Gore Power Windstopper long sleeve jersey

Gore Bike Wear offers a somewhat bewildering choice of jerseys and jackets, but if you're after a lightweight, slim fitting top that offers wind and rain protection with excellent breathability for three-season use, the Power Gore Windstopper Long Sleeve Jersey is a top pick.

Made from Gore's iconic Windstopper fabric, the Power jersey is ideal at dealing with the constantly changing weather conditions of spring, summer and autumn. Wear it over a lightweight baselayer and it can cope with a really wide band of temperatures, from nudging zero up to high teens. That versatility makes it easy to dress for virtually any ride, so you can spend less time making tricky clothing decision and more time pressing the pedals.

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Windstopper probably needs no introduction. It's a softshell material that Gore developed years ago and it's windproof and water resistant. It gave us the iconic Castelli Gabba and a hundred clones. It's a fab material for a cycling top for British cyclists, and pretty much meets most of our needs to perfection.

It performs brilliantly in the wind and cold. That makes it hard to choose a conventional long-sleeve jersey with no wind protection over the Gore if you live somewhere where it's perennially windy. As well as being insulating when it's cold, it's breathable when it's warm – it's not a hot summer jersey, but I've been happy to wear it well into the high teens.

As for rain protection, it's just fine in light to medium showers, adequate enough that you don't need to pull on a waterproof jacket and can keep on pedalling. Prolonged heavy rain will eventually overwhelm it, but that's pushing it beyond its design remit, and that's really the time to consider popping a waterproof jacket on. There's ample space in the pockets to carry one.

Gore has opted for a slim fit and I found the small size a perfect shape: snug where it needs to be but not at all restrictive. It's quite a racy-feeling top. I like that.

The sleeves are the ideal length too – I often find sleeves too short on small size tops but Gore has got them just right. They taper to a narrowing cuff which wraps around the wrist to the right degree.

There's a tall collar for when you need to hunker down against the cold, and the front full-length zipper is slightly concealed to add further protection.

An indication of its bad weather suitability is the dropped tail, which is ideal when your rear wheel is kicking up spray or mud from the road. It wraps around your bum and offers good protection, a nice extra layer to have when it's mucky. The waistband is elasticated and sticky so it doesn't ride up, and even if you load up the three pockets there's no sagging. The reflective lining on both pockets and waistband, as well as the logos, is a useful touch.

The look is low-key and Gore offers a choice of colours. While the branding is understated, the large Windstopper logo on the back did attract a few negative comments. I can't say it bothered me that much, partly 'cos I couldn't see it when riding and partly because it's reflective, and more visibility in the dark is a good thing.

> Buyer's Guide: 12 wet weather racing jerseys

I've been putting this jersey through lots of use over the past few months, and it has become my go-to jersey when the weather forecast looks a bit iffy or it's not clear what the dark grey clouds are going to do. It makes it easy to dress for such rides as it provides protection from the cold, wind and light to medium showers, but is sufficiently breathable to cope with higher temperatures. The fit, comfort and attention to detail is great and marks out a quality product.

Verdict

Brilliantly performing three-season jersey that gives very good protection against wind and rain