Katusha Aero Race Suit

The Katusha Aero Race Suit is very well made from high-quality fabrics. It isn't cheap but it does put in an impressive performance.

• Pros: Very good fabrics, athletic fit, comfortable seatpad
• Cons: Not the cheapest option

This is Katusha as in Katusha Alpecin, by the way, the pro team that's home to the likes of Marcel Kittel and Alex Dowsett. Whereas clothing manufacturers often go on to sponsor race teams, Katusha has done the whole thing arse about face; the team came first, then the clothing.

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Anyway, back to the story... What you've essentially got here is Katusha's Aero short sleeve jersey (€160) and Aero bib shorts (€220) combined into one garment. Okay, it doesn't work quite that way, but you know what I mean – the best elements of each are put together into a single greatest hits compilation.

The lower is constructed from Schoeller Aero fabric that's designed to reduce drag. Made from polyamide and elastane, it has a honeycomb surface covered in slightly raised hexagons. It's stretchy stuff with a supportive feel.

The ends of the legs are laser cut so there's no hem, silicone gripper on the inside holding them in place against your skin. It works well and its very comfortable.

The pad is deeply cushioned, featuring an 11mm-thick layer of perforated open cell foam (90kg/m3) with 4mm-thick Poron urethane inserts, and a less dense (40kg/m3) 4mm-thick perforated open cell foam upper layer. It really is comfy whether you're sitting up in the saddle or you're down on the drops. It doesn't feel too bulky and it's surprisingly breathable.

The upper section is made of a mix of different fabrics including more Schoeller Aero on the sides, the tops of the arms, the shoulders and the upper back. It's a different weave but a similar structure to the fabric used for the legs.

The front and the lower back are made from four-way stretch materials while the panels that cover the armpits and the underside of the sleeves are lightweight mesh of a type that you might find used for baselayers. It lets loads of air through. The upper as a whole keeps you feeling cool in most summer temperatures while wicking sweat away from your body well.

The sleeves have silicone grippers on the inside to hold them in place, while the full-length YKK front zip has a puller that's easy enough to grab when you're going full gas.

Rather than open-topped pockets that might cause drag, you get two zipped pockets around the back, the zips hidden away in the side seams. The amount of pocket space is about the same as normal, although you obviously can't have anything poking out the top here.

Although black, the little logo on the lower back is reflective.

Katusha says that the fabric selection and placement has been tested in a wind tunnel and on the track, but I couldn't tell you how much difference that makes. I can say that the close fit ensures there's no flapping to increase drag and I can also tell you that I didn't find the Aero Race Suit too tight because of all the stretch in the fabrics used. It's slim fitting but I didn't find it at all constrictive.

When it comes to price you need to consider that the Aero Suit replaces both a pair of shorts and a jersey. As mentioned, Katusha's Aero short sleeve jersey is €160 while its Aero bib shorts are €220, a total of €380. Looked at this way, the €300 Aero Race Suit doesn't seem mega-expensive (€300 is about £270 at today's exchange rate).

> How to get more aero without spending a fortune

It's not as expensive as Endura's D2Z Roadsuit (£329.99), although it is pricier than the Endura Pro SL Roadsuit (£179.99), Alé's R-EV1 Fiandre Strada Skinsuit (£180) and Castelli's very good Sanremo 3.2 Speed Suit (£225).

Overall, the Katusha Aero Race Suit is a high-quality option. The fabrics wick well and help to keep you cool, the seatpad is great and the details are well thought out. This isn't cheap but it does put in a really good performance.

Verdict

High-quality one-piece with a really good seatpad