Cafe du Cycliste Lorenne Men’s Air Channel Cycling Jersey

Beautifully made, comfortable and cosseting, the Cafe du Cycliste Lorenne Men's Air Channel Cycling Jersey begs to be worn at all times, though it's best suited to all-day, high-tempo rides in cool conditions. The plentiful storage at the rear means you'll be able to bring along various tools and other layers, and the hidden reflective panel at the rear is a bonus, although it could do with a bit more reflectivity all round. As with all Cafe du Cycliste clobber, it's quite pricey.

For more options, check out our guide to the best winter cycling jerseys.

> Buy now: Cafe du Cycliste Lorenne for £124 from Sigma Sports

Cafe du Cycliste markets the Lorenne as a 'mid-weight audax jersey for going the distance in cooler temperatures'. I'd say it's most appropriate worn as an outer layer in cool spring or autumn conditions, where the weather isn't going to throw everything against you. Alternatively, it works well as a mid layer with a gilet or jacket on top.

Though it's well insulated, with a thick, fairly heavyweight (it's 360g) feel and a brushed interior to help retain the body's heat, the Lorenne's waffle textured 'air channel' fabric (96% recycled polyester, 4% elastane, certified safe to wear with OEKO-TEX® approval) is also highly breathable, so if you enjoy high-tempo rides, or scaling steep climbs, and you are also at the sweatier end of the spectrum, it's ideal.

I was able to wear it across a range of temperatures with the right layering: at 3-5°C with a long sleeve winter baselayer and insulated gilet, 5-10°C with a long sleeve baselayer and windproof gilet, and just a short sleeve mesh baselayer over 10 degrees. If the weather looked changeable, I brought along a packable waterproof jacket.

Because of the thickness of the material, it feels warmer than something like the Albion Long Sleeve Jersey I tested a couple of years back. It definitely flows a ton of air, though, so even when I was working hard, be that sprinting during intervals, or long climbs, it kept overheating – and therefore excessive sweating – at bay.

The potential downside here is when you're just cruising along with the temperature around 5-10°C and your baselayer starts to get a little clammy, then the lack of windproofing will make you feel chilly; so at that point you'll need to reach for a windbreaker. Above 10 degrees it's not so much of an issue.

Cafe du Cycliste says the fabric is made in Italy, while the garment is 'made in Europe'. It's certainly a quality garment, as I've come to expect from the brand with the Flying Fish as its motif. In a size large, the fit is nigh-on perfect for me. I'm 193.5cm, with long arms and a shortish torso, and a 31-inch waist; both arms and body length are spot on, with a snug fit around the waist, and the silicone gripper at the hem prevents upward drift.

I'm fairly broad and muscular, too, and the Lorenne hugs the skin beautifully in all the right places, without ever feeling tight or restrictive, although I found it a little tricky keeping the sleeves of a long-sleeved baselayer in place around the forearms when putting on the Lorenne.

With a word like 'audax' in the name, it's a jersey you'd expect to work well on extended rides. While it doesn't have the fit-and-forget capabilities of a softshell or hybrid jersey like the 7mesh S2S to keep you covered in most conditions during a long ride, the Lorenne is going to function better overall in nicer weather.

If there's even a hint of foul weather, the Lorenne's large rear mesh pocket allows you to stash a lightweight rain jacket, and the large opening makes it easy to gain access while you ride so you don't necessarily have to stop to layer up or down.

Three additional pockets offer plentiful storage space for your tools, energy bars, or a phone (each one big enough for a modern iPhone).

There's also a zippered side entry on the rear right (resplendent with a generous fabric toggle) and a zippered Napoleon pocket on the left breast. Both are quite small, but good for storing a few cards or keys.

The jersey isn't windproof, but Cafe du Cycliste says the front zip features windblocking fabric, though I couldn't really tell what difference that makes, if any. The YKK zip puller isn't the biggest, but it's chunky enough to grab when needed, and it features a garage at the top to keep it away from your neck. The Lorenne also features a tall collar, to keep your neck warm in colder weather.

Continuing the audax theme, the Lorenne features a large strip of reflectivity at the rear. You wouldn't notice it at first because it's hidden underneath the black mesh panel – the idea is you don't see it in the day, but when the sun starts to go down it gets lit up by car headlights behind you. There's also another small pop of reflectivity above this where the Audax logo lies. It's not a huge amount, though, and I suspect the more circumspect types might prefer to have greater reflectivity at the front and sides.

Though our Alpine Green jersey is fairly conspicuous, the brighter Chalk option might be the better option if you want to grab a few more eyeballs during the day.

Value

The jersey currently retails on Cafe du Cycliste for £186, though for some reason Sigma Sports has the Alpine Green version listed with an rrp of £165, and the Chalk one reduced to £124 (see the buying link at the top of the review). Whichever price you're looking at, it's at the top end of what you'd expect to pay for a long sleeve jersey.

The recently reviewed Pas Normal Studios Men's Essential Long Sleeve Jersey beats the Lorenne in the luxury price department, just (it's £190). Both are designed for spring and autumn, though looking at Laurence's verdict it appears that the jersey is slightly thinner – better suited to slightly warmer days.

7mesh's Men's Seton Jersey is a little cheaper at £170 and offers a bit more versatility for your money, adding windproofing to the mix, along with good breathability – though you'll still need to carry a waterproof, and it doesn't have a large stash pocket like the Lorenne.

Conclusion

While £186 (or £165) is a lot of money for a jersey, the Cafe du Cycliste Lorenne is a beautifully made piece of kit, and has some nice features that elevate it over more run-of-the-mill options. It's well insulated and benefits from the useful stash pocket at the rear, and the hidden reflective panel is a nice touch – it's in keeping with CdC's aesthetic without impacting practicality. Overall, I really like it.

Verdict

Expensive but high-quality jersey with some neat features that help it stand out from the crowd