Alé PRR 2.0 Speed Fondo Short Sleeve Jersey

It's superlight, it's (arguably) aero, and it's racy. The Alé PRR 2.0 Speed Fondo jersey certainly meets its USP, but there are certain downsides you should bear in mind.

Another day, another aero jersey... Alé is well recognised as being a strong purveyor of high performance kit, and the PRR 2.0 Speed Fondo jersey is designed primarily for, erm, speed.

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The cut hints as much. In a medium it's race-tight around the torso, clinging almost compression-like to the body, with the minimum of spare fabric left over around the air-facing parts of the body – namely, the shoulders. At the front it rides up high, but once in a position that's remotely aero on a road bike that's not an issue, and it pays dividends in the lack of bunching around the stomach.

This has the natural downside of making the jersey reasonably unsuited to those with some girth around the mid-section (unless you opt for a size up from your usual), but it's horses for courses when it comes to that.

Aside from the tight cut, the sleeves are made of a close-cutting mesh fabric that Alé says creates a series of micro low-pressure areas – much along the lines of the dimples you see on pro team kit and even some of Zipp's premium wheelsets – which keep moving air attached to the body for longer, creating less turbulence and, therefore, drag.

Sounds ideal, but it's impossible to tell whether it's having the desired effect in the real world. You need a wind tunnel for that, and to do a direct comparison with your current kit on the body that matters most: yours. So, once my plans for a full-size open return wind tunnel to be installed in my garden have been approved by the local council, you'll be the first to know, and I'll get right on those tests.

Assuming for a moment that there is a benefit of some description to your aero efficiency, what else do you get for your £100? Thankfully, a reasonably competent summer jersey.

The mesh sleeves double well as cooling vents – watch out, though, it's thin enough to let a little sunlight through – while the mesh is also seen around the base of the jersey below the three pockets (three, not four as Alé claims). I had no Chris Froome skinsuit-style episodes, but I'm convinced my previously razor-sharp tanlines aren't quite as pronounced as they used to be.

The mesh is delicate, no question. A quick brush against my (painted) bathroom door even caused a small snag, while any wooden surface that's been untreated needs to be given a wide berth. Still, the main panels of the jersey at the front and rear are made of standard Lycra-elastane fabric, so although there are delicate sections, it's not like you have to completely avoid all contact with human beings to keep it in good nick. As long as you wash it with other delicate clothes in a delicate wash, it stays in good condition too.

The aforementioned pockets are reasonable in their size, but the holes to reach into are banded at the top, presumably to make sure your goods stay securely enclosed, and it does make reaching into them a little more difficult than normal. The openings are also a little higher up the back than I'd like, and that's largely down to the mesh band that sits underneath the pockets. There's also no zipped security pocket, though you do get some reflective detailing across the tops.

The extremities of the jersey might polarise opinion too. Instead of allowing the natural elasticity of the mesh arms to let the jersey sit in the optimum spot, there are grippy band strips on the inside which, if you have some hair on your arms, can be snaggy.

The waist band holds firm (it's lightly textured to stay stuck to the back of your chosen bib shorts), with a tidy un-grippered hem around the front which, ironically, proves the point that in a jersey such as this, it's not necessary to overdo the tackiness of the gripper bands. The YKK zipper is good, and there's a small one-sided garage flap to stop any irritation underneath the inevitably tight-fitting neckline.

It doesn't come cheap either – at £100 it's up there with Castelli's Aero Race, although it is 40 quid cheaper than Rapha's Pro Team Aero Jersey...

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All of which leads me to conclude that the PRR 2.0 Speed Fondo jersey certainly has its uses, but it's definitely not for everyone.

Verdict

If you want a quick, lightweight and cool jersey then it's a strong bet, though not without its flaws