Sportful's Tinkoff-Saxo pro team tested clothing, and provides adequate protection from the elements for all but the coldest days, by which point you'll be reaching for a winter jacket anyway.

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Buy this online here

It's constructed with a Windshield 3L material on all the front-facing panels, so it keeps the wind out. The rear panels, meanwhile, are made from Sportful's NoRain Light material, which offers some rain protection. You don't get any pockets, though there is a fairly large vertical zip to allow access to your jersey pockets underneath.

Sportful Cycling Fiandre Light Short Sleeve - side opening.jpg

The very low weight and thinness of the material mean it packs down very small, so you can stuff it in a jersey pocket when it's not needed. Worn on those rides when the weather forecast is all over the place, it provides a good barrier to the wind and offers a decent level of rain protection, certainly enough to keep you dry in a short shower.

Sportful Cycling Fiandre Light Short Sleeve - zip.jpg

The dropped tail and NoRain Light fabric also do a good job of keeping your lower back dry from rear wheel spray when splashing through puddles after a downpour.

Sportful Cycling Fiandre Light Short Sleeve - back.jpg

With Sportful's own NoRain arm warmers, a short sleeve jersey and short sleeve base layer, the Fiandre Light Short Sleeve jersey is the ideal top for current autumnal conditions. I've also found it a good choice over the top of a long sleeve winter jersey, providing a nice boost in wind and rain protection.

>> Check out our guide to keeping warm on crisp autumn days

The breathability is really good, too; you can wick up a decent pace without worrying about overheating, and the short sleeves ensure you don't suffer from hot arms. In lower temperatures you can hunker down inside the really tall collar, making it ideal for early morning rides.

Sportful Cycling Fiandre Light Short Sleeve - collar.jpg

You get a good dose of reflective details, and the yellow colour tested is extremely bright, ideal for gloomy winter days in the country lanes. Other available colours include black and red, and it's available in sizes XS-3XL.

Verdict

Great performance for mixed conditions autumn and winter riding

road.cc test report

Make and model: Sportful Fiandre Light Short Sleeve

Size tested: Small

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Sportful says:

It's more than a vest, less than a jacket, and oh-so-perfect for variable conditions.

This is a Sportful staff favorite because it provides enough protection to keep the wind away but lots of breathability to prevent overheating. It's much more practical than a vest, without going the full step to a jacket.

Features:

WindShield 3L stretch windproof fabric on front, shoulders and upper arms NoRain Light fabric on back for water repellent breathability Zippered openings for access to pockets YKK® Vislon® main zipper with wind flap Reflective heat transfer strips

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

Short Sleeve Top

WindShield 3L stretch windproof fabric on front

WindShield 3L stretch windproof fabric on shoulders and upper arms

YKK® Vislon® zipper with wind flap

NoRain Light fabric on forearms

Zippered openings for access to pockets

NoRain Light fabric on back for water repellent breathability

Reflective heat transfer strips

Weight 160g

Ergonomic fit

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

High quality construction is evident with good attention to detail, and it's very lightweight.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Works well in changeable conditions with a bit of wind and occasional rain. It's certainly not trying to be a waterproof but it has enough breathability that you can wear it for an entire ride, and the fit is good enough to prevent any horrible flapping in the wind noise.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Having tested it in Italy and the UK in a range of conditions, and put it through numerous washes and dragged it through the dirt, it's stood up really well.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
8/10

It's very light. You don't notice it when wearing it, and won't notice it in a jersey pocket either.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
8/10

Comfort and fit is very good.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

It certainly won't be for everyone, it depends on the sort of rider you are and the riding you do, but it adds a good deal of protection to look after you in changeable weather conditions.

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

For mixed conditions riding when the weather can't make up its mind, the Fiandre Light Short Sleeve jersey is a really versatile top and provides enough protection for most riding conditions.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

A really good fit and just enough protection for changeable mixed autumn/winter conditions when it's not that cold.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Some might bemoan the lack of pockets, because it's breathable enough that you can wear it for an entire ride quite happily. Some more reflective details would be nice.

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 score

It won't be for everyone but it's better than most gilets with enough protection to look after you in a variety of riding and weather conditions.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 31  Height: 180  Weight: 67kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo-cross, commuting, touring, mountain biking

Sportful Fiandre Light Short Sleeve
Sportful 2015
Sportful
Jacket
Gilet
David Arthur @davearthur

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes. 

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1 comments

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Luv2ride | 9 years ago
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I've got the long sleeve version (purchased for under £50 from Evans in their sale a couple of weeks ago so look around for deals).  It is very good indeed as a "take just in case" top, and seems way more breathable than other packable hard shells I've tried.  So much so Ive managed to forget I've left it on sometimes.  I do tend to suffer from "hot arms" though, so the short sleeve would have been a good option.  Only negative is that the hi viz picks up marks very easily but the trade off is that it's eye-searingly bright, so greater chance that car drivers will see you.  

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