Ground Effect Road Rage jersey

Ground Effect are a New Zealand company specialising primarily in MTB kit, but most of their stuff translates nicely to audaxing or touring and they have a bit of a cult following in the UK. None of it is flashy, it's not fancy or even fashionable, but it's ideal for leisure riders who don't fancy looking like a mobile bill-board or a badly stuffed sausage. If Ground Effect were a shop, they'd be Marks & Spencers, with all that implies about solid, reliable quality. Despite the day-glo colouring the Road Rage is as plain and understated as a jersey can be and the dark blue version flies even lower under the radar.

It's made from their HyperActive fabric, which has a fairly wide weave. It wicks brilliantly - airflow over the jersey cools the evaporating sweat and it feels like you're riding in a bubble of cool air. Nice. The cut and sizing are generous, to say the least. I'm a chunky chap, but a size M fitted well, with a leisure cut that doesn't cling unflatteringly to MAMIlian profiles. You get the standard three rear pockets with a security zip on the middle one and a built in p*ncture repair patch. It's a cute detail, carried across their entire range but I'd suggest you whip it out before the first wash. The reflective logo on the tail is more useful, as is the 3/4 length zip.

The big weakness is that the fabric is very prone to snagging and if you ride narrow lanes you'll almost certainly pick up a pull or two. The (very detailed) FAQ section on the website makes it clear that the Kiwis know all about this and says that the snagging is just cosmetic. Ground Effect tell me that the fabric has been improved to offer more snag resistance, but I've already picked up a few tell-tale loops from over-friendly brambles. Lots of my riding is on narrow lanes though, your experience may vary. It wouldn't put me off buying one (my winter wardrobe contains a lot of GE merino and most has the odd snag) but you do have to be careful.

Overall, this is a very nice jersey, well made and comfortable but exchange rate makes it pretty pricey at the moment (£54 at the time of writing). Ground Effect only sell direct, so you can't shop around for discounts.

Verdict

Nice jersey, but a little fragile and the exchange rate makes them look pricey.